It’s always fashionable to have hair that’s super straight and sleek, but it’s important to know how to get the look while maintaining the health of your hair. Can you straighten wet hair?
In fact, you should not straighten damp hair. Because it leaves your hair more porous, damp or wet hair is more prone to damage.
Let’s take a closer look at what happens if you straighten wet hair.
Can You Straighten Wet Hair?
Straightening wet hair is not recommended and can cause severe heat damage.
Before using a hair straightener on any of those strands, make sure your hair is completely dry.
The reason for this is as follows: Hair is most fragile when it is wet, and using a straightener can cause steam to form in the hair, which can cause cuticle damage and breakage. This might cause frizz, split ends, and occasionally even a burnt smell.
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Why Avoid Straightening Damp Hair?
Avoid straightening wet hair as it may cause long-term damage to your hair.
At 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit), water begins to boil and produce steam. The temperature range in which most hair straighteners operate is 185-230°C (365-446°F). The surface of the flat iron is hotter than the point at which water boils.
It goes without saying that the moment the hot straightener touches your wet hair, the water transforms into steam and quickly escapes from the cortex (the inner layer of the hair), resulting in structural damage.
This results in hair breakage, frizz, and coarse hair by harming the cortex and cuticles.
Consequently, you ought to refrain from straightening wet hair. We’ve included some quick hair styling advice in the section below.
When you need to get smooth, frizz-free hair without damaging it, you can follow these steps.
How to Straighten Wet Hair the Right Way?
If you can’t avoid straightening wet hair, you should then follow the right hair straightening procedure:
Condition Your Hair
As you are washing the hair, condition it with a smoothing shampoo and conditioner formulated for your hair type. These products will lessen the likelihood of frizz while moisturizing your hair and making styling simple.
To achieve the best results, apply conditioner and let it sit for at least five minutes before washing the hair with warm water. Avoid using hot water to avoid damaging your hair.
Dry the Hair With a Microfiber Towel
Using a towel to dry the hair will help to get rid of the extra moisture.
The microfiber towel, which quickly absorbs water and dries hair, is one of the best towels to use. Avoid rubbing the hair when drying it. Replace that with a towel squeeze.
Spritz Your Hair
You should spritz your hair strands with a heat protectant before using this or any other hair styling technique. You can use your fingers to finger-spray your hair from root to tip.
To spread the product evenly throughout the hair strands, go through the hair with your fingers as you’re doing it.
Section Your Hair
When your hair is completely shielded, section it off from the base of your mane, making it one to two inches wide, and clip the remaining hair up and away from your face.
Blow-dry the Strands
To blow dry the strands, use a round brush and the concentrator nozzle on your blow dryer. The circular brush should be positioned beneath the hair section you separated, at the root. Turn the brush slowly down the length of the hair as you blow-dry it.
Make sure every hair strand is dry and straight by continuing to rotate the brush.
Apply Hair Serum
Apply hair serum to all of your hair to complete the look.
The Bottom Line: Can You Straighten Wet Hair
Whether you have fine, thick, curly or any other hair type, you should never attempt to straighten it when wet. Your hair may become broken, frizzy, and even discolored if you straighten wet hair.
Fortunately, you can prevent a lot of those issues by completely air-drying or blow-drying your hair before using a flat iron.
FAQs
Can You Straighten Dry Hair?
When straightening, the hair should be completely dry.
What Happens If You Straighten Your Hair Too Much?
It can cause breakage, heat damage, and moisture loss.
Can You Straighten Wet Curly Hair?
Never try to use a flat iron on damp or even slightly wet hair. Your strands could suffer significant harm as a result.
