pressing thick curly natural hair...

[kookysnkream]

how do you get it to not have SO MUCH volume? every time i press my hair, it looks like i just blow dried it and thats it. i have thick, and A LOT of 3c hair. can anyone who's had this problem help me out on how i can get my hair to become flat (not like an ironboard though!) when i press it?

 

[inthepink]

Maybe flatironing would work better?

 

[Lucia]

Welcome to the club, I also have very thick curly hair, you have to get the right products like x-tra strength frizz eaze, or some other med-thick serum to use before you've blow dried, or ironed. ANd no heavy grease or oil until after your done. You might want to use smaller sections at a time to press, and a cermaic electric flat iron makes the job much easier if you don't have one.
hth

 

[skegeesmb]

I agree with Lucia. I have combination 3c/4a hair, and I have to either blow dry it and then flat iron, or rollerset and flat iron. You have to do 1 inch sections at the most. I usually do somewhere around that, and be prepared to be tired, it takes a while. So if you're rushing through it, it might end up puffy, ceramic flat irons like Jilbere, and Hot n' Gold work well. Make sure the iron you buy has settings not just the lo-hi switch.

And don't put anything on your hair afterwards that will trap moisture, your hair will revert.

edited to add:
Make sure your bathroom has air circulation coming through, if not, you will sweat and you hair will begin to revert. And make sure before you press or flat iron that your hair is completely dry or it will revert here is a link that might help:

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/ubbthre...amp;postmarker=

 

[Karonica]

Perhaps after you press it, try wrapping your hair. Once it's in a wrap, tie a nice scarf on it to sorta press it down. This should knock out some of the puff.

 

[SVT]

From my experience, the poofy hair happens because I get hot from the heat used for straightening.

I remedy that by working in a roomy area and using a blow dryer set on cold to chase away the heat from a just flatironed section. I used to have a small fan that I kept constantly blowing on my hair but it's broken now. I also like to turn the air conditioner down slightly.

 

[skegeesmb]

[ QUOTE ]
SVT said:
I used to have a small fan that I kept constantly blowing on my hair but it's broken now.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know why that tickles me, but it does, I could just see a fan saying: "what the h*ll are you trying to do to me work me to death" if I bought one of those little things, it would quit on me after one session.

 

[kookysnkream]

thank u so much for the info u guys!!! if anyone else has something to add, please do so!

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

I have fine hair, but my boyfriend has extremely thick 4a hair that I usually press before he gets it braided because it's too much for the braiders to handle!

When I get done with his hair, it looks like a relaxer and swings. The key, I've found, to getting his hair not to be poufy was to find the right amount of heat. A too low temperature on his thick thick hair just did not work. I was used to dealing with my own hair and my hair can't take half the heat his can without burning off. I also use grease and I put it on his hair wet. Becasue he has so much hair, it does not weigh it down too much and make it scraggly and since it is wet when it is put on, it doesn't feel greasy either.

I also agree to work in a well-ventilated room. When I press my hair, that's my main problem. Plus, I'm also nervous that I'm gonna burn myself so that makes me even more hot. Go ahead and even make the room cold, you prob wont be cold for long!

Oh and one more thing, sometimes I'll use Kemi-Oyl after pressing to smooth my hair down when I've done a less than stellar press job. It works well for that on my head, and may for yours, too.

 

[kookysnkream]

thank u comfortablynumb!

 

[SVT]

[ QUOTE ]
skegeesmb said:
[ QUOTE ]
SVT said:
I used to have a small fan that I kept constantly blowing on my hair but it's broken now.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know why that tickles me, but it does, I could just see a fan saying: "what the h*ll are you trying to do to me work me to death" if I bought one of those little things, it would quit on me after one session.

[/ QUOTE ]