How To Use A Flat Iron

A flat iron is a heated hair appliance, and like any heated hair appliance it should be used with care and thought. Don't believe everything that the manufacturers tell you. A flat iron can help control curly locks if it is used right, but if it is abused, it will fry your hair just like any other heated appliance. Many people think that they can use a flat iron at the highest setting every day and have their hair look wonderful every day. With the new flat irons reaching temperatures of over 400 degrees farenheit, using your flat iron at the maximum temperature is not a good idea. Here are my tips for using a flat iron safely and effectively.


1. Don't use the flat iron every day. Use it between hair washes, but give your hair a rest. Hair can only take so much.

2. If your flat iron is one of the newer models with an adjustable temperature setting that reaches over 400 degrees, don't use your flat iron on the highest setting. Using it on the highest setting every time you use it is like cooking on "broil" every time you use your oven. Using it on the highest setting may get you the results you want in the near term, but eventually your hair will break down and become "fried." Experiment with your flat iron to find the lowest temperature at which you will get your desired results.

3. Use a moisturizing hair product on your hair before you flat iron it. This will help to protect your hair from the heat, and will help the flat iron to glide more easily over your hair.

4. Flat iron your hair in small sections for best results. The flat iron will work better if it goes over small sections of hair instead of large sections.

5. Detangle your hair before running the flat iron over it. You can detangle it with a blow dryer after washing it, or by using a comb to predetangle small sections before flat ironing them.

6. As with almost anything else in life, you get what you pay for. Invest in one of the higher quality flat irons for better results.

7. Treat your flat iron with care. When storing it, don't wrap the cord around it, and don't hang it from the cord. This may cause an electrical short in your cord which will shorten the lifespan of your flat iron.