How can I fix my hair? It is long about upper waist length. Its curly and thick. How can I get it straight also? It gets puffy every time I wash it.

-- Anonymous, June 08, 2001

Answers

I, too, am a victim of curly, thick hair. The only thing I've ever found to get it straight (and we're talking straight, here. Not "I have curly hair and I straightened it for today "straight", but STRAIGHT) is to have it professionally straightened. I went to an Aveda salon to have it done because their products are a lot easier on hair and I've no damage from having it done. Plus, it's straight. Way straight. I can keep it looking good (and straight, once again) with minimal effort.

Seeing as how your hair is so long, I have little ideas for you on how to fix it. Mine was just below my shoulders before it was straightened and I usually went the french braid and french twist routes. There wasn't a lot I could do with it because it was pretty unmanageable--you're going to have a lot more variety depending on where you live, too. I used to live in Louisiana and the humidity made my hair IMPOSSIBLE to deal with so I just usually wore it clipped back most of the time, to keep the puffiness down and out of my face. I'm in Seattle now where the humidity isn't so bad and having it straightened gives me a lot more flexibility.

I wrote and thought "straight" so much that the word is beginning to sound wierd to me now. That must mean it's time to end this post. You might want to check out www.naturallycurly.com. I found it to be helpful when dealing with my hair (pre-straightening).

-- Anonymous, June 09, 2001