Dry and frizzy hair after using straighteners

Q: I have recently been to the hairdressers and had a complete restyling which when done looked absolutely amazing. My hair before I had it done was so frizzy I had to spray down my hair with hairspray. At the hairdressers I had it blow dried and straightened and it was so smooth flat and shiny all my family commented on how much better I looked and I actually felt good about myself for once.

I know you never get the look back from at the hairdressers, but since I have had my hair done everytime I wash and straighten it, it is rough, dry and seems like it is all splitting. And it is in so much of a mess I don't even like going out as I look like a completely different person to the person straight out the hairdressers.

Is there anything I can do with my hair to get a better look? It is really getting me down. I paid a lot of money for this hair cut and now it just seems like a waste. I use dry to wet straighteners which I am sure is the problem so I have changed to other straighteners but still have a horrible frizzy style.

A: Dry and frizzy hair is an obvious sign that your hair needs moisture - a LOT of moisture. You don't specify what was done as a part of this restyle, but if the stylist used a chemical process like thio-straightening, then you can probably be sure that the chemicals have made your hair more porous and you should be using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner already.

I also recommend that add a leave-in conditioner to your daily routine. Remember, that unless your hair is exposed to soiling environments or your activities cause you to sweat a LOT, you don't necessarily need to shampoo daily. However, you should use a rinse-through conditioner every day. Often, a conditioner is all you need to remove daily oil, dirt and product build-up.

For your daily hair care, I suggest the following: Shampoo your hair when needed, but condition it every day. Gently towel-dry the hair, apply a leave-in conditioner and comb it through the hair carefully to remove tangles. This should be sufficient to rehydrate the hair and protect it through the styling process.

There are products available designed to protect the hair through heat-styling processes, and specifically developed for creating straight hair looks. Apply the products to the clean, conditioned hair while it is still damp and work it through the hair from scalp to ends. Use a wide-tooth comb to help distribute the product evenly.

Dry your hair using a low-heat setting and be sure to always direct the air flow in the direction the hair grows. If your hair is long, or especially dense, divide the hair into horizontal sections and dry it one section at a time. Work your way from the bottom up to the upper sections.

Once the hair has been completely dried, resection the hair into horizontal sections and use a flat-iron to further smooth the style. If you don't already have one, a good serviceable flat iron can be purchased at a reasonable price (as low as US $25 - $30).

Be sure to monitor the heat setting on the iron, so as not to burn the hair. Use a piece of tissue paper that has been moistened by misting it with a spray bottle and place it between the plates of the iron. Count to 10 and check the tissue. An iron at the proper temperature will dry the tissue where the plates pressed it. If there is any discoloration of the tissue or smoking when the iron is placed on the tissue, you need to lower the temperature. When the tissue test comes out clean, you are ready to use the iron.

Pass the flat iron over thin slices of the hair in smooth, quick passes and you should find the hair has been smoothed flat. This should give you the results you desire.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

Hair straightening

How to flat iron hair

How to get rid of frizzy hair

Why does hair frizz?