ARE WET-HAIR FLAT IRONS SAFE?

Dear Jellybean,

I was just wondering if using a wet hair flat iron is safe for your hair because it seems a lot easier than blowdrying then straightening.
Thanks,
Shannon

Dear Shannon,

I took your question to the pros, and here's what I found out for you. Although the manufacturers (and the salons that sell these flat irons) will tell you no, the hair experts that I consulted believe that wet-to-dry irons damage the hair a lot. Using them creates very hot steam against the hair, and this can blister the cuticle of the hair strand, causing scorching and long-term damage. Once hair is damaged, it can not be fixed. You can only make it look a bit better temporarily and wait for it to grow out... or cut it all off and start again.

So skip this trend, and stick with a standard ceramic flat iron, making sure that your hair is fully dry before ironing. Since all flat irons cause some degree of damage to hair, be sure to apply a thermal protectant product before ironing, to help keep damage to a minimum. YOu can find lots of heat-protective products, from creams to sprays, at the drugstore or salon. Just make sure the bottle specifically states that it provides thermal protection.

Also be aware that if you iron your hair often, it's probably worth investing the money in a higher-end product. The safest flat irons for hair are those with tourmaline ceramic plates, which produce negative ions to close the cuticle of hair, so you get that straight, silky look with just one swipe. They're a little pricey, but they get the job done faster. If you use a cheap flattennig iron that has metal plates, or that doesn't get hot enough, you have to keep going over and over hair sections to get them smooth, and that means more damage.