Hair straighteners are a great way to get the perfect hairstyle every time. They have been around for over 100 years and they work by using heat from electricity to change the shape of your hair so it lays flat against your head. They come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors that fit any budget or lifestyle. Hair straighteners can be used on all types of hair including curly, wavy, thick, thin, or just regular everyday hair. For those who want a more natural look, there are also silkier options available as well as ceramic plates which give a sleeker look than plastic ones do. Give one of these beauty products a try today!
What are hair straighteners?
Hair straighteners are devices that are used to change the texture of your hair so it is straighter or sleeker. They can be found in flat iron, curling iron, or wavy iron shapes and they use heat from electricity to make this transformation possible. There are also ceramic plates available instead of plastic ones if you prefer a more natural look.
How do they work?
Before we can understand how they work, we need to know what the atoms and molecules in our hair are like. If you think of a strand of your hair as a bunch of straws pushed together, then you can picture each one as an individual straw. If all those straws stood up on end next to each other, it would make the round shape of the outside strand of hair (the cuticle). The space between these straws is partially filled with hydrogen and oxygen atoms. However, some hydrogen atoms leave their spot and stick right onto another atom’s electron cloud (aka its outer shell) which gives that atom a negative charge.
This process is called ionic bonding and this type of bond forms when one metal (or water) atom gives away its valence electrons to another metal (or water) atom. This type of bonding is the reason why metals are good conductors of electricity because there are free-moving electrons that can move around freely, instead of being stuck in a spot on an object’s surface. Ionic bonding also explains why saltwater conducts electricity, since sodium chloride breaks apart into sodium and chloride ions during this process.
However, sometimes one atom doesn’t have enough power to detach itself from another atom’s electron cloud. Then it forms a covalent bond with the other atom to balance out their charges evenly after sharing or exchanging electrons. This way each atom gets what they want- either positive or negative charge so they both disconnect themselves from the ionic bond they had before. This type of chemical bonding is called a polar covalent bond.
Types of Hair Straighteners
heat styling appliances come in three main types:
- Ceramic plates
- Tourmaline/Ionic plates
- Nano titanium plates
Ceramic & tourmaline/ionic plates are the most common type of heating element for hair straighteners because they produce what’s called ‘ infrared heat ‘. This is known as far-infrared radiation or FIR for short. It carries a longer wavelength than visible light does which makes it unable to pass through our atmosphere very well, which is why it feels hot on your skin but doesn’t burn you immediately as UV rays would. Also, since this type of heat transfers quickly and evenly, it means that ceramic or tourmaline/ionic plates can heat up both sides of the hair simultaneously.
Related: How Much Electricity Does a Hair Straightener Use?
Flat irons Heaters
Nano titanium plates are the second most common type of heating element for hair straighteners because they produce ‘mid- infrared heat ‘. This is known as near-infrared radiation or NIR for short. It also carries a longer wavelength than visible light does which makes it unable to pass through our atmosphere very well, which is why it feels hot on your skin but doesn’t burn you immediately as UV rays would. Also, since this type of heat transfers quickly and evenly, it means that nano titanium plates can heat up both sides of the hair simultaneously just like ceramic/ tourmaline plates do.
Negative ionic rods Hair straighteners with negative ionic rods work by emitting negative ions to break up the disulfide bonds in your hair. As these bonds release, your hair becomes softer and can be more easily brushed into a style that you want it to be straightened into. The negative ions also close off the cuticle scales on your hair which causes them to reflect light better and look smoother and sleeker than they did before heating.
Benefits of using a hair straightener?
Using a hair straightener has many benefits: you can use it to make yourself look and feel better about your appearance, if your hair is curly or frizzy then using a hair straightener can change that; they generally take less time to be used than other styles such as curling irons, tongs and rollers. This makes them ideal for people on the go, saving them time in order to get ready quickly before work/school, etc.
Negative ionic rods are both smaller and thinner than ceramic plates or titanium plates. This means that the heat only affects the surface of your hair which seals in moisture by closing off the cuticle scales on each strand of hair. These negative ions are also responsible for the smooth frizz-free finish you get with a hair straightener.
On the other hand, ceramic and titanium plates can cause damage to your hair as they tend to really heat it up before sealing in the moisture and closing of the cuticle scales on each strand of hair.
is normal for your straightener to become hot but you should not burn yourself on them as this means that they are at too high a temperature and may damage your hair as well as burning yourself. If you accidentally burn yourself then turn the straightener off immediately and let it cool down before continuing to use it.
Heat protectant sprays can also prevent scorching your skin or damaging your hair by absorbing excess heat from blow dryers etc…
Drawbacks to using a hair straightener
There are a few drawbacks to using this styling tool. One of them is the possibility of damage due to high heat exposure. It is important that you use a heat protectant spray before applying it to your hair. This will help prevent damage by insulating the hairs against too much heat exposure. Another drawback is that most straighteners make curls look more like waves with some types of hair, especially very fine or thin hair. The third drawback with these styling tools is the amount of time required for styling, sometimes up to thirty minutes depending on how long and thick your hair is as well as the style you want.
Out with the old, in with the new – tips on how to take care of your flat iron and make it last longer!
Another type of hair straightening device is the flat iron. This one does not have interchangeable plates, so you are only able to style your hair with it when it is in its horizontal position. These usually heat up to about 225 degrees F – 315 degrees F for both types. The plates are made from ceramic, tourmaline or aluminum and they are very effective at styling even the curliest, thickest or most stubborn of hairs into a sleek shape that is well-defined and polished.
These tools allow you to change between styles quickly by using removable plates which allows them to be versatile enough to work on all sorts of different hairstyles. One drawback is the amount of time it takes to do your whole head – sometimes up to half an hour.
This is done by passing the hair through the plates several times in small sections over a quite short period of time, usually under 5 minutes depending on how straight you want your hair to be.
The direct heat changes the structure of the outer layer of the hair cuticle which in turn makes it easier for your straightener to smooth down the cuticle into a sleek, silky finish that stays in place if you continue with your styling. This is what gives you that shiny-polished look. If you are using ceramic plates, they tend to have negative ions in them so they seal the moisture inside your hair instead of drawing it out along with natural oil when it comes into contact with air or water.
Summary:
Hair straighteners come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, from flat irons to wands. They work by flattening the hair against a hot surface, usually ceramic plates that have been pre-heated with an electric heating element or a gas flame. The heat changes the structure of your hair so it becomes straighter and smoother.
Your hair is made up of layers upon layers of hydrated, keratinized cells which are connected together by chemical bonds. When you use a hair straightener, what you’re actually changing is the shape and size of these bonds as well as how tightly they’re packed together (the more tightly bonded molecules produce stronger, flatter strands).