If you have wavy or curly hair and enjoy wearing it straight most of the time, then you may spend at least an hour straightening it with a heated hair flat iron after every shampoo. Not only is this temporary hair straightening process time-consuming, but it also produces hair-straightening results that can easily be ruined if you encounter a rainstorm. 

If you would like your curly or wavy hair to stay straight for weeks or even months, even when shampooing regularly and even getting caught in the rain, read on to learn about two long-lasting alternative hair straightening treatments. 

1. Thermal Straightening

Thermal straightening, also called thermal reconditioning or Japanese hair straightening, is a salon treatment that can be used to straighten wavy or curly hair and keep it straight for at least six months.

The thermal straightening process starts with an application of a chemical straightening solution to your hair that is similar to the solution used when perming straight hair. This solution is left on your hair long enough to begin the hair-straightening process before it is rinsed off with plain water. Then, a stylist dries your hair and flat irons it in small sections with a heated iron. Once your hair is smooth and straight, a chemical neutralizer is then applied to your hair. 

While this hair-straightening process is very effective, thermal straightening can damage your hair. In addition, you may not be a great candidate for this process if your hair has already been chemically treated.

2. Brazilian Keratin Treatments

Another popular semi-permanent hair straightening treatment is the keratin treatment, sometimes called a Brazilian keratin treatment. The results of this hair treatment typically last about three to six months. 

While a keratin treatment does not usually keep wavy hair straight as long as a thermal straightening treatment does, and some formulas simply soften and smooth curls instead of completely straightening them, keratin treatments damage the hair very little compared to their Japanese counterparts. 

In fact, most keratin hair treatments are made up of simply keratin, which is one of the main proteins that make up hair itself, conditioning agents, and a small amount of formaldehyde to optimize smoothing results. However, there are now formaldehyde-free keratin treatments available today that work just as well as keratin treatments that do contain this chemical.  

A stylist typically begins a keratin treatment by saturating clean, dry hair with the keratin solution. Next, hair is again dried with a hairdryer and the stylist further straightens hair with a hot flat iron. While some keratin solutions can be washed out immediately after this process, others stay on the hair for about three days before they are washed out at home. 

If you are tired of straightening your hair with a heated flat iron after every shampoo, then try one of these two long-lasting alternative hair straightening treatments that keep your hair straight for at least several months with no need to flat iron between treatments. Contact a resource like Magic Sleek to learn more.