What's the best straightening for curly or Afro hair?

Short answer: there isn’t one best treatment for everyone. For a permanent straight on Afro-textured hair, relaxers (lye or no-lye) are the long-standing standard. For something softer and temporary, smoothing and ‘texture release’ systems are used instead.

Which one is right for you depends on three things: your curl, your hair’s history, and what you actually want it to do. So the first question isn’t “which treatment?”. It’s “what result?”.

If you want the curl out for good

For a permanent straight on Afro-textured hair, relaxers are the long-standing standard. There are two main kinds: lye and no-lye.

That’s the permanent route, and the one to choose only if losing the curl for good is really what you want.

You may also hear about Japanese (thermal) straightening. On Afro-textured hair, it is rarely recommended.

If you want softer, looser curl

Not everyone wants straight. Many people with curly hair want the curl longer and calmer, without the frizz.

For that, there are two families of treatment:

• Smoothing systems: for frizz control and softer, temporary curl elongation.
• ‘Texture release’ systems: also for softer, temporary curl elongation and frizz control.

Both are temporary. They’re the softer end of the choice, for when you want a change but not a permanent one.

If keeping the curl is what you’re after, I’ve written more about that in Can you keep your curls and lose the frizz?

If your hair is already relaxed

Say so, every time. Never let anyone put a different straightener over relaxed hair without telling them it’s relaxed. It changes the plan.

That applies whoever you see, me included.

So which one?

The real answer depends on your curl, your history and what you want. That’s what the consultation is for: we agree the result first, then pick the treatment. The online consultation is a questionnaire and six photos, and I reply within 72 hours, usually the same day. Send your hair as it is on a normal day. Where aftercare matters, I give you the exact rule for the product used, at your appointment.

Book a consultation to start from home, or book in if you’d rather come in.