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The 10 Best Flat Irons for Fine Hair in 2024

The 10 Best Flat Irons for Fine Hair in 2024

Fine hair and flat irons have a love-hate relationship with each other. When you find the perfect one, a flat iron can create sleek, stylish looks that give dimension and volume to your hair. But when you don’t find that dream flat iron, the result can be a tangle of flyaways and limp, lifeless locks.

If you’ve tried and failed to find a flat iron that works for your fine hair and are about ready to call it quits, read this guide and maybe you’ll be ready to give it one more shot. We’ll go over what features make a flat iron ideal for fine hair and tips for straightening fine hair without it falling flat. We can also help you start shopping with our top 10 recommendations of the best flat irons for fine hair in 2024!

What Is the Best Flat Iron for Fine Hair?

Fine hair has very unique requirements when it comes to flat irons which is why it can be so tricky to find one that works. The features that most brands brag about like super high temperatures and thick layers of ceramic coating can actually be overkill for your hair.

As counter intuitive as it sounds, you need a hot tool that doesn’t get too hot and frizz control that doesn’t control frizz too much. With fine hair, the top three priorities are lower temperatures, a wide range of temperature settings, and mild frizz or static control.

Low Temperature

For fine hair, you want to stick to temperatures below 300° F which means you need a flat iron that goes that low and that offers enough low-temp settings that you can adjust as precisely as you need to.

The perk of fine hair is that it is easy to straighten. Finer strands are much more malleable than coarse hair. That means you can go really low with the temperature and still get results.

This is a good thing because you need to minimize damage as much as possible. Your hair is more prone to breakage and dries out much faster so high heat will scorch it, leaving it fried and frazzled.

Adjustable Heat Settings

Regardless of hair type, the more control you have over the temperature, the better. That’s because the ideal temperature for your hair depends on so many different factors.

The general temperature range recommended for fine hair is 200° to 300° F but that’s a really wide range. Where exactly you should land in that range depends on factors like dryness, amount of damage, how often you chemically treat your hair, and more.

We’ll go into more detail on how to choose the best temperature for your fine hair below. For now, just make sure you’re looking for a tool with either a precision dial or a lot of heat settings.

Limited Frizz Control

The main method flat irons use for controlling frizz and flyaways is by using ionic technology. Materials that are negatively charged, like ceramic and tourmaline, create an ionic field around the iron which encourages the strands of your hair to cling together rather than fly away.

It’s impressive technology but it can sometimes be too strong for fine hair. If you’re already struggling to add volume to flat hair, ionic technology can make the problem worse.

While you don’t want flyaways, you also don’t want limp, lifeless locks. So, you’ll need to find the right design for mild static control that doesn’t go overboard. Read more on how to choose the right material and design in our full buyer’s guide below.

Now that you’ve got a better understanding of what makes a flat iron work for fine hair, check out our top 10 recommendations below:

Top 10 Best Flat Irons for Fine Hair 2024

1. Best Premium Flat Iron: BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Straightening Iron

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Straightening Iron

Why we like it: Nano titanium prevents flyaways while the 50 heat settings give you full control while styling your hair.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Minimum Temperature: 240° F
  • Heat Settings: 50
  • Material: Nano Titanium

This professional-grade flat iron is one of the easiest to use and most durable designs on the market. The super lightweight nano titanium plates give you salon-quality results without pulling or snagging on your hair.

Material & Design

This BaBylissPRO is extra thin and lightweight so it’s easy to maneuver around your head without tiring out your arm or pulling on your hair. The nano titanium plates slide effortlessly along your hair, creating a static-free, sleek look in a matter of minutes.

It’s powerful enough that you can straighten your hair in one pass but still features low enough temperatures to keep damage to a minimum.

Use

With 50 heat settings, you’re able to adjust the temperature in increments of 4°, starting at 240° F so you can get some impressive precision in finding the optimal temperature to straighten without damaging your fine locks.

It’s best suited to normal, healthy hair but it’s also safe for dyed or chemically treated. If your hair is damaged or thinning, however, you’ll need something with lower temperatures like the HSI.

As you might expect with a BaBylissPRO, this flat iron is on the pricier end of the spectrum. It’s an investment that will last you for years and years, even if you use it heavily. However, if you don’t straighten your hair that often, it might make more sense to opt for a more affordable design like the Kipozi titanium flat iron.

Pros

  • Thin, lightweight design
  • Nano titanium plates for static control
  • Plates don’t snag or pull hair
  • Durable, long-lasting design
  • Great temperature control

Cons

  • Not ideal for fragile hair
  • Expensive

2. Best Budget Flat Iron: InfinitiPRO Rainbow Titanium Flat Iron

InfinitiPRO Rainbow Titanium Flat Iron

Why we like it: These beautiful rainbow plates add gloss and just a touch of static control, all at a surprisingly affordable price point.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Minimum Temperature: 285° F
  • Heat Settings: 6
  • Material: Titanium

This elegant design is built for fast styling that’s still gentle on your fine hair. You get the perfect amount of static control while still being able to enjoy the convenience and quality of results that only titanium can offer.

Material & Design

Titanium plates are combined with ceramic heating elements to make this an ideal flat iron for fine hair. You get mild frizz control from the ceramic while enjoying the snag-free, longer-lasting results of styling with titanium plates.

Use

The versatile design allows for both straightening and curling so you can create a ton of different styles from sleek, professional updos to casual beachy waves.

The 30-second heat up time allows you to start styling right away and the extra long plates mean you’ll finish even faster. So, this is an excellent option for busy mornings or for a quick touchup to your look before going out after work.

This flat iron only comes with 6 heat settings and for fine hair, you’ll likely only be able to safely use the first two of those. While those lower settings are definitely up to the task for healthy hair or even dyed hair, they may still be too hot for fragile hair.

If your hair is damaged or thinning, you’ll need something like the HSI that can get down to temperatures as low as 140° F for damage-free styling.

Pros

  • Extra-long titanium plates
  • 2-in-1 straightener and curler design
  • Ceramic heating elements for mild frizz control
  • 30-second heat up

Cons

  • Only 6 heat settings
  • Not the best choice for fragile hair

3. Best Flat Iron for Elegant Styles: Vanessa Titanium Flat Iron

Vanessa Titanium Flat Iron

Why we like it: The Vanessa titanium flat iron is perfect for creating ultra-sleek looks without your hair falling flat in the process.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Minimum Temperature: 265° F
  • Heat Settings: 11
  • Material: Nano Titanium

The long plate and the lightweight casing make this an ideal flat iron for achieving more elegant or formal looks. You can spend 45+ minutes using this iron without getting tired and it offers a great temperature range for those more complicated styles.

Material & Design

Nano titanium offers some frizz control but won’t make your hair limp and lifeless. It’s one of the best options for fine hair although it’s not as gentle ceramic so we do wish lower temperature options were available.

Even so, it’s still a fantastic option if you don’t style your hair daily and have generally healthy hair. The extra long plates make styling fast and efficient while the smooth titanium plates with their curved edges prevent snagging and pulling.

Use

One of the best things about this flat iron is that it’s so lightweight and easy to handle. It’s got an ergonomic design and all the buttons are placed on the side, so you don’t accidentally change the temperature while straightening.

You also have a clear digital temperature display so that you can see the temperature you’re curling at and know exactly when it’s reached your desired temperature.

A couple drawbacks worth noting before you purchase is that there is no safety lock which can make it difficult to store. It’s also not the best option for curling your hair because the outside doesn’t get hot enough to create lasting results on fine hair.

If you need something a little more versatile and easier to store, try the Kipozi titanium flat iron.

Pros

  • Ergonomic, user-friendly design
  • Digital temperature display
  • Extra-long nano-titanium plates
  • Curved plate edges to minimize snagging

Cons

  • No safety lock
  • Not ideal for curling

4. Lowest Temperature: HSI Professional Glider Flat Iron

HSI Professional Glider Flat Iron

Why we like it: This tourmaline ceramic flat iron gets to a super gentle 140° F and has been specifically crafted to do as little damage as possible.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Minimum Temperature: 140° F
  • Heat Settings: Precision Dial
  • Material: Tourmaline Ceramic

The incredibly low heat combined with the precision dial means you can get the exact temperature you need, no matter how fragile your locks are. The flat iron also comes with a free carrying case and heat-proof glove for added convenience.

Material & Design

The plates are coated in tourmaline and ceramic which makes them extra gentle on your hair and adds a nice gloss to your locks. In humid or cold climates, this can also be a big help in keeping frizz and static under control. It can also be helpful for damaged or thinning hair that needs that extra gentle touch.

However, in more temperate climates, those with fine hair might find this extra gentle design to leave their hair looking limp and flat. In your case, something like the InfinitiPRO with milder frizz control may work better.

For those who do need a gentler flat iron, this one has plenty of extra features to make it a top contender. It comes in a compact design and with a carrying case so you can pack this and take it with you on vacation.

Use

This is one of our favorite picks for fragile or thinning hair because it reaches such low temperatures and comes with a precision dial so that you can get those precise in-between temperatures that are usually missed on flat irons with a fixed set of pre-defined temperatures.

It’s also just a really user-friendly design. The included heat-proof glove and lightweight casing make it easy to handle without accidentally burning yourself. It also places all of the buttons below the plates, inside the flat iron so you can’t accidentally change the temperature or turn it off while you’re using it.

While we love the flexibility in temperature selection that you get with the precision dial, we do wish it had better labeling. As it is, you can only see the lowest and highest temperatures. Beyond that, you just have to estimate about where you need to turn it for your desired temperature. With a little trial and error, you’ll be able to figure out pretty quickly where to turn it to suit your hair type.

We recommend doing a test session when you first get it. Start at the lowest temperature and straighten one section of hair. Then gradually increase the temperature with each new section you straighten until you get the finish you’re looking for. You can then use a marker to indicate your preferred setting.

If you’d rather be able to see the exact temperature you’re using, you might prefer this Kipozi with its digital temperature display.

Pros

  • Super low heat options are safe for damaged or thinning hair
  • Precision control temperature dial
  • Heat-proof glove included
  • Compact and convenient for traveling

Cons

  • Lack of labeling on the temperature dial
  • May flatten hair

5. Best Ceramic Flat Iron: Conair Instant Heat Ceramic Flat Iron

Conair Instant Heat Ceramic Flat Iron

Why we like it: This low-cost ceramic flat iron is gentle on your fine hair and versatile enough to create hundreds of styles, no matter what condition your hair is in.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Minimum Temperature: 200° F
  • Heat Settings: 25
  • Material: Ceramic

With a wide range of temperature settings and an affordable price tag, this will be a top contender for those with fine hair and a tight budget. It’s one of the few ceramic options that doesn’t go overboard with the ceramic coating so your locks will still have some bounce to them after you’re done styling.

Material & Design

This single-coat ceramic flat iron is one of the best ceramic irons for fine hair precisely because the coating is thinner. It also features a wide range of temperatures that go as low as 200° F so you can safely style your hair without frying it.

It’s gentle enough for all hair types and offers a more consistent, even temperature across the plate than you can get with titanium. Yet you don’t run the risk of your hair going limp from the excess negative charge.

Use

The ergonomic design makes it easy to handle on both longer and shorter hair while the 30 second heat up time allows you to start styling right away. This makes it a convenient option to have on hand if you tend to style quickly in the morning or if you’re in need of a quick touch up before those last-minute plans you made after work.

Conair did make a couple sacrifices in order to keep this option so affordable. Namely, there’s no digital temperature display and no safety lock. It also takes a long time to cool down when you’re done which means it’s not the best pick if you’re traveling and need something that you can use and then toss back in your suitcase.

If you want something you can take with you, you’ll probably prefer the Bestope.

Pros

  • Thin ceramic coating is ideal for fine hair
  • 30-second heat up
  • Ergonomic design
  • Low temperatures safe for damaged or thinning hair
  • Wide range of temperature settings

Cons

  • No safety lock
  • No digital display
  • Takes a long time to cool down

6. Best Flat Iron for Thinning Hair: Revlon Copper Ceramic Flat Iron

Revlon Copper Ceramic Flat Iron

Why we like it: The low heat, wide range of temperature settings, and unique copper plated design make this an impressive flat iron, ideal for fine or thinning hair.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Minimum Temperature: 180° F
  • Heat Settings: 30
  • Material: Copper Ceramic

This affordable yet elegant design has a ton of impressive and unique features that distinguish it from the standard flat irons you see. It’s made with gentle ceramic and nano copper and offers super low temperatures that are safe for even the most damaged hair.

Material & Design

The plate design is what sets this Revlon flat iron apart from the pack. Featuring rounded plate edges, a unique copper-ceramic blend, and 360° floating plate design, these are some of the smoothest and most versatile plates on the market.

You’ll be able to straighten, curl, or add beachy texture to your hair, all with one tool.

Plus, the copper ceramic blend creates a smoother surface than either ceramic or titanium so there’s less clinging and snagging to worry about. The iron will glide effortlessly down each section of hair, creating a pristine, glossy finish.

The triple ceramic coating could potentially be overkill for your hair. Unless you live in very humid climates where your hair gets frizzy or cold climates where you have to deal with static in the winter, your fine hair probably won’t ever need the triple coating of ceramic.

It can end up making fine hair go flat. If you still want to try it, get a texturizing spray to go with it to rebuild some volume and dimension after straightening. Otherwise, opt for something with a milder ionic charge like the BaBylissPRO.

Use

With temperatures as low as 180° F, you can safely use this on your fine hair, no matter how fragile it is. This makes it a good pick for damaged or thinning hair. The copper also helps decrease the snagging that can happen with ceramic if your hair is curly or particularly dry.

Pros

  • Unique copper ceramic plate design
  • No snagging or breakage
  • Low temperatures ideal for damaged or thinning hair
  • Also works for curling

Cons

  • Triple ceramic might cause fine hair to flatten

7. Best Flat Iron for Travel: Bestope 2-in-1 Flat Iron

Bestope 2-in-1 Flat Iron

Why we like it: This compact and versatile design is gentle enough for fine hair while still packing the power you need for glamorous styles on the go.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Minimum Temperature: 265° F
  • Heat Settings: 6
  • Material: Tourmaline Ceramic

This travel-ready flat iron can straighten, curl, and add a glamorous sheen to your looks, no matter where in the world you are. It’s designed to be easy to pack and as versatile as possible so you’re ready for any occasion at any moment.

Material & Design

The tourmaline ceramic plates offer a gentle and consistent heat while the floating plate design helps minimize the risk of your hair snagging or getting pulled. While this design makes it gentler on your hair and great for humid or cold climates, it may be too much otherwise.

If you’re not in a climate that demands extra frizz or static control, you’ll do better with a milder ionic charge like that found in the InfinitiPRO.

Use

This flat iron was made for the frequent flyer. It’s got a dual voltage heating element, a detachable cord for easier storage, and a safety lock so you can pack this up as soon as you’re done using it. It’s also versatile with its wide temperature range and its ability to curl hair as well as straighten it.

The minimum temperature of 265° F is best for normal hair as well as dyed or permed hair. However, it’s still a touch too high for anyone with damaged hair. If your hair is already prone to breakage, you need to go for extra gentle sub-200° F temperatures such as found in this Kipozi.

Pros

  • 2-in-1 straightener and curler
  • Floating plate design to minimize snags and breakage
  • Dual voltage
  • Detachable cord
  • Safety lock

Cons

  • May cause hair to flatten
  • Not ideal for fragile hair

8. Best Overall Flat Iron: Kipozi Titanium Flat Iron

Kipozi Titanium Flat Iron

Why we like it: The titanium plates with ceramic heating elements allow for static control without the risk of flattening your hair!

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Minimum Temperature: 170° F
  • Heat Settings: N/A
  • Material: Nano Titanium

This nano titanium flat iron is an all-around perfect design for fine hair. It offers low temperatures, mild static control, and floating plates to better adapt to the thickness of your hair.

Material & Design

Everyone with fine hair will appreciate the nano titanium plates here. They glide much better on your hair than ceramic does, so you keep breakage to a minimum.

Meanwhile the nano technology combined with the ceramic heating elements create a mild negative charge. It’s just strong enough to stop flyaways but not so strong that it sucks the life out of your locks.

Use

This is really user-friendly and ideal for the busy person who’s in a rush to get ready in the morning. The 15-second heat up time means you can start styling right away and the 90-minute auto shut off means you can run out the door and not have to stress about whether the flat iron is still on.

It also comes with three presets that are helpful for beginners but also convenient for quickly adjusting the temperature. For fine hair, you’ll likely only use the first two presets but even if you use none of them, you can still set a custom temperature using the buttons on the side.

It doesn’t state exactly how many heat settings there are, but we know it’s a wide range. We recommend starting at 200° F for normal fine hair. Go lower if you have damaged or thinning hair. Go higher if you’re not seeing the results you want.

It’s hard to find anything you won’t love about this flat iron. It’s affordable, high-quality, and has everything you need to bring your fine hair to life. One minor annoyance is that the cool tip is very short. You’ll definitely need to wear a heat-proof glove if you typically hold flat irons at both ends to guide it down.

If you want something with a more practical cool tip design, check out the Kipozi Pro wide straightener.

Pros

  • 15 second heat up
  • 90-minute auto shut off
  • Choose from preset temperatures or your own custom temperature
  • Ceramic heating elements

Cons

  • Cool tip is too narrow

9. Best Titanium Flat Iron: Kipozi Pro Titanium Flat Iron

Kipozi Pro Titanium Flat Iron

Why we like it: Nano titanium plates and ceramic heating elements offer just the right amount of static control for your fine hair.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Minimum Temperature: 170° F
  • Heat Settings: N/A
  • Material: Nano Titanium

This is a super user-friendly design with a ton of features that make it great for fine hair. It heats up fast but offers low enough temperatures to avoid frying your hair and there’s lots of safety features, so you don’t fry anything else either!

Material & Design

The Kipozi Pro is one of our favorite titanium flat irons because it’s affordable yet still incredibly well-built and packed with user-friendly features. In terms of build, it comes with nano titanium plates and ceramic heating elements which is our favorite combo for fine hair since it gives you some static and frizz control without overdoing it.

It also boasts the wide temperature range and high degree of adjustability that Kipozi users have come to expect from their flat irons.

Use

With a low of 170° F, this is safe for all hair types, including damaged or thinning hair. The adjustability means you can customize the setting to meet the specific demands of your hair. Other user-friendly features include the long handle and cool tip that make this much easier to handle without accidentally burning yourself.

The busy and forgetful among us will also appreciate the 90-minute auto shutoff feature which means you can glam up in the morning and leave without worrying if you forgot to turn off your flat iron.

While this is overall a high-quality design, it is a little heavy. This is likely due to the ceramic heating elements which are heavy than cheaper metal versions. Even so, it’s not unbearably heavy. It just might get a little tiresome if you’re doing a more elaborate style that takes more than 30-45 minutes to achieve.

If you’d prefer a more lightweight flat iron, try the Vanessa.

Pros

  • Nano titanium plates
  • Ceramic heating elements for gentle static and frizz control
  • Low temperatures safe for damaged or thinning hair
  • 90-miniute auto shut off
  • Cool tip
  • Long handle

Cons

  • A little heavy

10. Best Flat Iron for Long Hair: Kipozi Pro Wide Hair Straightener

Kipozi Pro Wide Hair Straightener

Why we like it: The wide plates allow you to get more done in less time, making it one of the best options for longer hair.

Editor’s Rating:

Quick Facts:

  • Minimum Temperature: 170° F
  • Heat Settings: N/A
  • Material: Nano Titanium

This flat iron comes with plates that are both wider and longer than most other models. If your hair goes past your shoulders, this is large enough to straighten it faster and without needing to do more than one pass on any section of hair.

Material & Design

The best features of this design are the floating nano titanium plates that eliminate the risk of snagging and pulling. You’ll also appreciate the wide temperature range and the ability to either set your own customized temperature or choose from one of Kipozi’s presets.

Overall, it’s built for convenience and reliability. It heats up in just 30 seconds so you can start styling right away. It also has an 8-foot power cord so you can enjoy a wide range of movement as you work your way around your head.

Use

Longer haired folks will love the larger plate size and the glossy smooth nano titanium plates that won’t snag or tangle your hair. It’s also surprisingly thin and lightweight so it’s easier to maintain a steady position as you slide it along the entire length of your hair.

While this is a solid choice for below-the-shoulder hair, it may be too bulky in terms of size for shorter hair lengths. For shoulder length or higher, something more compact like the Vanessa will be easy to maneuver and give you greater versatility in terms of the style you create.

Some users might also be disappointed in the lack of dual functionality here. While a lot of the flat irons on this list can also double as curlers or help create beachy waves, this one can’t do either.

For days when you want to add some dimension or texture to your fine hair, you’ll need a separate curling iron to get the job done. If you’d prefer a 2-in-1 design, check out the Bestope.

Pros

  • Floating nano titanium plates
  • 30-second heat up
  • 8-foot power cord
  • Wide temperature range
  • Great for long hair

Cons

  • Too large for short hair
  • Not a 2-in-1 design

Frequently Asked Questions About Straightening Fine Hair

woman straightening hair

Straightening fine hair can be tricky and choosing the best flat iron for your hair can be even trickier. To help you make the best choices for your hair, we’ve answered some of the most common questions people have about flat ironing fine hair:

Is Titanium or Ceramic Better for Fine Hair?

The big selling point of a ceramic flat iron is that the negative charge created by ceramic helps tame hair to control frizz. It also helps smooth the shaft of each strand for a glossier look. However, if you have fine hair, you need to be wary of too much frizz-control features.

This ionic technology can leave fine hair looking flat and lifeless. However, you still want some static control. Without it, your hair is prone to developing flyaways which can make it look wispy and unkempt.

So, look for single-layer ceramic coated plates but avoid the double or triple layer options which will work a little too well on your hair. Another option is to get a titanium flat iron with ceramic heating elements like the InfinitiPro rainbow titanium flat iron. This includes enough ceramic to prevent flyaways but not so much that your hair will become limp.

A third option is to go for nano titanium with no ceramic anywhere. Nano titanium boasts a smoother surface than standard titanium, allowing the plates to glide along the hair without gripping it. It also emits a mild negative charge which regular titanium lacks and ceramic may offer too much of (if you have fine hair). This makes it a good middle ground for offering some static control without wrangling your locks into total submission.

The less frizz or static control you get from your flat iron, the more you’ll need to take the proper precautions when straightening your hair to prevent flyaways.

How Do You Straighten Fine Hair With a Flat Iron?

The key to straightening fine hair is making sure that you walk that line between “sleek” and “slack.” You want your hair to be flyaway-free, glossy, and straight. You don’t want it to be limp and flat against your scalp.

To achieve that, you’ll need to do a little prep work before you iron and a little after care when you finish. Here’s a quick step-by-step of what an ideal flat ironing session for fine hair looks like:

1. Start With Clean, Dry Hair

When we say dry, we mean not wet. It should, however, be moisturized. Use a lightweight conditioner to hydrate your locks without weighing them down. Then, either blow dry or allow your hair to air dry before you start straightening.

Straightening wet hair will cause damage. It turns high heat into scorching heat that burns or even breaks your hair. It also dries out strands more severely than if you had straightened already dry hair. This can create excess flyaways and frizz, which you don’t want. So, make sure hair is all the way dry.

Even if you have a flat iron that says it can straighten wet hair, that just means you won’t break the flat iron. It doesn’t mean it won’t break your precious locks.

2. Apply a Heat Protectant

A heat protectant spray is your best friend when it comes to applying any hot tool to your hair. It makes your hair easier to work with and creates a protective layer on your strands that will stop damage and reduce frizz.

So, it’s not just an optional “extra layer” of protection. It also improves the finished look! Plus, it’s so easy to use that you really have no reason to skip it. Just spray the heat protectant around your head and then comb it through your hair to distribute the product and remove tangles.

3. Flat Iron Small Sections

You might think that you can get away with ironing larger sections of hair since your strands are so fine. But you should still work in small sections because it makes for a much more polished and much longer-lasting look. Heat gets distributed across the strands better when you’re using small sections.

4. Move the Iron Slowly and Smoothly

While you shouldn’t hold the flat iron in place at any point, you should move it down at a slow and steady pace. The slower you go, the less likely you’ll need to do a second or third pass. Fewer passes mean less damage and less frizz.

5. Use a Light Hold Spray

Once your hair has cooled down, spray a faint mist of light hold hairspray just to prevent flyaways or frizz. This will also prevent your hair from curling up again. However, you don’t want to apply a heavy coat because that can weigh down your fine strands and create a crunchy, helmet look that you probably don’t want.

What Temperature Should You Flat Iron Fine Hair?

The general range you’ll likely work in is 200° to 300° F. However, where specifically you should land in that range depends on the relative health of your hair and what treatments, if any, you’ve done to it.

Here are a few guidelines to help you choose a temperature:

  • 200° to 225° F: Damaged or thinning hair
  • 225° to 265° F: Fragile or chemically treated hair
  • 265° to 300° F: Normal or dyed hair

Does Using a Flat Iron Thin Your Hair?

If you’re not begin careful, a flat iron can cause damage that may lead to breakage. It won’t make your hair fall out or prevent new growth, but the breakage can make your overall head of hair feel thinner.

The bad news is that once a strand of hair has been damaged, there’s no going back. You can use treatments to cover up that damage. But, unlike your skin, hair is not living tissue that can repair itself.

Before you swear of flat irons forever, there is good news! This is an avoidable problem. If you keep the following guidelines in mind, you can enjoy the polished look of straightened hair without causing excess damage:

  1. Don’t use higher temperatures than you need to. It’s tempting to crank it up to 400° F and go because you know the high heat will work. But high heat breaks down hydrogen bonds and, once broken, the damage is done until your hair grows out.
  2. Don’t straighten hair daily. If you want straightened locks to be your go-to look every day, take steps to preserve your straightened hair for a day or two.
  3. Follow the proper steps for straightening your hair. The step-by-step flat ironing process we described earlier will not only help you get perfectly pin-straight hair but also do it in a way that causes the least possible damage.

What Else Should I Use to Style My Fine Hair?

One of the greatest struggles of being a fine hair owner is trying to maintain volume and dimension in locks that naturally just want to fall flat. A high-quality flat iron can add shine and polish to your locks but here are some other products that can help bring new life to fine hair:

  • Hairspray for Fine Hair. Hairspray is one of the best ways to keep frizz under control and lock in some volume at the same time.
  • Texturizing Spray. Prevent straightened hair from looking flat by spritzing a little texturizer in it to create dimension and a little oomph of volume.
  • Organic Dry Shampoo. Dry shampoo is a fine haired head’s best friend. It adds a little lift to your hair with none of the crunch or stiffness that can come with hairsprays.
  • Clip-In Hair Extensions. Hair extensions are the secret to taking that glossy, straightened hair to the next level on a special occasion.

Final Word

Choosing the best flat iron for fine hair really comes down to finding something with low enough temperatures for your hair type and enough adjustability to get the exact heat setting that will straighten your hair without damaging it. Bonus points go to smooth, snag-free plates like those found on the Revlon and ceramic heating elements as featured in this Kipozi flat iron to get just the right amount of frizz control!