The hair care industry in the US has been growing at a fast rate over the past few years, and the key factor contributing to these innovations is the increased consumer demand. Several hair care brands have emerged over the years and have been making continuous updates to existing products available in the market. Hair straighteners have also been subjected to innovations and there have been quite a few new types introduced recently.

Centuries ago, it was observed that when hair was pressed between two hot rods, it ended up looking straight and smooth. This gave way to the traditional flat iron, which has very much evolved since, with new materials used on the rods and newer technology replacing them. However, the basic principle has remained the same. The following highlights the recent innovations that have been seen in hair straighteners:

1. Ceramic plates

Ceramic plates have been in use for a few years now. A more recent feature is using floating plates, whose suspended plates move freely with the hair and enable maximum contact, thereby providing quicker results. Another feature is ionic heating which retains the hair’s moisture and causes less damage than regular heating. Flat irons with infrared light have also been introduced. These lock in moisture too and are advantageous in protecting the hair. Tourmaline, a substance paired with ceramic, allows for heat ventilation and prevents damage to the hair straightener.

2. Safety features

In addition to the above innovations, most of the newer hair straighteners are equipped with safety features, like temperature control settings and automatic shut off. Some hair straighteners allow you to input the exact temperature that you’d want the straightener to heat to which is displayed on the LCD screen on the device. On the other hand, the automatic shut off feature will just turn off the device once a predefined time period has lapsed. A safety shut lock is also available that locks the clamp in a particular position. A swivel cord, which now comes in all types of hair straighteners, ensures free movement and maximum coverage of the hair. These innovative features ensure the safety of users.

3. Tool + care

A few products with combined features of other hair care products have also been launched. A wet to dry hair straightener eliminates the need for a hairdryer and works well on damp hair. There is also a new type of hair straightener available that emits steam to moisturize your hair. A flat iron by InfinitiPro, this ionic steam equipment releases steam that makes your hair nourished and healthy.

4. Curling iron

Hair straighteners also double as curling irons and come with other top-notch features as well such as universal dual voltage to eliminate the need for adapters, thereby making them travel-friendly.

Seeing how far the hair straightener has come, it can be said that there are still a lot of developments that are expected to take place in this field. Owing to the ease of use and wallet-friendly aspect, it has proven to be more lucrative than the various chemical straightening procedures of this decade.