Relax Tight Thin Curls

Brunette with long hair and tight curls
Photo: Cookie Studio/Shutterstock
Q: I have very tight and thin curls. I always seem to have the same style, and I don't want to cut it short because it makes me look far too young.
 
Is there any way I can relax my curls naturally with a serum, spray, etc. every day, so they're not so tight and I can get a different cut?
 
A: Well, a few ideas come to mind which might help your situation:
 
First, use a shampoo and conditioner that will help to ensure you to have smooth curls. There are formulas available specifically for curly hair. In addition, using a spray-on leave-in conditioner with anti-frizz/smoothing serum can add some additional weight to your hair which should relax your curls at least a little.
 
Second, you could consider using a roller set to rearrange your curls into larger and softer forms. You can use large sponge rollers on damp hair at night and allow the hair to dry while you sleep. In the morning, you can finger-comb the hair to arrange the larger curls into the style you desire.
 
Third, you can always use the blown-dry straight and flat-ironing method to flatten out the curls, but if you don't want to have completely straight hair, or you simply want larger, looser curls, this may not be for you. It will also be far more time consuming than you may want to undertake every morning.
 
The problem with all these methods is that they are strictly temporary, and the hair will revert to its natural curl as soon as it is wet again.
 
You might consider having a soft-curl perm where the hair is wrapped using large perming tools (including some specialty tools or non-traditional perm tools) to create larger, softer curls in the hair. This would allow you to have less tight curl, enable you to get a different cut and style and be able to style the hair in your normal length of time in the mornings.
 
Apart from the permanent wave suggestion, the roller set is going to offer you the closest results to what you are seeking (in my opinion). Following this option, however, is going to require that you talk to your stylist and explain carefully how you plan to style the hair, so that any cut he/she gives you will respond properly to the new styling method.
 
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See also:
 
Perms and perming hair
 
Curly hair and hairstyles
 
How to use a roller set
 
How to blow dry hair straight