The Knowhow
Thin, fine, flyaway hair
Thin, fine hair often needs a bit of a volume boost to give it some life. As well as hair products such as mousse and hairspray, those with fine hair can make great use of hairdryers and curling tongues to inject a bit of oomph into their hair.
To volumise, tip your head upside down and blow-dry damp hair from the roots to the tips. This will give the roots a bit of lift; for the best results, choose a powerful hairdryer with a decent set of heat controls; the quicker your hair dries, the more easily the style will hold in place.
Curling tongues are another good way to add volume to fine hair; simply wrap the ends of your hair around the heated metal tongue, and clasp the iron shut for between 2-3 seconds. Once you remove the tongue, run a brush through the curl to make it look more natural.
Thick, curly hair
Curly hair has a mind of its own. To tame it, try using hair straighteners to make it more manageable. These flatten your hair, give it a more shiny appearance, and can reduce even the curliest of hair types to a poker-straight wisp.
To straighten your hair, dry it with a hair dryer until it has completely dried. Then plug the straighteners into the nearest electrical socket, wait a few moments for them to heat up, and then take section of your hair (half a handful is more than enough) and clamp the straighteners over the hair.
Proceed by running the straightening irons over the hair for between 2-3 seconds. Repeat until the hair is straightened to your liking, but do not use straightening irons excessively because the heat can cause damage to your hair.
Brittle or coarse hair
Brittle or course hair is a sign of damage to the hair follicle. Brittle hair (which is liable to break) is usually caused by excessive styling, colouring or permed hair. The best solution for damaged hair is to restore it to full condition; try to avoid over-heating, straightening, curling, dyeing or perming your hair. It is also a good idea to steer clear of styling products which have a drying effect, such as mousse, hairspray, hair gel and hair wax.
You could also try using a deep conditioning treatment once a week and leaving it to dry naturally as much as possible.
Hair that has been artificially enhanced with hair extensions
Hair extensions are notorious for weakening the hair follicle; they weigh heavily on the root and often pull the hair out, several strands at a time.
Hair which has been styled with synthetic hair extensions (those made from nylon, silicon, or another artificial substance) cannot be styled with heated appliances, because these will melt the extensions. Nylon has a low burning point, and it cannot withstand the high heat of styling tongues and hair straighteners.
Hair which has been styled using human hair extensions can use heated appliances such as straightening irons, curling tongues, and hair driers, although this will degrade the lustre of the extensions at a faster rate. The only thing to be careful of is to avoid applying the heated styling tools to the keratin bond which attaches the extension to the hair root; heat will melt the bond and cause the extensions to fall out.
