How to Use Ceramic Irons on African American Hair

For many years Marcel irons have been the gold standard when it comes to straightening African American hair, but thankfully new ceramic technology gives you an easier way to get the same result. If you're wondering how to use ceramic irons on black hair, keep reading to find some tricks of the trade.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Get the right iron. All ceramic irons have a certain percentage of ceramic on the plates, but cheaper varieties are composed mostly of copper, which can lead to problems. The higher-end models have pure ceramic plates, which give a better end result. So expect to spend at least $100 for a top-quality ceramic iron.

2. Wash and dry the hair. You want to begin with a clean head of hair, so wash it as you normally would and follow up by applying a small amount of thermal protectant or straightening balm formulated for African hair. You can then either air dry it or blow it out, depending on the amount of time you have.

3. Plug in your iron and allow it to heat up properly before trying to use it. If you use it before it's fully hot, you won't get the straightening effect you're looking for.

4. Separate the hair. Once the hair is dry, begin sectioning off the hair into small chunks so that you can straighten each one individually.

5. Keep it straight. Taking each section of hair, begin at the root and slowly move the iron down to the tip of the hair. You need to do this in a fluid motion so that the iron doesn't stay in one place for too long.

6. Curl if you want. To add a little body at the end of the hair, simply use the ceramic iron to add a little curl to the bottom of each section of hair.