Japanese hair straightening (or thermal reconditioning) is a permanent hair-straightening treatment that permanently alters your hair’s texture to make it stick-straight. As great as the treatment may be, there is a risk of hair damage from chemical and heat exposure. Therefore, here are some tips for preventing or at least reducing the risk of hair damage from the treatment. This is why getting a consultation first from a permanent hair straightening salon.
Tips For Lowering The Risk Of Damage From Japanese Hair Straightening
Don’t Bleach Or Dye Your Hair Before The Treatment
Getting Japanese hair straightening on recently bleached or dyed hair is one of the common causes of severe damage after the treatment. The reason is that bleaching or hair dyeing is already a harsh chemical treatment that damages the hair. So, the only thing you should be doing after that is damage restoration, not getting another harsh treatment that will only cause more damage to the hair.
How long should you wait? As you know, bleaching is much more damaging to the hair than dyeing. So, if you dyed your hair recently, you can get Japanese hair straightening after 1-3 months from the fact. However, for bleached hair, you should assess the hair health because, sometimes, the hair doesn’t recover from the damage even after months.
If you want to bleach or color hair and also want to get thermal reconditioning, get the latter first and after 1-3 weeks, bleach or dye your hair.
Don’t Use Protein Treatments 2-3 Weeks Prior To The Treatment
Protein treatments can make the hair rigid, and this can cause it to break during the straightening process if you get an intensive damage repair protein treatment just 1-2 weeks prior to the treatment.
As protein treatments are good for your hair health, you can get a light treatment 3-4 weeks before getting Japanese hair straightening to reduce damage, but getting one too near the chemical treatment appointment can lead to unexpected results. The same is true for DIY protein hair masks.
Make Sure The Effects Of Any Previous Hair Straightening Have Faded
You don’t want to get another hair straightening treatment when your hair is already reeling from the damage caused by the previous straightening treatment.
Moreover, there are many types of hair straightening methods, such as keratin treatment, Brazilian blowout, hair relaxing, Japanese hair straightening, etc., and they don’t go well together. Getting one a few weeks after another can lead to breakage, loss of elasticity, dry hair, and other problems.
Moisturize Your Hair
For the last few weeks leading up to the Japanese hair straightening appointment, you should focus on hydrating and moisturizing your hair because this chemical treatment can make your hair dry and brittle.
To avoid that, you should prep your hair for a few weeks and try hydrating treatments, like weekly deep conditioning, and using a leave-in conditioner, hydrating hair masks, and hair oils. These will hydrate your hair without making them too rigid, which protein treatments can do.
Look For A Hair Straightening Specialist
You want to ensure that you choose a salon that has hair straightening specialists with years of experience because they are not only the applicators of the treatment. They can guide you from the first consultation leading up to the treatment day, and also provide aftercare recommendations.
An experienced and skilled hair specialist will ensure you prepare your hair well, that your hair is eligible for the treatment, perform a strand test, apply the treatment carefully and optimally, and suggest a post-treatment hair care routine. So, ensure that you only choose top rated hair salons Rockville.
Get A Consultation First
After choosing a specialist, you should get a consultation because Japanese hair straightening may not be perfect for some hair types and conditions. So, during the consultation, the hairstylist will assess the type and health of your hair to see if your hair is eligible for the treatment.
For instance, if your hair is bleached or severely damaged, the stylist may suggest postponing the treatment and focus on damage repair for some time. Be sure to be honest about the condition and history of your hair so the hairstylist can make the right call.
Demand A Strand Test
Good stylists themselves recommend a strand test, but if the stylist isn’t doing it, you should demand it because a strand test can let you and the stylist see how your hair will respond to the treatment. It’s commonly performed 48 hours before the appointment.
Choose The Chemical Intensity of The Treatments
Hairstylists can switch up or down the chemical intensity of the hair straightening treatments. If it’s your first time or you’re concerned about damage, you can ask the stylist to tone down the treatment’s intensity. Many times, hairstylists themselves recommend you the right treatment intensity after the evaluation.
But keep in mind that a mild treatment may not yield stick-straight hair results, but the hair will be smooth and frizz-free.
That said, if you’re not eligible for Japanese hair straightening or need a milder version of it, you can ditch the treatment altogether and get a keratin treatment or Brazilian blowout.
Check The Heat
This is the job of the hairstylist, but you should also stay alert and check the heat of the flat iron. Ensure it’s around 340°F to 380°F.
Be Extra Careful During The First 72 Hours
During the first 3 days, the treatment is still settling in and any changes to the hairstyle can create permanent dents, damage, or early fading of the treatment. Therefore, ensure you don’t wash your hair at all, leave the hair open, and avoid hairstyles that can put dents in the hair or cause pulling.
Don’t Get Any Chemical Treatments For 2 Weeks
Your hair has already been through a harsh treatment, so you should condition and moisturize your hair and avoid chemical treatments. If you want to dye your hair or get highlights, wait for 2-3 weeks.
Stop Or Minimize Heat Styling
Apart from chemicals, heat is another factor that can damage your hair that is already through some damage. So, you should avoid using flat irons and blow-dryers, especially for the first 2 weeks. The hair will be quite manageable after the treatment, so you may not need a lot of heat styling. When you do, use low heat settings and make sure to use it as minimally as possible.
Avoid Swimming Or Wear A Swim Cap
Chlorine can damage chemically-treated hair. Make sure to either avoid going for a swim or use a swim cap before taking a plunge.
Conclusion
Japanese hair straightening can make your straight hair dreams come true. But if you don’t want damage to mess up your hair, use these tips to prevent it or lower its risk. Proper application and guidance are crucial for minimizing damage, so make sure to select a reputable Japanese hair straightening salon Rockville.
