If you love the look of super sleek straight hair but are prone to frizz and flyaways there is a professional salon hair treatment that may be of great interest to you- Japanese Hair Straightening. Whether you’re battling the high humidity of summer or the cold, dry air of winter, every season has its challenges when it comes to maintaining a smooth, shiny hairstyle. If you’re looking for an option that will allow you to have the silky strands of your dreams without spending hours each week attached to your flat iron, you’ve come to the right place. Today we’ll discuss the ins and outs and pros and cons of this permanent thermal hair straightening method to help you decide if Japanese Hair Straightening is the right treatment to help you reach your gorgeous hair goals.
What It Is
Japanese hair straightening is a thermal reconditioning treatment that was developed in Japan in the late 90s. It’s a multi-step process that permanently alters the structure of your hair to straighten it. New growth will retain your natural texture, but treated hair will not revert to it. In the first step, a solution is applied to your hair that breaks down the chemical bonds in your hair to allow the texture to be altered. After a set amount of time, your hair will be rinsed, blow-dried, and flat ironed to allow the heat to set your new smooth straight texture. Then a neutralizer solution is applied to restore the chemical bonds and pH levels of your hair and lock the new structure in place. The process is finished with a final rinse, blow dry, and flat iron session.
Benefits of Japanese Hair Straightening
The most obvious benefit of Japanese hair straightening is waking up each morning with effortlessly beautiful, sleek, straight hair with no worries about the weather, humidity, or your daily activities like swimming or sports ruining your do. You won’t have to struggle every day to maintain smooth, shiny locks so it will save you hours of styling time every single week. And since treated hair dries faster and requires no further heat straightening your strands will suffer less heat-related damage.
Who Does Japanese Hair Straightening Work Best For?
Japanese hair straightening works best for people with loose waves or curls that prefer to wear their hair straight. This straightening treatment can usually be performed on previously processed hair, but it’s very important to inform your stylist of all chemical processing you’ve had done including relaxing, perming, coloring or bleaching. If your hair has been heavily processed your stylist will need to evaluate the health and strength of your hair to determine what, if any, precautions need to be taken to prevent damaging your hair.
How To Prepare For Your Appointment
Unless your stylist gives you specific instructions prior to your appointment all you need to do is to arrive with clean, air-dried hair in its natural state and texture, with no styling products. Since the straightening process takes about four hours from start to finish, coming to your appointment with your hair already clean and ready to go will help speed the process along.
Hair Care After The Appointment
You will need to keep your hair dry and wear it down and straight for 3 days after your appointment while your hair is still neutralizing. Avoid using anything in your hair that might crease it including barrettes, bobby pins, elastics, or headbands. A silk or satin scarf tied loosely around your hair or sleeping on a satin pillowcase can help protect against creases and kinks while you sleep. After the 72-hour waiting period you’ll be free to resume all of your usual activities, including hair care and styling.
The professional stylists at Charles Ifergan are well-trained in the Japanese hair straightening technique. We would love the opportunity to help you experience the perfectly straight strands that you’ve always wanted. We have three convenient locations to serve you in downtown Chicago Oak Street, Deerfield, or Oakbrook. Download our free mobile app from iTunes or Google Play, or schedule your Japanese Hair Straightening appointment online today!
