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The Japanese Hair Straightening Process, Step By Step With Patrick Evan

Although Japanese Hair Straightening looks simple to perform, It is deceptively complicated and takes attention to detail like no other service in the industry.    Every step taken relies on the preceding step to have been performed perfectly to ensure healthy, shiny beautiful smooth hair. Here are the steps taken to create the amazing effects of Japanese Hair Straightening....

Before the treatment

 

Our model before the treatment. She has very wavy coarse, resistant hair. Her hair is also very thick.

 

Hair assesment

 

Assesing the hair type is very important before starting the process.  Every different hair type requires a different approach to create a beautiful result.  Resistant hair can withstand more heat and a stronger solution. Color treated and highlighted hair is more delicate requires milder solution and usually will process faster and needs to be watched carefully to ensure perfection

Step one

 

Washing the hair is the first step. We wash the hair in order to remove the mineral deposits and clarify the hair to create a clean foundation to apply the Japanese Hair Straightening solution.

Choosing the right solution

 

Choosing the right brand and strength of solution is something that takes experience and is very important to achiving a great result.

Liscio, Istraight and Yuko

 

These are the most popular and best solutions available.  We especially like Istraight for its many different strengths and compatibility with bleached hair and color.

iStraight Max was used

 

Step two-Applying the solution

 

Applying he first solution on thick hair requires taking very small sections to ensure proper coverage.

Application

 

Applying he solution a half inch or so from the scalp is one of the most ipmortant steps in this treatment. Solution on the scalp directly can result in breakage and damage to the hair.  

Step three - Testing 

 

The hair is repeatedly tested in a number of ways to see if the processing phase is completed. This test is the knot test.  If the hair pulls back out of the knot, the hair need more time.  If the knot stays, it is ready.

The strand test

This test uses three or so hairs. The hair is pulled to measure elasticity. The hair will stretch about 50 percent of normal if the hair is ready. 

Step Four - Rinsing

 

When the hair is ready, we rinse it with warm water and low water pressure. We then condition the hair, but no shampoo is used in this step



Step five - Blow dry

 

After we rinse we blowdry the hair with medium heat to prep for the ironing Phase.

Step Six - Ironing

 

This is the action part of the Japanese Hair Straightening Treatment.  The ironing Phase actually restructures the bonds of the hair into a new formation resulting in straight smooth hair.  Even if the hair is still visibly wavy before ironing, the ironing will remove any curl permanatly.

 

Small Sections

 

Small sections are appropriate with thick hair while larger (but not too large) sections are used for thinner hair.

Step seven - Neutralize

 

Applying neutralizer from a half inch to an inch from the root to the ends ( or through the line of demarkation if doing a retouch)is the next step in the process

Rinse

 

Rinse using warm water and medium water pressure

The Final Result

 

The final result is smooth, soft, silky hair that will last for months.  Most people can actually wash and go without the need for a blowdryer or iron! This hair will need to be retouched in about 7 months and will only require the new growth to be treated.

Better living through chemistry...

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