Does getting your hair straightened help tame the frizz?

[Nicewarmfeet]

I have curly hair which I've struggled with all my life. Over the years I've tried curly girl method, I've tried every product for curls under the sun. I've done rice water rinses, apple cider vinegar rinses. I've tried a Brazilian blow dry (which did help a bit). I've washed my hair in cold water, warm water, used a defuser, naturally dried it. I sleep in a silk cap. Very rarely do I manage to get it to look nice consistently. One day something will work (for a few hours only usually) but then the next it looks crap.

I'm at the point where I'm thinking sod it I'll just get it straightened. Can anyone share their experience of doing this? Did you regret it? How was maintenance of the roots? Was that a massive pain? Most important did it stay frizzy and was just frizzy and straight? Or did it tame it a bit so you could have it down and it doesn't triple in volume over the course of a day?? Any advice appreciated x

Anyone?

I have keratin treatment on mine,which I love! Mine works for frizz but I can tell when it needs doing again as it starts to creep back in. I normally have it done twice a year,I'd like it done 3 times a year if I could afford it. I'm lucky I've found a salon which is extremely reasonable as was initially put off when I researched and saw the prices.

Have you tried using a keratin straightening treatment yourself. Needs re-doing every 3 months. I've used this one but I don't think my hair is as curly as yours. It gradually washes out so less damaging than a permanent straightening treatment.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brazilian-Straight-Treatment-Straightening-Smoothing/dp/B071NSL46C?pdrddw=0BdxV&content-id=amzn1.sym.28ecf3c0-e35d-463b-8f69-d55af961869c&pfrddp=28ecf3c0-e35d-463b-8f69-d55af961869c&pfrddr=XJ6B120AZWEWW5DB2RHM&pdrddwg=xHjzq&pdrddr=4bbe02b1-0c09-491d-8588-c0434075feaf&pdrddi=B071NSL46C&psc=1&ref=pddbapmmrp22_qv

Just to add I normally have it done every 5-6 months and start to notice it wearing off around the 4 month mark. I do however wash my hair too much which I'm trying to cut down on.

Yes the Brazilian blow dry was a Keratin treatment I think and it did help but I guess I have internalised that beauty standard of long flowing straight hair being pretty and I can't seem to let that go. I do just prefer my hair straight but when I straighten it myself it always gets frizzy. I sort of hoped getting it straightened might be the answer.

Thank you so much for this tip. I'm really hopeless at doing beauty stuff but maybe it's worth a try??

Hi OP! I’ve been having my hair permanently straightened once a year for the last decade (actually even longer than that.) It absolutely does get rid of all the frizz. It breaks all the bonds that cause your hair to kink and resets them.
Like you I totally understand the long flowing hair thing. It’s what I wanted too - I always look much better groomed when my hair is straight.
Honestly, it’s a game changer. I can shower at the gym and then head straight into work without worrying about frizz - it dries like a sheet of glass. I can walk in the rain without getting stressed about it. I can go out dancing and get sweaty and not worry my hair is frizzing up.
Regarding roots - it depends on how fast your hair growth is. I have super thick and very fast growing hair- after about 6 months you can see a very slight regrowth with a different texture but it’s not enough for me to get it re-done. Ideally I’d do it twice a year - 9 months apart - but I don’t have the money!!

good luck with whatever you decide, send me a PM if you want.

@NatriumChloride really?? That's the dream!! To have it get wet and not worry about it looking a state. I'd love to not get anxious about it being rained on!
I want to look groomed that's exactly it! Right now I look really quite crap no matter what I do. What treatment do you have? What's the name of it?

I totally understand your issues. Washing, drying and straightening my hair takes 2 hours from start to finish - most of that straightening time - and it used to get ruined in the rain out when I got sweaty from the gym. I’ve not experienced any frizz in years now.

It used to be called the Yuko system. Now my salon tends to use a straightening system called Paimore. They’re essentially the same thing - chemicals applied to break the bonds in your hair and reset them into t your chosen (straight) hairstyle!

What about something less drastic like the Kerasilk system? It's supposed to be similar in that it gets rid of frizz but doesn't permanently straighten it, so that you still get some natural wave, and it doesn't use the formaldehyde or carcinogens found in most Keratin treatments (as I understand it). I've not tried it yet but am thinking about it. I was considering the keratin straightening, but was worried a) about the formaldehyde, and b) about whether thick curly hair like mine would actually look right totally straight - even when I straighten it myself, it seems to have an 'edge' at the bottom somehow, that ends up looking scraggly or blunted somehow, not like people who have naturally smooth hair. It's the coarseness and amount of it, perhaps, rather than just the curl.

I think that most of the treatments also affect any colour you've had done, so that has to be redone at some point afterwards (not immediately I think, except possibly the kerasilk)

@Bimbleberries I did a keratin treatment last year and it helped but it wasn't really what I wanted if I'm honest. I still looked scruffy and struggled to style my hair to be nice looking. It did help but not as much as I wanted. This is why I'm considering the nuclear option.

I have the kerasilk and it works for me. Due to get it again in February.

I just nipped into town and dropped into the hairdressers they're going to do a patch test for me tomorrow. The box dye I did the other day might scupper the whole plan. 🤦‍♀️

The expert stylist needs to see my hair to say if they can do it. I might also go mad and have an eye brow tint. thanks for the advice everyone x