Aviral Mishra, OP
BHUBANESWAR: Rapunzel’s long straight hair plays an important role in her tale of freedom in the movie ‘Tangled’. Trends in the capital speak a familiar lore as the trend for hair straightening is slowly picking up the pace.
In past three years, beauty salons and parlours in the city have recorded an upward trend in hair straightening with both male and female customers swelling in numbers for these courses.
“Before last year, we used to get 30-35 customers a month. However, in 2018, we received 50 clients a month in average. Usually, the numbers increase when the wedding season comes around. We receive as many as 60-70 clients on an average. The demand for hair straightening has increased manifold in the last two years,” said Sasmita Paikaray, manager, Angels Beauty Parlour, Patia.
Costing in the range of Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 10,000, the process of hair straightening involves breaking of keratin bonding in hair through a chemical process involving intense heat. Although creams and rollers for the very same are also available, permanent hair straightening is done only through three major techniques namely- Chemical, Brazilian and Japanese.
The process and price also vary according to the length and quality of hair. While straightening short semi-straight hair is said to cost lesser, straightening of long, curly or thick hair demand longer and complex procedures.
On being enquired about the customers, Punya Prava Rath, a beautician at a parlour here said, “We get customers of all types. Women customers in the age group of 23 to 55 come for hair straightening. Although few in number, male customers also come for the process. Last month, we received about seven male customers.”
Explaining the sudden increase in the trend, Prava said that choices differ according to age. While young girls usually sport the style observing their star celebrities and peers, women of older category “seek change from their usual self.”
However, Subhadarsini Mishra a dermatologist here throws a word of caution. “Hair straightening is a highly unnatural process. The chemicals involved sap the moisture of the hair and make it completely dry and weak. If you observe carefully, the people of Odisha do not possess naturally straight hair and mostly have light and wavy texture. Hence, the trend would certainly rise in the state,” she suggested.
To this Prava said, “We do not recommend the process to customers who have weak and light hair. However, certain customers who are adamant go for the process despite our warnings. They feel the consequences afterwards as it leads to hair split ends, hair loss, itchy scalps and in worst cases- permanent hair loss.”
However, these words of caution do not seem to bother Aritra Deb, a student at KIITS who has done hair straightening for the third time in past five years. “I like to experiment with my hair styles. Two years back, I had straightened my hair but styling in straight hair is a challenge. I then switched to curly hair and now I am back with straight ones,” she said.