Straighten & Recreate Wave Pattern

Before and after straightened hair
Photo: Parilov/Shutterstock
Q: I permed my hair about 2 months ago and it is now starting to grow out but still very curly. It takes a lot of work to keep it up, so I would like to straighten it. I have permed my hair before, and I waited until it grew out and then I cut it short. The length of my hair is a little lower than my shoulders and I don't want to have to cut it very short again. I would like to straighten my hair, and I have been reading about the different methods on how you would go about straightening it.
 
My only concern is that when I straighten it, it wouldn't have the same appearance as before I permed it. I don't want to make it look like there's been a drastic change. I would like it to be straight with the little kink like it was before so when it does start to grow out you don't notice the difference as much. If I was to straighten it, would it be very straight (pin straight) or can you choose the levels of straightness you want?
 
A: In many cases, a good chemical services specialist can often help you to recreate a wave pattern that your hair had prior to a perm or straightening service. The specific service you need depends on the results you want. Most thio-straightening services, will give you straighter hair, but they usually just relax the curl you currently have and your hair will not be perfectly straight.
 
The newer, more expensive services like the Japanese Thermal Restructuring will give you perfectly straight hair, but are often cost prohibitive, and if you simply want a less-drastic change in the hair's texture, these results are not what you want.
 
L'Oréal has come out with a new line of texture services products that are designed to loosen curls, smooth frizz and reduce volume in the hair. These products are only available to professionals and are primarily used in salons, so you would need to consult with a stylist if you want to pursue this route.
 
If your perm was an at-home kit that you did yourself, you can always try using another kit (or an at-home straightening kit, such as the Oglvie Straightener) to remove the curl. Many users report pleasant results from using such kits, although as mentioned before, you have to remember that individual results can vary based on many factors.
 
Make sure that your hair is well-conditioned before you perform another chemical service. Daily conditioning and weekly deep conditioning are not out of the ordinary for hair that has been chemically processed.
 
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See also:
 
Permanent hair straightening
 
What is Japanese Thermal Restructuring?
 
What is the difference between a relaxer and a straight perm?
 
The difference between a traditional relaxer, Japanese straightening and Brazilian straightening