Should You Iron Your Hair Right After A Shower?

It's tempting, isn't it? You're busy in the morning, maybe you're running late for school, maybe the kids are running late for school, but either way you've got to get out of the door and quickly.

If you're really stretched for time, you can just flat iron your wet hair right? Here's whether you can really get away with it, and how to save time on your hair in the morning.

Saving time in the morning

Flat ironing wet hair sounds like it makes sense. After all, it's a heated tool, right? You can flatten your hair and dry it at the same time, meaning you're saving time as you're getting ready.

Plus, it means you only need one styling tool instead of two. Everyone's guilty of trying this at one point or another! Is it effective though?

Should you flat iron soaking wet hair?

The short answer? No. It's just not worth it. The problem is that using a ceramic flat iron on your wet hair is basically boiling it. Nothing can damage your hair faster. If you try it, you'll notice that your hair will become rough, damaged and brittle, even if you only do it once. Adding insult to injury, it won't even get the job done properly. You'll notice that your won't be properly straight as it is when you use a hairdryer first.

That's because the hairdryer does a lot of the straightening work for you, smoothing the hair fibers out before you finish the job with the ceramic flat iron. If you're still tempted, remember that once your hair is damaged, there's usually no coming back. The only cure for damaged hair is chopping the lot of it off. If you're not willing to undergo a dramatic hair cut, you need to think again before taking the flat irons to your wet hair.

So how else can you save time in the morning?

So it's been established that you should never use a flat iron on wet hair. If you can't do that, how do you save time on your hair styling routine in the morning? Here's a few tips to get you started.

• Flat iron damp hair: You may not be able to flat iron your hair while it's soaking wet, but that doesn't mean you have to wait until it's bone dry. If you're in a pinch, you can wait until it's damp and then flat iron it. If you do this, be sure to use a good heat protectant product. In fact, make sure you always use a good heat protectant product!

• Wash at night: Want to skip the whole washing and drying process in the morning? Then why not wash it at night? You can take your time over it as you're not rushing to get out of the door at night. You can also let it air dry if you want, sparing your hair a lot of potential heat damage.

• Use the right products: No one hair product can give you poker straight hair, but they can help smooth your hair out and make the ironing process a lot quicker. Pick shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products that are designed to keep your hair straight. You'll notice that it's much quicker to get your hair straight in the mornings.

• Use a better hair brush to avoid frizz: Your hair brush may be the reason your hair keeps sticking up and refusing to lie flat. Throw out your old brush and invest in a boar bristle brush. They help smooth out and detangle your hair without pulling on it and causing more problems. They're also a lot cheaper than you may think.

• Beware the sizzle: If you flat iron hair wet, it will sizzle as it literally cook between the plates. Keep an eye out for this. If your hair is steaming while bone dry, your product may be to blame. Wash out the build up before you try flat ironing again.

• Invest in a new ceramic flat iron: The sad fact is your old flat iron might be just old and dilapidated. Like all tools, eventually they need replacing when you find they aren't doing the good job they used to do. Luckily though, there's lots of choice when it comes to new flat irons. An ionic ceramic flat iron, for example, is designed to do the best job possible while doing the least damage to your hair. Invest in one of these, and you'll find your hair looks better than ever.

When it comes to your hair, you can't be too careful. While flat ironing your hair while wet is a no no, there's plenty of other ways to keep it sleek without slaving over it for hours.