With straight hair in style, many women wish they could straighten their curly or wavy hair. Heated hair straighteners offer the ability to do this, but choosing the right one is important. It could mean the difference between straight but healthy hair that looks great and a lot of split ends and heat damage. Here’s a quick guide to buying a straightener for your hair.

Know that heat damages hair. Even with the best straightener and products meant to reduce the damage, you can’t prevent it totally. Does that mean you can’t use a straightening iron on your hair? No – you just need to take even better care of your hair if you’re using one of these tools. That means brushing gently, avoiding other damaging techniques and conditioning well. Avoid straightening wet hair, since it causes water to boil in the shaft.

There are two basic types of hair straightener – those which use metal plates and those using ceramic. Neither are bad, but most high end, high quality straighteners use ceramic. A more expensive hair straightener isn’t a bad buy – usually the extra you’re paying will buy you quicker heating, more features, and better temperature control.

Higher heat changes the composition of your hair faster and may result in less stress than a long, slow heat up. However, it’s important to make sure that your hair straightener is not so hot as to burn your hair. If you smell that burnt hair smell while straightening, you’re actually scorching the strands. That will result in a dry, unmanageable mane relatively quickly. So, look for a hot, but not too hot, straightening iron.

Ceramic heating elements usually result in a faster heating time. Most are actually made of an alloy coated with a ceramic layer. The metal plates below conduct the heat, and the ceramic coating helps dissipate the heat and prevents hot spots. It’s also less likely to develop rough edges or other damage than metal, since it’s long wearing.

You can also find hair straighteners with solid ceramic plates. If you choose a coated plate, look for a crystal coated or baked plate rather than a dipped one, which is more durable. If your straightener doesn’t say how it was made, a cheaper method has probably been used.

Choose your straightener according to your hair type. People with thick or difficult to straighten hair will need more heat and a wider plate for their hair. Those with fine, easily damaged, naturally almost straight hair will find a smaller, cooler plate more appropriate. Remember that narrower plates can also be used for styling, in much the same way as a curling iron.

Replace your straightener frequently. Hair straighteners may last only twelve months or a year and a half when used regularly. The intense heat of these styling tools will eventually burn out the element or damage the plates. Replacement plates are available for some irons, but not for all, and elements may be extremely difficult to replace, so even the best straightener won’t last forever.

If you’re shopping for a hair straightener, remember to do your research and find out what other people think. Look for recommendations with people who have a similar hair type to yours for the best results, and remember that people will say something bad about any product, even the best ones. Careful shopping will help you get the straightener that’ll work best for you. About the Author

You can find some of the best hair straighteners on sale at our store. We also offer a range of the best selling GHD straighteners which are regarded as amongst the best hair straighteners money can buy.