Smoothening and Straightening are the two hair-related terminologies with different procedures and exclusively different results. Both are very prominent chemical treatments for hairs to make a person beautiful.
People find them in a dicey situation to choose between them. After these two treatments, a lot of care and attention is required to maintain the tresses as people spend their hard-earned money on looks and confidence.
Key Takeaways
- Hair smoothening is a temporary treatment that reduces frizz and makes hair more manageable while straightening is a permanent process that alters the hair structure.
- Smoothening uses milder chemicals than straightening, resulting in less damage to the hair.
- Straightening produces a flat, pin-straight look, while smoothening retains natural volume and provides a more natural appearance.
Smoothening vs Straightening
Smoothening is a chemical treatment that reduces frizz and adds shine to hair while retaining some of its natural texture. Straightening uses chemicals or heat to straighten hair, eliminating all-natural texture and curls completely. Smoothening is more temporary than Straightening.
The term Smoothening refers to a hair treatment that gives strength and shines to fizzy and wavy hairs. It has a very short-term impact on hairs and the chemical used in this treatment are not much harmful to human hairs and skin.
It does not modify the original texture of hairs.
The term Straightening is used for a hair treatment process which is prominently called Rebonding of hairs.
In this process, thick and curly hairs are given a chemical treatment to change the texture of human hairs from curly to pin straight for a specific duration of time. It has a very lengthy impact on hairs.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Smoothening | Straightening |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Smoothening lasts for a shorter duration of time on hairs. | Straightening retains for a longer duration of time on hairs. |
| Costing | The process of Smoothening is inexpensive. | The Straightening on the other end is costlier than smoothening. |
| Impact | Smoothing has no impact on the actual texture of hairs. | Straightening has an artificial impact on hairs that cannot be reversed. |
| Side-Effects | Smoothening is less harmful and has very few side effects on hairs. | Straightening is more harmful and changes the original texture with some side effects on human hair. |
| Maintainance | Smoothening can be maintained with minimal effort and cost. | Straightening demands high maintenance that is expensive too. |
What is Smoothening?
Smoothening is the process applied on human hairs that results in softer, shinier, and slight straight hairs at a budget-friendly price.
Treatment followed in hair Smoothening is not long-lasting therefore one needs to repeat the process yearly or half-year based upon the type of chemical usage.
This is not a permanent solution to manage fizzy and wavy hairs. People with hair Smoothening can opt for haircuts as per their choice which is not possible in the case of Rebonding of hairs.
Females prefer hair Smootheining due to its fewer side effects and the cost of chemicals involved. The Smoothening of hairs was invented after the hair Straightening as a less harmful and cheaper option as compared to rebounding of hairs.
Formaldehyde solution is used for saturation of hairs in the process of hair smoothening to give your hairs a manageable look.
The two most prominent methods for hair Smoothening are Keratin and Protein treatment for healthy hairs. This process modifies the texture of human hair by maintaining its original base.
This process of glossy effect takes time of 3 to 4 hours normally. It remains for a maximum of 6 months. Keratin and Protein do not consist of any type of harsh chemicals.
What is Straightening?
Straightening is an ideal hair treatment for extremely fizzy and curly hairs to flatten them completely for a longer period. It has a very lengthy impact on hairs which lasts for a maximum of 2 years in some instances based upon the chemical usage.
This process of hair Straightening takes 6-7 hours where harsh chemicals are applied to hair roots to give them a pin-straight and shining look.
The result of Staightenting gives artificial shine to normal hairs and takes away the original appearance of human hairs.
One needs to shake his/her monthly budget for this treatment as the procedure is quite expensive as compared to other hair treatments.
It reshapes the tresses in such a way that a person cannot opt for various hair cuts. Multiple salon sittings and aftercare products are required to maintain the Straightening treatment.
In this process, the original hair bonds are separated through a chemical process and rearranged later for flattened hairs. The post effects of hair Straightening include ample hair fall and burning sensation in the facial area.
For perfect results of hair Straightening, hydroxides and thioglycolate are a must use.
These two harsh products are also have bleaching effects on hair. In most cases of hair Straightening the original texture of the hairs cannot be reversed therefore yearly straightening would become necessary to maintain the elegant look.
Main Differences Between Smoothening and Straightening
- Hair Types: Smoothening is a process designed for messy, fizzy, and wavy hair types in contrast Straightening is a process designed for thick, curly, and tangled hairs.
- Keratin: Keratin treatment is necessary in Smoothening process and It is not compulsory in the case of Straightening of hairs.
- Appearance: Smoothening gives a natural appearance to human hairs on the flip side Straightening gives an artificial appearance to human hairs.
- Treatment Time: The standard time for Smoothening process is shorter than the time spent on Straightening treatment.
- Purpose: The purpose of Smoothening is to give a slight straight and shiny texture to hairs on the contrary the purpose of Straightening is to pin-straight the original hairs with harsh chemicals and heating process.
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0748233717750982
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15459624.2011.626259
Last Updated : 14 July, 2023
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
