For African Americans who do not put straightening chemicals in their hair but want that straight look from time to time, should consider using a flat iron. With the art of using a straightening comb on the fire fading away as less and less people become skilled in using it, a flat iron is a great substitute. Here is a tutorial for flat ironing African American hair.
Step 1With your dry hair separated into sections, take the skinny flat iron with teeth and run it through the hair first to loosen tangles and to straighten the edges at the hairline and neck. Do the entire hair with this flat iron first. It will get the hair reasonably straight. For a child's hair--to make a pony tail with their hair--this is straight enough.
Step 2 Apply a leave-in heat protection conditioner on the ends of the hair to keep it from drying out. They come in liquid and cream form.
Step 3Comb all of the hair forward so that it hangs over the forehead. Alternately, you can separate it into sections. I prefer to comb it forward as it keeps the hair I haven't straightened (the second time) out of the way.
Step 4Starting from the back, using the chi flat iron, slowly run it through sections of hair parting thin rows and straightening as you go. The hair will come out silky and shiny and offer no resistance when you run your fingers, or even a small-toothed comb through it. Continue until you get to the front and all of the hair is straightened. Your hair should be bone straight at this point and ready to style.
Step 2 Apply a leave-in heat protection conditioner on the ends of the hair to keep it from drying out. They come in liquid and cream form.
Step 3Comb all of the hair forward so that it hangs over the forehead. Alternately, you can separate it into sections. I prefer to comb it forward as it keeps the hair I haven't straightened (the second time) out of the way.
Step 4Starting from the back, using the chi flat iron, slowly run it through sections of hair parting thin rows and straightening as you go. The hair will come out silky and shiny and offer no resistance when you run your fingers, or even a small-toothed comb through it. Continue until you get to the front and all of the hair is straightened. Your hair should be bone straight at this point and ready to style.
