Valerie asks:

The quest for straight hair has led people to try everything from pulling, ironing and blow-drying to chemical treatments. Chemical relaxers have a number of drawbacks, including being inconvenient, expensive and, worse, painful. Relaxers are the most damaging cosmetic treatment you can do to hair.

Unfortunately, there is nothing on the market that works as well or lasts as long as chemical relaxers. However, there are at least five other things you can try to get straight hair that won’t cause as much damage. These include the following:

Hairdressings and silicone creams: Products to control your hair shape have been around for over a hundred years. They contain oily materials like petrolatum, mineral oil and lanolin, which coat hair and prevent it from taking its natural shape. Silicone creams are also available and contain materials like dimethicone or cyclomethicone. The product is put on damp hair and combed straight. VO5 Hairdressing is the most famous of these types of products.