Tips for Straightening Fine Hair

Straight hair remains one of today's most popular styles for hair of all types, including easy-to-damage fine hair. If you have fine hair, follow these 9 tips for fabulous, frizz-free straight hair.

1. Take care of your hair.

For best results when straightening fine hair, start with healthy hair and a great cut. The better your fine hair looks before you straighten it, the better it will look after you straighten it, so be sure that your hair is healthy and well moisturized before you get out the flat iron. Also, while nearly any hair style benefits from a good cut, this is especially true of straightened hair, since split ends and other damage may become more apparent when hair is straightened.

2. Choose the right products.

Since fine hair generally has little natural body, don't weigh it down with heavy products, or your straight style will look limp and lifeless. Also, fine hair often dries out easily, so you may need to pay special attention to keeping it well moisturized. Use a volumizing shampoo to give your fine tresses a little more oomph, followed by a light moisturizing conditioner to hydrate while keeping the frizzies at bay.

3. Don't overuse conditioner.

Minimize the amount of conditioner that you use to avoid flattening you hair. Experiment with various amounts to determine how much conditioner you need to protect, shine and moisturize while retaining your hair's natural body. If your hair is dry, damaged or colored, consider applying a spray-in conditioner before straightening your hair.

4. Protect fine hair from heat.

Heat is necessary to straighten hair, but fine hair is delicate, and therefore it is more susceptible than coarser tresses to damage from heat. Before straightening fine hair, be sure to use a heat protective product to minimize the chance of damage. There are numerous serums or sprays on the market designed to protect hair from heat. Ask your stylist for suggestions as to the best products for your hair.

5. Choose the right flat iron.

Fine hair often is easier to straighten than thicker locks, but, as already discussed, it also is more fragile and dries out more readily. As a result, using the right flat iron is especially important when straightening fine hair. Many professionals recommend a high quality ceramic flat iron that uses ionic technology to reduce static and frizz.

6. Use a low heat setting.

Be sure that the flat iron you use to straighten your fine hair has a variety of temperature settings, since you should always use a relatively low temperature on fine hair to minimize damage and drying.

7. Only straighten dry hair.

Your hair should be completely dry, not damp, when it is straightened, for two reasons. First, you will be wasting your time straightening damp hair, since it will revert back to its natural wave or curl as it dries. Second, damp hair breaks more easily than dry hair, so not only will straightening damp hair fail, but it can easily result in damage.

8. For a smooth look, use a smooth technique.

The right technique is critical to achieving the straight-hair look you want. Start by sectioning your hair. Take a section and place it between the plates of your flat iron, beginning at the roots, then immediately pull the flat iron down the section from root to tip with a smooth and even movement. Repeat this process with each section. You may need to experiment a bit to determine how much hair should be in each section to achieve the best results.

9. Finish with shine and hold.

To give your straight hair a professional, polished look and help the straightening to last longer, finish it off with some shine serum and/or a light coating of hair spray.

Sources:

CindyM, www.ehow.com, How to Style Fine Straight Hair [eHow.com].

www.hairfinder.com, Straighten fine hair with a flat iron and special precautions to take.

www.ehow.com, How to Straighten Hair with a Straightening Iron [eHow.com].