Straightening or stretching Afro hair without heat has its benefits. Firstly, stretched hair is less prone to tangles. Secondly, heat from blow dryers and straighteners dries the hair out leaving it more prone to breakage. If you've read our blogs you'll know by now that moisture is key for healthy afro hair! Heat can be used very sparingly but if your goal is to grow healthy hair then it's best to avoid using blow dryers and straighteners as they are counterproductive to growing healthy hair.
Here are 3 ways to straighten Afro hair without heat:
1. African Threading
We’ve heard childhood stories from women who had African threading styles during school and hated them BUT...
However, many of these women are now revisiting this method as a way of stretching their hair. Some are even rocking African threading as a protective style.
Learning how to wrap the thread around your hair may take some practice but once you get the hang of it it's very straightforward. See the video below for instructions on how to wrap the thread.
2. Banding
This is a super simple method that involves tieing hair bands along the length of your hair at different intervals. Metal-free hair bands are best as the metal causes the hair to snag. The smaller the intervals between the bands, the greater the stretch.
3. Rollers/Flexi Rods
When it comes to using rollers and flexi rods, jumbo sizes give the most stretch.
When choosing your roller size, bear in mind the length of your hair. Select a size that you won't have trouble wrapping your hair around. You can either opt for a full roller set — by wrapping your hair around the rollers — or a "cheat set" — by plaiting or twisting your hair before wrapping around the rollers. Cheat sets can be a lot quicker than roller sets if you limit the number of plaits or twists you do. Six plaits/twists on each side is a good place to start.
Remember, stretched styles are the Afro’s best friend; you avoid snags and simplify wash day by spending less time detangling. So feel free to ditch the heat and stretch your hair without causing damage! Your hair will thank you later by retaining length.
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