Are you confused between hair smoothening and hair straightening?

Managing frizzy hair with tangles and split ends is not a piece of cake. It requires so much patience and effort that almost half your morning will be spent on it. Working on your hair dedicatedly on busy days seems next to impossible. Besides, no matter how well your haircare routine is, maintaining optimal health and looks is not easy. Whether you want to make your hair look softer or remove the frizzy look, hair straightening and smoothening are the two best options you have.

Although both sounds quite similar to one another, they have significant differences. Knowing their process in detail along with the benefits and risks will help you make the right decision. Having said that, we have further illustrated how straightening and smoothening can transform your hair. With this guide, you won’t be in a dilemma before visiting a salon franchise in Delhi for hair treatment.

What is hair straightening?

Straightening your hair will help you manage your locks better. It removes the frizz and split ends, providing a smoother and silkier appearance. You can either opt for a to-do-at-home solution or visit a salon franchise in Noida for a permanent treatment. In the former, using a simple hair straightener and applying heat to your locks will do the trick. But the results will last only for a couple of days.

On the contrary, permanent hair straightening involves breaking the natural bonds in your hair and forming new bonds using an array of chemicals. The new bonds are then locked in place by applying heat. Alkaline solutions like sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide are mostly used. As it’s permanent, your hair will retain the shinier and smoother appearance and texture for 4 to 6 months at the least.

How hair smoothening is done?

If you want to untangle the locks, remove the frizz, or eliminate the waviness from your hair, smoothening is the go-to solution. The process followed at professional salons is quite different than that of straightening.

• Your hair will be deep cleansed with a shampoo to get rid of all the accumulated dirt.
• Once done, the professional will apply a straightening solution and blow dry your wet locks.
• Rigorous straightening will be done to remove the waviness from the strands.
• A waterproof seal will be applied to your hair to lock in the straightening chemicals. It ensures the results last for at least 3 to 5 months.
• Once heat is applied to your hair, the keratin bonds in the hair strands will rearrange themselves. As a result, your hair will appear straight and shiny.

Unlike straightening, smoothening is less harsh on your scalp and the hair strands, thereby making it a better option.

Hair straightening: Pros and cons

Advantages

• With permanent treatment, the results will last for 6 months top so you won’t need frequent styling.
• You can style your hair to have either a voluminous, layered, or sleeker appearance.
• Managing excessive curly or frizzy locks will become much easier once you are done with the treatment.

Risks

• One of the major potential risks of straightening is your hair strands becoming brittle or thin due to the use of excessive heat.
• With repeated treatments, your hair will lose its natural texture and feel.
• Hair straightening, especially the keratin treatment, can be a burden on your pocket.
• A few chemicals used in the process contain carcinogenic compounds, which aren’t good for your scalp.

Pros and cons of hair smoothening

Advantages

• Smoothening will give a sleeker and frizz-free appearance to your hair, keeping it well-groomed even in humid weather.
• There will be no more detangling, thereby helping you to comb and style your locks easily.
• As the hair cuticle is treated, your strands will have a softer and healthier appearance with a subtle gloss.
• Compared to straightening, it offers a more natural look to your hair. In other words, your hair will retain the natural waves to a certain extent, appearing bouncy.

Risks

• As formaldehyde and other chemicals are used, your hair strands may become weak after repeated treatments.
• It is a temporary treatment where the results will fade away after a couple of months.
• People with sensitive scalps shouldn’t opt for hair smoothening due to the risks of adverse reactions to the chemicals used.
• You will have to invest a lot of time and effort in maintenance and aftercare.

Conclusion

Both these treatment methodologies will make your hair look sleeker, shinier, and manageable. However, you need to make the call based on your hair’s health and the results you are looking for. It’s better to consult with haircare professionals from a reputed beauty salons chain in India, like Trimmy Tones. At least, then you will have the whole picture in front of you and decision-making will be less troublesome.