Japanese Hair-Straightening Tips
If you want to change up the look of your wavy or curly hair without altering it chemically with a relaxer, a Japanese straightening treatment may be a safe and effective option for your hair. However, Japanese straightening, or thermal conditioning, is a semipermanent treatment, since the hair will remain straight until it grows out. The procedure is best performed by a stylist, and there are ways to maintain your hair until your next appointment. Does this Spark an idea?
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Allowing Time for Treatment
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Japanese hair straightening can be an extremely time-consuming process; the Salon Trendz website suggests that it could take anywhere from three to five hours, depending on the length and thickness of your hair. So be sure to block out a whole day, or the majority of the day, to have your hair straightened. Anyone can receive this hair treatment, regardless of ethnicity, and your stylist should take a good look at your hair to determine how much treatment is needed due to previous coloring or chemical treatments. Your hairstylist can give you an idea of how long the process will take based on these factors.
Cost
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At your initial consultation, your stylist will let you know how effective Japanese hair straightening will be for you. The process is usually only necessary twice, perhaps three times, a year, but can be very expensive. According to the Hair Pro website, a Japanese hair straightening, or thermal conditioning, costs between $150 and $200; the AOI Beauty website asserts that the treatment is anywhere between $250 and $600 per session, depending on whether the hair is being treated for the first time or getting retouched and the length of the hair.
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The Straightening Process
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Once you decide to get the Japanese hair-straightening treatment, your stylist will apply the straightening solution to your hair. The solution should remain on for as short as five minutes, or as long as an hour, depending on how thick or curly your hair is. After the conditioner has stayed on your hair for the allotted time, your stylist will wash the solution out and blow-dry your hair until it is damp. While your hair is near dry, the stylist will apply a heat protectant and iron it to make it stick straight with irons that range in temperatures from 80 and 220 degrees C. This is perhaps the most time-consuming part of the process, as the hair is meticulously straightened to ensure there is not frizziness or wave patterns. The stylist then adds a neutralizing treatment to your hair, along with another conditioner, and blow-dries the hair again to lock in the straightness.
Maintaining the Look
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After you receive your Japanese hair-straightening treatment, use shampoo and conditioner that is formulated for straight hair to maintain the look in between treatments, according to the Hair Thermal Reconditioning website. The site also suggests that you apply henna to clean, wet hair for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to strengthen the hair and add shine.
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References
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