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Procedures to Make Hair Grow Straighter or Curlier?

Are there any procedures to make hair grow straighter or curlier? Is there anyway to affect this? Would getting laser hair removal and then a hair transplant of straighter hair work?

Doctor Answers 8

Treatments to make curly hair straighter

January 25th, 2010
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Most people who have curly hair, would have it in all areas of the scalp, so that hair transplants would not be successful to straighten the hair, unless donor areas of straight hair were found and used. It has to come from you, not a different person. It is not unusual that fine hair transplanted from a donor site in the scalp to the recipient sites grows slightly wavy after transplantation. The technique is available that can uncurl hair by changing the hair follicles.

Ronald Shelton, MD


Manhattan Dermatologic Surgeon
4.9 out of 5 stars 37 reviews

Procedure to make hair straight is not hair transplant surgery

August 5th, 2015
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Procedure to make hair straight is not hair transplant surgery.  If you have curly hair, transplanted hair will also be curly.  A cheaper way to straighten hair is at a salon.
Jae Pak, MD

Jae Pak, MD
Los Angeles Hair Restoration Surgeon
4.9 out of 5 stars 84 reviews

Hair Maintains Genetic Makeup

July 9th, 2013
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At this time, we can only use your own hair for transplantation.  It will keep the same genetic makeup (straight or curly) at the new transplanted site.

Web reference: http://www.austinhairgraft.com/

Jeffrey W. Hall, MD

Jeffrey W. Hall, MD
Austin Plastic Surgeon
4.5 out of 5 stars 15 reviews

Laser Hair Removal and Hair Transplants

May 10th, 2013
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No, laser hair removal followed by a hair transplant will not permanently straighten hair. Hair follicles maintain their original nature concerning volume and length regardless of surgical procedures. The use of tools, conditioners, relaxers and other chemical processes can temporarily make hair more curly or straight. However, continuous use over time weakens the keratin structure. It also reduces the tensile strength of each follicle.

Sanusi Umar, MD

Sanusi Umar, MD
Redondo Beach Dermatologic Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 30 reviews

Hair Transplant to make hair straight or curly

January 17th, 2012
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Whether hair is straight or curly depends entirely on inheritance.  A straight hair shaft on cross section is round and a curly hair on cross section is oval. There really is no direct way to control this.

Jack Fisher, MD

Jack Fisher, MD
Nashville Plastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 4 reviews

Making the hair straighter or curlier.

February 23rd, 2011
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Making the hair straighter or curlier is not done with surgery but rather with a skilled hair stylist who can do this quite well.

Toby Mayer, MD

Toby Mayer, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
4.9 out of 5 stars 32 reviews

Changing Hair Curl

February 2nd, 2010
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Changing the curl or straightness of your hair does not require surgery. A good cosmetologist can treat the hair to effectively make these changes -- it is a relatively simple treatment. 

Richard W. Fleming, MD

Richard W. Fleming, MD
Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
4.9 out of 5 stars 36 reviews

Hair straight or Curly

January 25th, 2010
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A hair transplant takes your hair and moves it around. If it is curly it remains curly. I have found that the Brazilian keratin treatment works very well to make curly hair straight for several months. Laser hair removal removes hair but does not affect the curliness or straightness of hair.

Janet M. Neigel, MD

Janet M. Neigel, MD
Livingston Oculoplastic Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 16 reviews

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.