Japanese hair straightening...anyone tried it?

[lambskin]

My teen girls have beautiful brown and ash blonde hair, respectively. They complain that their hair is too thick () and that there is too much of a wave (not really bad but waves are present). Their hair is neither kinky nor frizzy...just wavy. They are always straightening out their hair with flat irons and blow dryers. We are planning a trip to Tokyo and I came across English speaking hair salons that provide permanent Japanese (not Brazilian) hair straightening perms to tourists and expats. The reviews are really good. Prices are anywhere from $150 to $400 depending upon hair length (my girls have super long hair). hair cut, blow dry and extra treatments as well as the salon location and posh level. Reviews say it is really permanent and can not be reversed or wear out. It can only grow out. Has anyone had any experience with this treatment here or elsewhere in the world?? Any information would be most appreciated. Thank you.

 

[PintoBean]

I'm so green with envy right now. I perm my hair wavy lololol.
Can you link the salons you're looking at?
I'm going to tag @mochiko42 in and see if she can help. She's my Asia expert.

 

[whitewave]

I paid $400 years ago to do it and it was gorgeous, BUT, I had a ton of breakage and so never did it again. It lasted me about 6 months and I loved every minute. (I guess it lasted longer because mine grew out, but I also wound up cutting my hair too.,,)

It isn’t supposed to cause breakage, but it did.

 

[Indylady]

I paid $400 years ago to do it and it was gorgeous, BUT, I had a ton of breakage and so never did it again. It lasted me about 6 months and I loved every minute. (I guess it lasted longer because mine grew out, but I also wound up cutting my hair too.,,)

It isn’t supposed to cause breakage, but it did.

EXACTLY THIS. Have them get a kertain treatment instead--way better for your hair, good results that last about 2-6 months. I know that's a huge window--the results last longer if you use sulfate free shampoo and don't wash your hair often, etc. but if you don't 'follow the rules' it'll fade quickly.

 

[bludiva]

I've done it many years ago and had a similar experience to whitewave. It lasted ~6 months and was glorious to have silky straight hair every day (mine is naturally curly/frizzy) but was murder on my hair. Would not recommend unless you're ok with the fact that you will have to grow/cut that hair out eventually due to the damage.

 

[PintoBean]

I've done it many years ago and had a similar experience to whitewave. It lasted ~6 months and was glorious to have silky straight hair every day (mine is naturally curly/frizzy) but was murder on my hair. Would not recommend unless you're ok with the fact that you will have to grow/cut that hair out eventually due to the damage.

Your curly hair is beautiful, btw!!!

 

[bludiva]

Your curly hair is beautiful, btw!!!

awww, thank you Pinto! You know how when you're younger you want exactly the opposite of what you have I've learned to appreciate whatever God gave me more the older I get.

 

[donnabrsd]

My 15 year old daughter had the YUKO Japanese hair straightening about 1 year ago. First photo is about 1 week prior to straightening, second is immediately after. It is amazing on her!

Before, she had tangled hair and a lot of breakage. Now, no breakage and easy to comb/brush through. It was about $400 at a local salon in Orange County, CA. Stylist gave me a discount because it was for a child. We were quoted $600 at another salon due to her long hair. It took about 5 hours.

After the treatment, for about the first 3 months, her hair felt like it had a coating on it. It bothered me, but not her. She shampoos almost daily, only her scalp/roots with a pea sized amount of sulfate free shampoo and then conditions. She does not blow dry or use any heat styling products (she did not use any before, either). She lets hair air dry and it is straight and shiny.

She is just now getting a little wave around the back of her neck and above her ears. I think we will be able to go another year and will do it again.

We had previously tried Brazilian Blowouts. Tried twice. First one lasted 2 weeks. 2nd time lasted about 4 weeks.

For her, it was a fabulous outcome. I am sure it would be different on different people.

 

[icy_jade]

Common in my part of the world and I’ve done it so many times I’ve lost count... The technology has evolved quite a bit and I think it’s generally less damaging and less artificially straight looking than when i first did it like almost 20 years ago. (Omg did I just admit my age lol)

Anyway your hair shouldn’t get too damaged or dry or break all the time unless your stylist overdid the chemicals or used a lousy flat iron or applied too much heat on your hair.

Done well, you get super smooth and glossy hair for about 1-2 months and really straight hair thereafter. I don’t recall how long it lasts but in my younger days I did it at least once a year? I hated the process as it was a pain in the butt (literally) to sit still for at least 4 hours but the end result was so worth it.

It can cost less than $200 in my part of the world. You can even buy the chemicals online and do a cheap DIY but just be warned that it’s super hard to DIY and I don’t recommend it. Let me know if you want to know what chemicals to buy.

 

[Slickk]

I am not an expert, but I have tried Japanese straightening and keratin treatments. The first Japanese straightening I had was beautiful and I loved it. A bit severely straight at first but, oh it felt like silk. I went back to the same salon as the first time for another one about a year later. This one was awful, didn’t take and left my hair damaged. They tried to fix it by redoing it but it was not good and it’s took me quite some time to get my healthy hair back.
As for the keratin treatment. I loved that. It took less time, was cheaper and left my hair not unreasonably straight and much more manageable. Actually I have had a few of those. I would not hesitate to get another keratin treatment, but honestly I have found that washing my hair less, co-washing it with conditioner and with a using lot of oil-type/serum products I am able to replicate the look of the keratin treatment with out the treatment. People are shocked to hear that my hair is naturally curly and most of all frizzy. I don’t use expensive products, but lots of oils and the straightener do the trick for me now.
Good luck!

 

[mochiko42]

If it's done well, it is great and can last six months or more (depending how fast your hair grows). But many hair salons don't do it properly and so you get breakage and damaged ends or improperly straightened hair.

I've done the Japanese ionizing hair straightening multiple times since I was a teenager but I've recently stopped doing it (the most recent time was about a year ago). Fresh out of the salon and for the first month it looks great- super smooth and silky straight hair, you almost don't need to brush your hair when you get out of bed! But once the new hair starts growing in you can see the difference at the roots (at least for me) which always annoyed me to no end.

So recently I've just been relying on lots of hair masks and straightening iron for special occasions. Although I just have wavy hair, not curly, so mine is easier to keep somewhat straight at home.

 

[yennyfire]

I’ve been doing it for many years. I went to NYC for several years and had it done at a place called Hidy Hair (found them in a Glamour article iirc??). They spoke almost no English, but my hair is so coarse and unmanageable, I figured I had nothing to lose. It was nothing short of a miracle! I did it twice a year. At about the 3-4 month mark, I would have enough growth that it bothered me and I’d flat iron (painstakingly) the roots til I went for my next treatment.

Fast forward 10 years, two kids and a job that did not require travel to NYC and I have it done locally. The result is not as good as Hidy Hair, (and crazily, is more expensive to boot!), but it saves me flying up there and the overnight hotel (because the process takes 4-5 hours, it was next to impossible to do in one day)....

My almost 12 yo DD has been begging to do it and I’m not willing to go there yet. We will definitely start with keratin and see how that works for her (assuming she’s still begging when she turns 13, which is when I agreed to try it).

I’d start with that and see how it works before doing the Japanese...it lasts much longer and the grow out phase would take at least 3-4 years....

 

[KaeKae]

I researched it, about 15 years ago. At the time, I was concerned about the damage and the financial commitment to follow up appointments, and never did take the plunge.
Funny you should bring it up though. Last year, we moved back to NJ after ten years in SoCal. Just this week, I am so frustrated with this hair and the NJ humidity that I am wanting to do something like this again. The salon I have been going to only does the Brazilian formulas. I may give it a try. Though I should also look into the Japanese method again, if the process has improved

 

[Luce]

I'm so green with envy right now. I perm my hair wavy lololol.
Can you link the salons you're looking at?
I'm going to tag @mochiko42 in and see if she can help. She's my Asia expert.

I'm with you pinto! I perm my hair regularly....even though straight is in......would love to have naturally curly hair!!!!!!