Is there any way to blow out curly hair straight? I LOVE how my hair looks when I blow dry it straight, but I don't want the dammage associated with it.

Is there a better, safer and fast way to get my hair to dry straight like a blow out?

~Kaylin

If you keep the temp setting at cool, minimal damage would occur from the dryer.  

Leave in conditioners, particularly those with silicone type ingredients will frequently provide more weight to the hair which would tend to straighten the hair.  Just be sure to clarify after using these products so that the hair does not suffocate.

Gentle combing as the hair is in the final drying will also straighten the hair more.

I used to use my blowdryer every other day.  Ouch!  Now I don't use one at all, and my hair is in much better condition... that said, I realize there are times when a hairdryer is unavoidable, especially if you want to make curly hair straight.

If you do want to use the blowdryer to straighten your hair, I would suggest using a blowdryer with a diffuser attachment, using low heat, and spraying your hair down with a leave-in conditioner to keep from damaging.  That's the safest way I know to blowdry.

I agree with Bikerbraid's gentle combing idea. Lately I've been calling it "wet combing". you may have seen this term on HB were it's ALL OVER the place.. LOL. ;D It makes my hair "straighter than usual" or "straight as a 1ab SHOULD be". I start combing with a seamless, right out of the shower, then keep combing after squeezing the hair in a towel,... comb again a couple times... waiting about 5-10 minutes in between.. comb again.. you'll encounter resistance as the hair dries though. The basic idea behind this is too simple to be true, the fact that hair dries in the position that it's in while it's wet.

In the Fia language (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=357),
this wet combing method gets me down to a ii+ though, instead of a iii. But my hair gets STICK STRAIGHT when I do this. Then again I'm a 1ab and you have curl.. (and LOVELY curls they are too! :-*) It could bring your wave down by a letter or two.

Anais

I've been wet combing with very nice results for about a month now.  I didn't realize it had a name and that others were doing it.  

I'm a 2a and it smooths me down to what you see in my avatar.  It still curves under but there are no really visible waves.

Wet combing.  It's nice to have a name for it. ::)

According to the Fia thing, I'm a 3aFii.

Think with the wet combing I can get down to perhaps a 1b with wet combing?

~Kaylin

If you're a 3a, I expect you could get down to a 2a, max. but who knows, you could get more! :D Do let us know... I'm interested in how a curly fares with wet combing.

Anais

I will let you guys know definately....just not on a day where I have to work..*LOL*

I will try this on Monday I think, as I have that day off.

I have a seamless wide tooth comb, does wet combing require a fine tooth or a wide tooth?

~Kaylin

Hm..I haven't tried "fine" nor "wide".. here's a lifesize shot of the one I use: they call it "coarse" toothed. Kinda in between. But either wide or coarse could work, I think. Fine would probably be too extreme for wet hair. Separation of teeth would vary by the brand, however Kent doesn't offer closeup shots.

Rachael Stephens Coarse:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/AnaisSatin/combcoarse.jpg

RS Fine:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/AnaisSatin/combfine.jpg

RS wide:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/AnaisSatin/combwide.jpg

and the rake combs they call "extra wide"

Hugs,
Anais

Oh! I do the wet combing thing with my hair too (with a wide tooth comb) I have question for you guys as well/ Is it ok to blow out my hair just oncea month? Even if it's not on a low heat setting?

Oh, also what annoys me is that alot of women seem to be blowing their hair out all the time as of late. Even if you have fine, wavy hair(like me)...they say oh you hsould blow it out. But, it makes me msile inside and pity them as well because I know their hair is truly suffering for it. It's like all people care baout these days is a cosmetic appearence for their hair. They want the results now and don't have the patience. Ugh society these days!

wrote on Mar 19^th, 2005 at 12:57am:

Oh! I do the wet combing thing with my hair too (with a wide tooth comb) I have question for you guys as well/ Is it ok to blow out my hair just oncea month? Even if it's not on a low heat setting?

It will really depend on how easily your hair is damaged, and how much damage you are willing to accept and deal with.  

I blow dry once or twice a year, and have used hot rollers and a straightening iron once each in the last 3 years or so.  My hair has quite a bit of damage from bleaching it though so I still have splits, and honestly wonder if I'll have them forever.  My MIL and SIL though have 'perfect' hair that stands up to dye, heat styling and everything else, and still looks beautiful w/ almost no damage.  

I guess heat is fine hairs enemy... and I feelmsome envy towards thsoe who can blow dry their hair alot :(.
But not enought to make me angry, I'm too kind-hearted for that.