A hair straightener is made up of a pair of heated flat plates that press the curl out of naturally curly hair. Sometimes known as flat irons, they are capable of turning even the most tightly curled, frizzy locks into a perfectly straight ‘do when used correctly. However, a cheap flat iron, or using one incorrectly, can damage your hair in no time at all, so it’s important to buy a good quality model and learn to use it right.

The best hair straightener for keeping your hair healthy is going to cost you some money. A ceramic hair straightener or a tourmaline flat iron runs in the neighborhood of $100 and the price goes up from there. The difference between a ceramic flat iron and a tourmaline straightener is only in the material that the heated plates are made of. According to online reviews, there’s very little difference between the performance of the two materials, and they cost about the same.

The advantage of tourmaline or ceramic flat irons is that they’re ionic. That is, when they heat up, they emit negative ions. An ionic straightener takes the static electricity out of your hair as you straighten it. This has two advantages: (1) your hair will be less frizzy and hard to work with when you use an ionic flat iron; and (2) the heat will cause less damage to your hair because there’s no electrical charge in the hair shaft.

The first thing to look at when choosing a hair straightner is the size of the plates. The inch measurement you see in the advertising literature is for the width of the plates, not the length. Generally, the curlier, longer, and coarser your hair, the wider you’ll want the plates to be. Keep in mind, however, that wider plates aren’t as light and quick as narrower plates. For long, curly hair, some websites recommend plates as wide as 3 inches, but it’s very hard to find a hairstyling iron in this size. Models with 1 inch plates are everywhere, but they’re really best for fine hair that’s already straight, either naturally or via chemical treatment. In the end, most shoppers choose a slightly wider size, around 1.5 to 1-3/4 inches. As you shop around, you’ll find that some models also come with extra long plates. While it’s true that you can theoretically work faster this way, in reality a straightening iron accomplishes its purpose the best if you work on small sections at a time. In other words, don’t choose a model you don’t like as well as others just because it has extra long plates.

If you’re on a tight budget, you might think the best flat iron for you is the cheaper types that don’t have an adjustable temperature control, but don’t be tempted. The ability to adjust the temperature setting is very important for styling without inflicting heat damage. Although you’ll probably settle on one temperature setting after you’ve practiced with your ceramic straightener, in the beginning you’ll want to try a wide range of temperatures to find what works best for you. Generally, a higher temperature is needed for coarse, ethnic, or very curly locks. The idea is to find a the lowest temperature setting that still gives you the look you want.

If you’re concerned about heat damage, it’s important to shop for quality and spend the money it takes to get it. The best flat irons maintain a constant temperature, instead of going through a heating and cooling cycle. This allows you to style in one pass, instead of two or three, minimizing the application of heat. Straightening irons that lack solid ceramic or tourmaline plates don’t conduct heat well so they increase the length of time your hair is contact with the heat, thus increasing the damage. Discount store hair straightners might claim to have ceramic or tourmaline plates, but they’re really just a coating over plain metal plates that will wear off in no time. Go with a professional straightener to make sure you’re getting high quality plates. Finally, try a spray that’s specially formulated to provide heat protection before you style.

Some maintenance tips for flat irons for hair include:

• unplug the unit as soon as you’re done using it
• clean the plates right after you use it
• avoid twisting the cord around the appliance
• don’t drop it because you could shatter the plates