For the last few years, hair-straightening has been a go-to for girls and guys around the country. There are plenty of different methods of straightening hair, like relaxers, keratin treatments, and temporary straightening.

Relaxers straighten the hair permanently because they change the chemical texture of the hair by reducing the curl, according to naturallycurly.com. Since relaxers are a form of lotion or cream, the term “permanent” is loose. The relaxer will permanently alter the hair that it has touched, but every piece or part of hair that hasn’t been altered by the relaxer will remain natural. This can be risky because overlapping on relaxer will dry out the scalp and hair, causing extreme damage.

Another way to straighten hair is through keratin treatment. Keratin is a protein in hair, so through this method, salon hairdressers flat iron more keratin into the hair. Keratin treatments reduce frizz and last, on average, for about two and a half months, according to webmd.com.

Last but not least, the most well-known method of straightening hair is using thermal tools, like flat irons and blow dryers. However, while this is the most popular, it also causes the most everyday damage. The biggest problem with this method is that it dries out the hair incomparably. This makes it very vulnerable to breakage and looking dull.

“I don’t like to wake up early enough to straighten my hair. I don’t want my hair to get damaged,” said senior Lauren Bowers.

On the other hand, damaging hair is a concern, but heat protectants exist; moisturizing hair to check damage control is the best way to go. Senior Denae Eldridge, who straightens her hair four to five times a week, realizes the importance of moisturizing hair in order to keep the damage to a minimum. Though she doesn’t use heat protectant before straightening, Eldridge said, “I use coconut oil to keep my hair moisturized.”  

Whether it be through relaxers, keratin treatments, or thermal tools, there are several effective methods of straightening hair. Be sure to protect hair before putting it at risk.