These Are the Flat Irons Stylists Swear By for Extra-Thick Hair

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One of the most common thick-hair problems includes taking an hour or two just to straighten it. I say this because I'm speaking from experience. As someone with super-thick and curly hair, it's definitely an ordeal to actually straighten my hair (hence, why I don't do it that often). It's a process that requires time, patience, the right hair products, and most importantly, the right flat iron. Luckily, now that I'm a beauty editor, I can tap into my arsenal of hairstylists for advice on styling my super thick strands and what products will work best for my hair type. This time around, I tapped celebrity hairstylist David Lopez for some insight. He shared his all-time favorite flat iron for thick hair and the product he can't live without when heat styling. Read on for everything he had to share.

First things first, you'll always want to use a good heat protectant to avoid excess damage to your hair. Your heat protectant should be made for your specific hair type. Many stylists generally love cream products over sprays because sprays require using a lot more product to completely coat the hair.

Those with curls should take a few extra precautions since they're drier in nature and are more prone to damage or breakage. You'll want to use a smoothing balm or hydrating cream with extra nourishing ingredients and invest in a flat iron with ceramic-coated plates to help minimize heat damage. Lopez chimes in with a little extra advice. "I'll always recommend a heat protectant, but specifically with a flat iron, I love to use an aerosol heat protectant with hold," he says. "Kenra's Heat Block Spray is great because not only does it protect the hair, but it also doubles as a hair spray!" Those with thick hair might want to go for a balm or cream to make sure you coat all your hair, but once you do you're in business. Keep scrolling for the best flat irons for thick hair.

Pros: Ensures advanced heat precision, wider plates work on larger amounts of hair, nine heat settings. Cons: Requires more passes to straighten coarse hair. I personally use and love the T3 Lucea and my hair is coarse and extremely curly. My only complaint is that it does take a few passes to straight a section of hair, but overall, my hair looks great after using it. Lopez agrees that it's a great option for those with thicker hair. "The T3 Lucea 1.5" is hands down my favorite iron out there for thick hair," he says. "It has all the tech of the original size (single pass, smooth plates, and nine heat settings), but in a 50% larger plate size to get through hair faster. The Ceragloss plates get me shiny, frizz-free results." Customer Review: "The BEST STRAIGHTENER I’ve EVER used! And, trust me, I’ve tried them all from the most expensive all the way down and back around. This is AMAZING. Works SO FAST and does NOT damage my hair at all!!"

Pros: 1.75 inch wide barrel, large titanium plates heat up faster, temperature goes up to 450°F. Cons: Wider plates don't work as well for shorter hair. Reaching a temperature of 450°F and boasting 1.75-inch-wide plates, this flat iron can definitely get the job done for coarse wavy or curly hair types. The price is also fantastic for a quality flat iron. Customer Review: "This is the best straightener at a great price. It has digital temperature control and makes my naturally curly hair super straight and shiny. I love it. Totally recommend."

Pros: Heat balance mmicro-sensers keep you from burning your hair, designed to straighten, flip, and curl, tourmaline plates create silky results. Cons: Flat iron is a bit heavy. This HSI Professional Glider straightens, flips, and curls. It even has micro sensors built into its ceramic plates that help regulate the temperature and prevent future hair damage. The temperature also goes up to 450°F and smooths out frizz as you straighten. Customer Review: "I have owned a bunch of different brands of flat irons (including Paul Mitchell, Sultra, Andis, Remington, and who knows what else) and I must say this is hands-down the best one I have ever owned. It left my hair feeling very smooth and shiny. Unlike many others, it didn't pull my hair at all. I love that it comes with a little thermal glove to wear when using because I can't even count how many times I have burnt myself while flat ironing my hair. It also comes with a cute red bag for storage/traveling. I didn't receive the free argan oil like it stated on the box, which I was hoping to try but that is such a minor thing. I love the length of the cord, I have owned others that would come unplugged while doing the back of my hair, this one has plenty of slack. It also comes with a one year warranty from HSI, so don't forget to register your product…which I'm going to go do right now. If you don't buy this flat iron you're going to regret it!"

Pros: Titanium-coated plates smooth out hair, natural ions reduce frizz, ceramic heater produces instant heat, temperature can reach up to 450°F. Cons: Plates get extremely hot. I was first introduced to this flat iron by a friend in college. I instantly fell in love because it managed to create such smooth, shiny, and ultra-straight results that I hadn't been able to achieve with other flat irons at the time. It's definitely a staple in my hot-tools kit now and that won't be changing any time soon. Customer Review: "I tell everyone about this! It's my favorite. I'm about to buy my second. My last one lasted 7 years and finally gave out. (It has fallen on the floor many times.) Heats up so fast everyday during those 7 years and makes my hair so pretty. I love love love this straightener and I'm glad I can still purchase it."

Pros: Budget-friendly, avoids pulling or damaging hair while styling, 2.16-inch, extra-wide titanium plates provides faster straightening. Cons: Plates get extremely hot. This iron is uniquely designed to avoid pulling or damaging the hair while styling with its 2.16 inch plates. the extra-wide design and five adjustable temperatures will help those with all kinds of thick hair—curly, wavy—you name it. Customer Review: "I really like this product I'm looking forward to using it on a regular basis. I have very thick hair—the size is wonderful."

Pros: Hair straightener, waver and curler in one, one ¼ inch titanium floating plates that adjust to your hair texture, gold metal titanium plates deliver heat faster. Cons: Doesn't get quite as hot as other options. I always trust celebrity stylist Kristin Ess's hair products and her flat iron is no different. It allows you to create sleek, straight styles, curly styles, and helps you create gorgeous S-waves. Although the plates are a bit less wide on this one, don't worry. It's still a great option for thick hair as the temperature settings allow you to customize your style to your hair type and texture (it goes up to 440°F). Customer Review: "I absolutely LOVE this flat iron! I have never been competent at using a flat iron for curls but this product is so easy to use. I can not throw away my curling iron and only travel with this flat iron. It is great for straightening hair as well, nice texture on the device that feels good when I use it, and good heat settings for someone with thick, wavy hair. Highly recommend!"

Pros: Ultra-zone predictive technology monitors heat 250 times per second across the plates and recognizes the thickness of your hair to adjust power accordingly, great option for those who color their hair. Cons: Doesn't get as hot as other options. Hair stylists never stop talking about how great this Ghd flat iron is—and for a good reason. It's a "smart" straightener that predicts your hair's needs and adapts to ensure that the temperature is perfect at all times for drier hair types. It helps deliver more shine and reduces breakage. Customer Review: "OMG this is amazing! I have very hard to straighten hair and usually need to go over my hair several times for it to get straight, but this straightens in one stroke. It also makes it so soft and gives your hair a lot of shine. I've never experienced this with a straightener before. I didn't even need to use anything before straightening. It doesn't feel like it damages your hair like others. I also love that it's smart—it senses how much [heat] your hair needs."

Pros: Advanced ceramic plates provide more consistent heat, adds extra shine to the hair, infused with argan oil and keratin to condition and prevent damage, 2 inch-wide plates work on thick hair. Cons: Does have auto shut off and may turn off while straightening thick hair for a long time. This is another great moderately priced option that glides through the hair smoothly with a temperature that goes up to 450°F. The ceramic plates are also infused with argan oil and keratin-rich proteins that help prevent damage. Customer Review: "I actually love this straightener…for the first time in YEARS I've found a new straightener that works well on my super thick hair! Usually the heat isn’t enough, or it doesn’t straighten my hair to the level I like it, but this one does!! It leaves my hair silky smooth, and with no frizz! It heats up to 450° in 30 seconds, stays consistently hot, and the buttons are located perfectly so I don’t accidentally turn it down while doing my hair! 10/10, absolutely LOVE it."

Pros: Wider plates allow for longer and thicker sections of hair to be styled faster, temperature goes up to 450℉, pulse technology helps it maintain a consistent temperature, six-foot-long cord. Cons: Tends to pull on the hair. Hot Tools' Pro Signature Flat Iron contains pulse technology which helps it maintains a consistent temperature so you see fast results. It's also a great option to travel with, as it has a universal dual voltage swivel cord. Customer Review: "I got this straightener to use on my daughter's hair that is super curly. We have to straighten it for dance competitions and my Chi would take me multiple passes to get one section of hair straight. This is hands down my go to now for her hair. One pass and it straightens."

Pros: Budget-friendly, ceramic coating helps reduce damage, plates can get close to the root for ultra-straight and sleek styling. Cons: Only reaches a temperature of 400ºF. Revlon's extremely budget-friendly option has ceramic-coated plates to help reduce heat damage and reaches a temperature of 400ºF. It's not quite as impressive as some of these other options, but can't complain for $11, right? Customer Review: "This is the perfect size for my short hair and for travel."

Pros: Heats up in 40 seconds, dual voltage for travel, 11-foot cord, titanium-infused ceramic plates. Cons: Doesn't get as hot as other options, one-hour shut off time may not be ideal for longer use. I'm a fan of CHI's Straightening Iron for its 11-foot cord, titanium-infused ceramic plates, and dual voltage setup. It comes in both a one-inch size and a 1.25-inch size so you can pick the one that best suits your hair type.

Up Next: 13 Straightening Essentials Each Hair Type Needs for a Salon-Sleek Blowout

This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

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