How to Flat Iron Hair

Co-authored by Jenny Tran

Last Updated: January 16, 2023 References Approved

Straight hair is remarkably quick and easy to get using a flat iron styling tool in the comfort of your home. Ceramic flat irons are popular since they provide even heat for most hair types and are relatively inexpensive; titanium plates can be better for coarse hair, however, and tourmaline (a.k.a. "ionic") plates are best for damaged hair.^{[1]
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Research source} By using the proper straightening technique and applying the appropriate hair treatments before and after straightening, you can keep your hair straight all day and protect your hair from heat damage. Follow the steps below to learn how to properly flat iron your hair from start to finish.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Prepping Your Hair for Heat

1
Use smoothing or moisturizing shampoos and conditioners. These are specially formulated to create straight or sleek hair. You don't need to buy expensive hair products, anything you can find at your local drug store or beauty supply store will work.
- You can also look for products that are labeled for creating "sleek" or "straight" styles.
2
Pat your hair dry after getting out of the shower. Use your towel to remove water from your hair by gently squeezing your hair in sections rather than harshly ruffling it dry. Patting your hair dry helps prevent excess frizz from occurring after showering.^{[2]
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3
Use a thermal protection serum or heat treatment while your hair is wet. You should apply it when your hair is wet because it allows you to evenly spread the serum around your hair without creating clumps. Comb your hair with a wide-toothed comb after applying.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Jenny Tran
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.}
- Products with Obliphica Berry, argan nut oil, Moroccan oil, or coconut oil are thought to help keep hair straight throughout the day. ^{[4]
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- Products with silicone will also help to keep your hair straight.
4
Blow-dry your hair. You want your hair to be as dry as possible when straightening. Not only will this allow your flat iron to work better, it will also prevent your hair from being shocked by the heat and breaking off.^{[5]
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- Point the hair dryer downward with the flow of your hair while blow-drying. This downward motion away from your roots encourages your hair to dry straight. It also smooths down your hair and reduces the risk of frizz.
- Set your hair dryer on the lowest heat setting. If you have particularly frizzy hair, drying your hair on a lower heat setting for a longer period of time will prevent your hair from puffing up as you dry it.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Learning the Technique

1
Plug in your iron and flick the switch to "on." There will also be a numbered heat setting near the "on" switch that you can adjust to your desired heat level. The thicker and frizzier your hair, the higher the numbered setting should be. If your hair is particularly thin and brittle make sure to set your straightener to the lowest number to avoid damaging your hair.
2
Separate your hair into several sections. The number of sections will depend on the thickness of your hair. The key is to make sections one to two inches thick so that they can easily pass through the straightener.^{[6]
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- Pin or clip the sections you are not using out of the way as you straighten each individual section.
- An easy way to do this is to pin all of the sections that you are not using on the top of your head or behind your shoulders. Then take each individual section in front of your shoulder to straighten it.
3
Place the straightener as close to the roots as possible. However, don't burn yourself. This will usually mean that your straightener will start about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from your scalp if your hair is straight. For curly or textured hair, you should get the flat iron closer than 1 inch (2.5 cm) so that your roots won't remain curly.^{[7]
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- Go slowly so that you don't burn yourself.
4
Clamp the iron down. The heated sides should touch, with your hair resting between them. Be sure not to clamp too firmly, as this will create a ridge in the top of the hair section where you start straightening. Additionally, be sure not to hold the flat iron in the same spot for too long, as doing so will also cause a ridge to form in your hair.^{[8]
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5
Run the flat iron down the length of your section of hair. Your motion should be a fluid and steady sweep from the roots to the ends. The most important part of this technique is that you don't hold the straightener in any one place for too long. Doing so can damage your hair and create undesirable folds.^{[9]
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6
Run the straightener over the section up to 2-3 times. Stop as soon as your hair is straight, but don't do more than 3 passes, as this will damage your hair. Depending on the thickness of your hair, you may only have to do this once, or you may have to run the straightener over a section of hair several times.^{[10]
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- Smaller sections of hair will make it easier to get your hair straight with fewer passes. Keep your sections to smaller than .5 inches (1.3 cm).
- The strength of your flat iron will also determine how many times you will have to run over a particular section of hair.
- The lower the heating setting on the flat iron, the more times you will have to run your straightener over a particular section of hair. Set your temperature at about 300 degrees. If you have textured or curly hair, you may have to set it higher.
- Don't be alarmed if you see steam rising from the flat iron. Steam occurs as a result of the hot ceramic making contact with any leftover moisture in your hair. If you start to smell burning hair, however, turn down the heat setting on the flat iron immediately.
7
Move the straightened piece out of the way and unclip a new section of hair. It is generally easiest to move around your head from one side to the other rather than taking random chunks so that you can easily separate the straightened chunks from the non-straightened ones. You may need to brush each section before straightening it if it got tangled while pinned.
- If your hair is prone to frizz, apply a hairspray or setting serum to each section immediately after you straighten it.
- Avoid getting any product on sections of hair that you have not straightened yet. The product can negatively interfere with the straightening process, causing damage to your hair or to your flat iron.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Keeping Your Hair Straight

1
Set your blow dryer to cold on the lowest air flow setting. Blow-dry your hair for another minute carefully to set your straightened hair. You can use a thick brush to guide your hair in a straight motion if you prefer.
2
Apply a hairspray, a post-straightening product, or a setting spray. This helps keep your hair straight all day. Anti-frizz serum that contains silicone is especially effective at keeping hair straight after flat ironing.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Jenny Tran
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 19 May 2020.}
3
Carry an umbrella with you. If you live in a climate prone to random bouts of moisture, carry an umbrella with you in case it starts to rain or mist heavily. External moisture will cause your hair to become frizzy again.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Can hair straightening be done on wet hair if I have thick and curly hair?

Ashley Adams
Professional Hair Stylist
Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.

Ashley Adams

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

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No, don't ever use a flat iron on wet hair. If you do try to straighten your hair while it's wet, the flat iron will cause a lot of damage. It's likely that your hair will just fall out or break off afterwards. Make sure that your hair is 100% dry before you try to straighten it.
Question

My straightener in not working from the day I bought it. What do I do?

Ashley Adams
Professional Hair Stylist
Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.

Ashley Adams

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

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If the straightener you just bought is not working, you should try to take it back to the store to exchange it for another one. It's not possible to straighten your hair with a broken straightener.
Question

Do you put heat protectant on wet or dry hair?

Jenny Tran
Professional Hair Stylist
Jenny Tran is a Hair Stylist and the Founder of JT Hair Lab by Jenny Tran based in the Dallas, Texas metro area. With over seven years of professional hair styling experience, Jenny specializes in hair coloring, haircutting, and hair extensions. JT Hair Lab is an authorized carrier of R+Co and of Milbon and is committed to using products with quality ingredients.

Jenny Tran

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

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If the heat protectant comes in a gel or serum, you should apply it when the hair is damp. If it's a spray, then you can apply on either dry or damp hair.

Warnings

Don't hold the straightener on your hair in one spot. Keep it moving in a downward motion from your roots to your ends to avoid breakage.

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Brushing your hair when wet can cause split ends and damage your hair.

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Flat irons are very hot. Be sure they are out of reach of children and pets.

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Be careful when using the flat iron near your neck and ears, as you can easily burn yourself.

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Always turn your flat iron off after using as a safety precaution. Flatirons that are left on can either break or have the potential to start a fire.

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