Does anyone still press their hair?

[Perfexion]

I've tried endlessly to blow dry and flat iron my natural hair. I've bought all kinds of expensive flat irons and blow dryers and hair straightening products but my hair never gets bone straight. I feel like I've watched every YouTube video on straightening natural hair out there but my ends and roots are always puffy. I was thinking a press and curl would be more effective. Do any naturals out there press their hair?

 

[yuhlovevybz]

I press my hair and it always gets bone straight? What type of products do you use? It could be that your using too many. I always clarify and deep condition first. I wring out the extra water or squeeze it in a towel, then I blow dry with beyond the zone straightening balm. Sometimes I use a light Brazilian keratin spray (in the brown and pink bottle) and that'll get it straight alone. Then I flat iron with any serum I have lying around, I never use a water based heat protectant. It only gets puffy if I'm somewhere humid, in which case I usually won't even bother. Applying coconut oil after straightening tends to make it last longer. It gets easier the more you do it, in my experience practice makes perfect, but dc is a must.

 

[dollface0023]

I'm getting ready to press my hair today. I usually just flat iron, but my hair frizzes up just moments later. I just realized that I only get bone straight hair by using my pressing comb....

 

[HibiscusHoney]

Yes I do. I've got an old pressing comb left over from the eighties! This is the only thing that gets my hair bone straight - no blowdryer can!

 

[Lylddlebit]

I do. A great press is faster than flat ironing to me. However it is a lot easier to damage your hair or burn yourself with a hot comb if you haven't learned to press yet. A flat iron gives you more room to make mistakes and still get good results. Also, a good stove top hot comb will last a lifetime and is usually cheap by anyones standards. Even the best of flat irons will stop working in time.

 

[sckri23]

What about pressing oil?

 

[yuhlovevybz]

Oh I didn't realize by pressing we were talking hotcombs. I don't recommend them but I know some users have had great successes with one. I used to use an electric hot comb but the damage was not worth it. I'm not sure what it is that seems to make hot combs more damaging than flatirons. I'm thinking its the inconsistancy of the surface.

 

[chickory_bee]

I go in (to the same shop in San Diego) to get mine pressed once a year. I can get my hair straight with a flat iron myself, but something about his pressing technique (and personality) keep me going back!! Plus he trims it well and has become a great friend!

 

[Fine 4s]

When I got cute last summer 2011, I was getting pressed or just the roots pressed with the strands flat ironed. That's how I got my heat damage. Darn Marcels!