Flat Irons & Hair Straighteners

Hair Straighteners (aka straightening irons) were first patented in 1909 by Isaac Shero. He designed a hair tool with two heated flat irons that could be pressed together to style the hair. Before this, straightening was done by using harsh chemicals which caused damage to the hair.

Flat irons break down the positive hydrogen bonds in the hair’s cuticles, causing them to open and get reshaped. Due to the broken bonds, the hair does not return to its original shape and remains the same for a longer time. However, if exposed to moisture, the hair can re-form.

Initially, straighteners had metal plates that were too harsh on the hair. Nowadays, the hair straighteners available in the market mostly have ceramic coated plates or a mixture of ceramic infused with some other material. Such straighteners are pretty gentle on the hair and give excellent results.

The plates of the flat irons are made such that they suit all hair types. Some have wide and long plates that work great for straightening thick or curly hair. Alternatively, Some have narrower plates of 1-inch or lesser, which are excellent for thin or short hair.

Flat irons also come with tons of features to give you salon-grade straight hair without any hassle. They have a long cord for easy maneuverability, adjustable heat settings for protecting the hair from heat damage. And an automatic shut-off feature that turns the straightener off when you forget to do that! 

You can even carry hair straighteners while traveling, as they are compact, portable, and lightweight. Most of them are operable on both 110 and 240V, so you just have to carry an adapter to use them anywhere in the word! For extra convenience, some straighteners have lockable plates. It means you can adjust them in your suitcase or even handbag easily!

Besides, other than straightening, flat irons are also handy for curling the hair, especially the ones that have plates with curved edges. The curved edges let you curl or wave your hair, just like you would do with a curling iron!

Although there are lots of alternative tools that you can use to straighten your hair, like a straightening brush, blow dryer, or hot comb, when you choose to use a flat iron to straighten your hair, you instantly get silky, straight tresses. Also, the results last longer. 

Several brands manufacture top-quality hair straighteners that come with exceptional features. Some of the most popular brands you should check out are BaByliss, Remington, CONAIR, KIPOZI, CHI, HSI Professional, and GHD. They craft good hair straighteners keeping in mind the safety and comfort of the user.