Are you trying to straighten curly hair? That can be an awesomely hard task if you have extreme curls! If you want to keep your hair healthy, then don't overdo it either.
In the first place, curly hair has a mind of it's own. It wants to do what it wants to do. The trick to getting it straight, is to do so without frying it! Once hair is damaged badly enough, you can't repair it. Its best not to try and straighten it in the first place if the curl pattern is too tight and just won't allow it.
Without chemicals, of course the easiest way to straighten it, is to use a straightening iron. However, with a little humidity and other elements of the weather, it will only revert back to curly. Chemicals are the only way to get your hair pattern to change permanently. Chemical straighteners are very harsh on your hair and can fry it easily and that won't help you at all!
Here are a few pointers to keep in mind when you straighten curly hair.
1) If the weatherman is calling for heavy rain, better to put off trying to get it straight. It will only revert in high humidity and leave you with frizzy hair instead.
2) If your curls are over zealous, better to not straighten curly hair too often. That will only weaken the hair cuticle and leave it more susceptible to breaking off.
3) When you straighten your hair, you might do well to use a leave in conditioner in your hair before you use your iron. Leave in conditioners help protect your hair from high heat.
4) If you have a very tight curl pattern, the only way to get it straight is to use a chemical straightener. Since these are very harsh on your hair, get it done professionally. Trying to do it yourself at home might be a big mistake. Great care must be taken when using them so it's best left to the professionals.
5) You will have an easier time if you get your hair semi-straight before you use an iron. This can be done by simply blow drying your hair straight before you start. While your hair is still damp, simply use a blow dryer while you gently brush your hair down. Hold the dryer above your head with the air flow blowing down and move it around often!
5) Iron your hair in sections. Section off the top of your hair and do one section at a time, preferably working from the bottom up.
6) There are parts of my own hair that never straighten out all the way. Don't try to make a Mono Lisa out of a cheap painting. In other words, if you don't get it perfectly straight, don't continue to go over it with your iron! The sections that do not cooperate are better left alone. So what if your hair is not perfect. Come on ladies! No one's got perfect hair! Get over it and move on!
7) If your hair still looks poofy, try a hair wax, pomeade, or a leave in defrizzer, then give your hair a shot of cool air from your blow dryer to give it lots of shine!
8) Use hair straightening shampoos when you wash. These shampoos will help start the process before you ever get out of the shower. You can also use straightening sprays after you shower. Some of them work pretty darn good, so use them!
9) If you use heat a lot, be sure to use a good conditioner each time you wash your hair. Your hair is strong until you make it weak. Conditioners help keep the tensile strength of your hair and keep its integrity.
10) Don't fight a losing battle. If your hair just won't allow it, don't keep trying to get your hair straight. Learn to enjoy your curls and find ways to fix it to change it up a bit without having to straighten curly hair. You'll be happier and your hair will be too!
11) If you fry your hair, try hask placenta. Initially these sound gross to use but they work! If you're in a scrape, hask placenta maybe the answer to your prayers!