Flat iron or Japanese straight perm from a salon?

I'm Asian and I don't have super straight hair. It's "wavy" as my hair stylist calls it. I was wondering which is better ... to get a main brand flat iron or to just spend it on a Japanese straight perm. The flat irons I'm looking at are the Chi 1 inch http://www.originalchi.com/chi-turbo-fla... and Solia http://www.folica.com/Solia_Pink_Limi_d2... . If any of you have (or had) wavy hair, what do you suggest? Thanks!

Flat iron or Japanese straight perm from a salon?

For a long time I hated my thick wavy hair and dreamed for straight Asian hair. Then I realized that my Asian sisters wanted MY hair, and I thought, gee, I could do more with my hair, I could wear it straight or go "wavy". My hair could hold a curl better, and my "mood hair" suddenly didn't seem so bad and awful after all. It all took a simple yet powerful change in perspective to realize and appreciate what I had. And of course there are the people out there that are losing or have no hair...

Too much styling and coloring by the way does stress and strip the hair too.

Flat iron or Japanese straight perm from a salon?

My hair is "wavy" also and i use a ceramic hair straightener and it works great. Japenese hair straightening is usually for people with very curly or permed hair and may actually damage your hair.

Flat iron or Japanese straight perm from a salon?

The answer all depends on the exact type of hair you have and what your expectations are. If you ever want the option of having curly or wavy hair, I would not recommend the Japanese straightening. But don't get the Chi if your hair is coarse--you will need to put it up to high temps to straighten and eventually will fry your hair. Plus, if you get into humidity, your hair will go back to its original state.

I highly recommend that you get a Japanese straight perm. But with one huge caveat--find a very reputable person to do it, otherwise, your hair could be severely damaged! Downsides--cost is not cheap ($300 in my area for the first perm and cost is less the next time--which you will do about 3-5 months later, depending on individual hair growth) and the first time you do it can be more time consuming than you might think (my hair took 5 hours the first time and about 3 hours for touch ups).

If your hair is just wavy, why fight it? Lots of styles are way cute for you! I would only recommend the straight perm if your hair is poofy, frizzy, coarse or otherwise difficult to deal with. Then just use the Chi on special occasions. If you do get a Chi, I'd splurge on the one with temperature controls.

I've been going to a professional for 4 years who does a fantastic job with her straightening perms and have been happy with the results. I thought I would take off about a year--rest my hair, and wallet--big mistake. The Chi "fried" my hair (very thick, coarse and difficult) and since I have few other choices to tame my mane, I always will use the Japanese straightening perm. .