Japanese Hair Straightening

[SarafinaSarafina]

Has anyone had this done, or known anyone who has done it? I'm thinking about it for my upcoming cruise.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_hair_straightening

[ScottCrew]

I am in a graduate program and 3 of my classmates have done this over the last year. All 3 of their hair is silky straight now. If you wear your hair straight all of the time I would go for it. They said they enjoy not having to flat iron their hair every morning.

[Cruzfan34]

I've thought about having this done to my hair, which is very curly. But when I learned that it's not permanent...and how expensive it is....I decided to just stick with the curls. You have to keep touching up the new growth. That means that the bottom part of my hair would be straight, while the new growth would be curly...not a good look. :rolleyes: ;)

 

If you already have straight hair it would probably be fun to try. But that's too high-maintenance for my already unruly hair. I won't even put highlights in my hair because of the maintenance. I have enough on my hands trying to smooth it!:p :D

[married with children]

My friend had healthy untreated curly hair. She decided to have the Japanese Straightening done. Outside of sitting in the chair for a gruelling 6 hours and now not being able to change her straight hair style she is very pleased with the results. Hair remains shiny and has body.

She did her research first and was concerned that many high end salons are actually refusing now to offer the treatment. They feel the complicated chemical procedures have severe damaging effects on the structure of the hair, especially highlighted hair which can actually burn.Many feel that half the clients who have had it done in the past have had disastrous results.

Because this process is rather complicated and time regimented she was told to be very careful who she chose to do it. She found a reputable salon which specializes in this treatment and has staff that are highly experienced in doing it and was willing to give referrals from other customers who had the process done.

She paid $750.00.

[muse]

I had this done a few years ago. My hair was silky looking and VERY straight. It would not change from this even when my hair was rained upon. There is a caveat though, if you don't have a lot of hair or if your hair is fine, it will accentuate this. I now appreciate the body and curl my hair has, and if I want it straight, I use my revostyler brush.

[Cruisechic470]

My twin sister and I have also had this done (a couple years ago) and I would highly reccomend it. My hair went from curly and frizzy to perfectly straight. I love it! :p :p :p

[Cruzfan34]

My twin sister and I have also had this done (a couple years ago) and I would highly reccomend it. My hair went from curly and frizzy to perfectly straight. I love it! :p :p :p

 

Yes, but what about the upkeep? My hair is curly from the root. When your hair started growing out, was it curly? I think it would only take a couple of weeks for mine to start growing in curly again. It grows like weeds, lol.

[antisera]

I had a consultation, I'm half Asian and have fairly long, slightly wavy/kinky hair. The salon advised me against it - he said it wasn't worth it because it potentially not work at all (thus being a waste of money) or really damage my hair, which was thick & healthy.

[Lowie]

Yes, but what about the upkeep? My hair is curly from the root. When your hair started growing out, was it curly? I think it would only take a couple of weeks for mine to start growing in curly again. It grows like weeds, lol.

i had this done about 18 months ago. so at this point my new growth is near my shoulders. my hair was curly, but not corkscrew curls. the new growth is more wavy, probably from the weight of the rest of my hair pulling the curl down. the wave didn't start showing really for about 6 months.

 

i paid about $250 in NYC to get it done, at an asian salon that all they did was this process. i love it and am doing it again next week! although this time i'm getting it done for free as a model at a local beauty school:D

 

i highly recommend it if you really want straight hair, no wave, and unable to get it to take a curl. i also know about 10 people who have done it, none have complained of it ruining their hair, but it is damaging to the hair. In the end i think blowdrying and ironing it everyday is way more damaging.

[luckycruzer]

I'm was hairdress of many years..I was doing this 40 yrs ago..and honey, it aint Japanese, or any other "nese....it is virtually a reverse perm..tell ya what I used do.........I wont go into too many techno terms.....curl in the hair is contained in the bonds of the hair, due to heredity..hair is chemical...water is chemical..so is perm, and or..straightening solution..same stuff actually..some what stronger..sodium thioglycolate..thio for short....ethnic hair straitener is mostly caustic soda..sodium hydroxide..contains same chemicals as in "Janitor in a drum"..DO NOT use this for hair.....1st chemical, water.softens and.explodes hair shaft ...thio is put into hair to re-design bonds..ie: softening more...(1st) the curl effect..while wrapped around rods..will reshape softened hair (20 min)..rinsing stops action of thio.....blot excess water w/ towel....apply neutralizer..ammonia base..returns hair to original PH level...thus causing NEW shape to hair....rinse..voi la..curled hair...(2) when I straighten. I put cotton around to keeps drips off skin .apply regular perm solution..nothing new about this, except hair is combed straight first,( after light shampoo,) rinse blot, comb straight(dont scratch scalp).....apply lotion to natural curly hair, or overly curly perm..with wide comb work solution thru, wear gloves, hair will start to relax...probly do for up to 20/25 minutes..til desired straightness is achieved..solutions will in about 30 min have done all it's gonna do..and goes dormant. rinse well....apply neutralizer , work in 5 min..rinse...leave it to dry naturally..no more combing..til hair returns to its own PH level ..some breakage amy occur with over working ...usually 24 hrs...so no styling tools, gels..etc..just let it be natural. If my client was still somewhat curly..a second time 3/4 days later..same recipe..keep conditioned. Also the weight of long or thick hair will help relax by gravity. As hair is all a chemical...only certain chemicals cause the above..and can be purchased at any drug store..read directions..use care..and spend that $750 on another cruise..I am not responsible for anyone doing this on their own ..I was a licensed hairdresser , and did it that way and am now retired. I take no responsibility for anyone doing this to them selves or others..but it does work. It will grow out curly..as new hair below scalp level, didnt get any perming..good luck..hope I dont get any flambs from hairdressers..but this is from days of old, and not changed all that much, just newer packaging, advertising, and higher prices..my charge was the avg price for a perm at that time, plus a little more for the combing process..$15 or more..WOW, those were the days

[luckycruzer]

I've thought about having this done to my hair, which is very curly. But when I learned that it's not permanent...and how expensive it is....I decided to just stick with the curls. You have to keep touching up the new growth. That means that the bottom part of my hair would be straight, while the new growth would be curly...not a good look. :rolleyes: ;)

 

If you already have straight hair it would probably be fun to try. But that's too high-maintenance for my already unruly hair. I won't even put highlights in my hair because of the maintenance. I have enough on my hands trying to smooth it!:p :D

 

 

what would be the point if hair is already straight? :confused: ..read my long post above

[SarafinaSarafina]

actually, luckycruzer, hair relaxing and japanese hair straightening are two different things with different chemical processes. The relaxing doesn't last very long and is not permanant, while the hair straightening is permanent, as it changes the chamical structure of the hair.

 

I think I'm going to go into a few salons and see how they think my hair will do. It's not colored or highlighted at all, and I'm already damaging it with blow dries and flat ironing, and I've heard that it makes your hair look and feel very healthy. I don't have very curly hair, just a bit wavy and it gets really really frizzy.

 

Thanks for all the replies, it helped alot as I only knew one person who has done it so far.

[luckycruzer]

A perm will do both...still same chemicals used as afore mentioned...only those that will relax ethnic..or those that will straighten caucasian..once the bonds are altered..there is no "return" to previous curl structure , or no curl w/o more chemicals.we're talkng polypeptyde chains here.the only return is new growth.you're a hairdresser? can only Japanese people do this??? Im not Japanese

[Cruisechic470]

Yes, but what about the upkeep? My hair is curly from the root. When your hair started growing out, was it curly? I think it would only take a couple of weeks for mine to start growing in curly again. It grows like weeds, lol.

 

When my hair started growing out it wasn't pin straight, but it was a lot more straight then before. I suggest buying a flat iron for your roots. Hope this helps!!

[Cruzfan34]

When my hair started growing out it wasn't pin straight, but it was a lot more straight then before. I suggest buying a flat iron for your roots. Hope this helps!!

 

 

Oh, I've tried the flat iron thing. It was just too time-consuming. I sat at the salon for 3 hours while they cut my hair into a new style, blow dried it straight with a big round brush and then used the flat iron to straighten it. Sure, the results were great, but who has a couple of hours every day to stand in the mirror and straighten their hair? Not me. Luckily, the new cut looked great, even curly. :) On special occasions, I'll use hot rollers in my hair to give it a little different look.

 

To LUCKYCRUZER....to answer your question of what would be the point of chemically straightening your hair if it's already straight.....probably the same reason women with straight hair use flat irons. :rolleyes:

[Nitra]

I straightened my own hair in Jan with one of those kits you buy at Walgreens. Before I bought it, I went online and read a lot of reviews to decide which to go with first. This is very time consuming but it does work. It says on the box that it will last for 3 months, sure enough I am just over 3 months from doing it and my curl/wave is coming back.. LOL I am okay with that, there is no way I will go thru that again. I have a blowdryer that will straighten it enough for me and still leave a little flip in it.

 

Now that being said, I have cut, permed, colored, etc, my own hair since I was 14, I am now 42, so I know my hair well and am very good at doing things to it myself. I would not recommend this to just anyone. I have not permed it in years but the straightening was nothing but perm solution, you can smell it.

 

I took my hair from fairly long to shoulder length recently.

 

Me in Dec

 

This one is blurry a bit but you get the idea.

 

Me in March

 

I decided since I wore it pulled back most of the time, rarely would it be like it was in the photo in Dec, it was time to cut it off.

 

I think hair looks better with some wave, especially if it is natural.

[karen sharpe]

Nitra you have beautiful hair and you sure don't look 42!:) We are always wishing for the opposite of what we have .I would love thick curly hair. I would let it go WILD!

[Nitra]

Thanks! I love my hair actually, just got tired of having to pull the curl out. My hair is weird, there is a certain length it curls nicely, longer and it just has wave, shorter, and it is nothing but a little body.

 

I tried letting professionals do it and they NEVER got it the way I wanted so I would come home and recut, no matter what I told them they ignored me. I gave up..

 

I have good genes and lots of antiwrinkle cream, moisturizers, sunscreen, exfoliating etc. Takes me about 20 min a night to do my face!

[Lowie]

hope I dont get any flambs from hairdressers..but this is from days of old, and not changed all that much, just newer packaging, advertising, and higher prices..my charge was the avg price for a perm at that time, plus a little more for the combing process..$15 or more..WOW, those were the days

i'm not really sure what exactly you were saying.. a few paragraphs would have made it much easier to follow. But i can assure you that bio-ionic (japanese) straightening is NOT a reverse perm. I've done both and only with japanese straigtening does my hair dry perfectly straight, smooth and shiny, even in the humidity and rainy days of florida.

[amapola]

My hair is only slightly wavy, not very attractive. I love curly hair, and I love straight hair, but my silly little waves... not so much :D . I've been doing the ionic straightening for 2+ years and for the first time in 20 years I've been able to let my hair grow to my shoulders! I just love it, it's wash and wear and always looks fantastic. No more bad hair days :). Since my wave is so slight, I can go 5-6 months before I have to do the roots.

 

It is expensive, and it's a pain to spend several hours in the salon, but worth every penny and every minute, IMO!

[SarafinaSarafina]

I straightened my own hair in Jan with one of those kits you buy at Walgreens. Before I bought it, I went online and read a lot of reviews to decide which to go with first. This is very time consuming but it does work. It says on the box that it will last for 3 months, sure enough I am just over 3 months from doing it and my curl/wave is coming back.. LOL I am okay with that, there is no way I will go thru that again. I have a blowdryer that will straighten it enough for me and still leave a little flip in it.

 

I did the same about 4 months ago Nitra, and wasn't too pleased. It made my hair smell like chemicals for weeks and weeks, always made it feel kind of oily and flat, and only lasted about 2 months before I got back to more wavy, frizzy-ness. That's why I was interested in this, longer lasting, makes hair look nicer.

 

LuckyKruzer, no, I'm not a stylist, but I've been researching it for awhile, and everywhere I've read about it says it's completely chemically different from reverse perms. It originated in Japan (the top two companies who produce the chemicals are Japanese) and has really only been done in the last 10 years, so that is where the name comes from. Here's more information about the process: http://www.hairstraightening.net/about_japanese_hair_straightener.html

 

Also, could you please post in complete sentances, it's a little hard to follow your posts.

[luckycruzer]

were the exact same thing as I wrote on in "directional" terms,the same kind on the perm box..rather than than verrrry expensive advert adjectives and adverbs that make that $750 process viable..so in essence..the shorter the explanation, the less money you have to spend for the product (perms at supplier, under $10 avg) the wordier the complete pkg, the pricier the process....sorry you failed to read my "incomplete" sentences..but then I'm not the one spending way tooo much cash on hair straightening, but rather more cruises per year..Happy Hair to all

[luckycruzer]

I did the same about 4 months ago Nitra, and wasn't too pleased. It made my hair smell like chemicals for weeks and weeks, always made it feel kind of oily and flat, and only lasted about 2 months before I got back to more wavy, frizzy-ness. That's why I was interested in this, longer lasting, makes hair look nicer.

 

LuckyKruzer, no, I'm not a stylist, but I've been researching it for awhile, and everywhere I've read about it says it's completely chemically different from reverse perms. It originated in Japan (the top two companies who produce the chemicals are Japanese) and has really only been done in the last 10 years, so that is where the name comes from. Here's more information about the process: http://www.hairstraightening.net/about_japanese_hair_straightener.html

 

Also, could you please post in complete sentances, it's a little hard to follow your posts.

 

 

of after perm serum,(Perm Lock) would have neutralized the perm smell.(the chemicals that it took to do all that)..available at any high price salon.. for $$$$$

[Nitra]

I did the same about 4 months ago Nitra, and wasn't too pleased. It made my hair smell like chemicals for weeks and weeks, always made it feel kind of oily and flat, and only lasted about 2 months before I got back to more wavy, frizzy-ness. That's why I was interested in this, longer lasting, makes hair look nicer.

 

 

The one I used didnt do all that, it worked pretty good but I wont do it again. I am biting my nails to keep from coloring and cutting it too soon before my cruise. It needs it sooo badly right now, my grey roots are showing! I am making myself wait until at least 3 weeks prior so just a little longer. I am going to try to hold out until 2 weeks prior so it looks nice but not like I just cut and colored it.

 

I do not blame you for looking for something more permanent if you want it straight, those do it yourself things are a lot of work for minimual results.

[Cruisechic470]

Oh, I've tried the flat iron thing. It was just too time-consuming. I sat at the salon for 3 hours while they cut my hair into a new style, blow dried it straight with a big round brush and then used the flat iron to straighten it. Sure, the results were great, but who has a couple of hours every day to stand in the mirror and straighten their hair? Not me. Luckily, the new cut looked great, even curly. :) On special occasions, I'll use hot rollers in my hair to give it a little different look.

 

To only flat iron the roots, it takes about five minitutes for me...;)