Michi has been very successful with color-treated and bleached hair. The most important consideration is your hair condition. Highlights and strong bleach can sometimes be difficult to work with. It's important to schedule a prior consultation, to make sure this process is right for your hair.

A lot depends upon the condition of your hair. Unfortunately, repeated use of a relaxer will usually cause significant damage to the hair. If you've had very limited exposure to a relaxer, it may still be worth coming in for a free consultation.

It is possible to do a Japanese version of the "relaxer" treatment, but without the damage of a usual chemical relaxer. The cost is also much less than the full Japanese Straight Perm.

Using a Japanese version of a "chemical relaxer" is much less expensive. While your hair will not be as straight using this method as with the Japanese Straight Perm, this method avoids the damaging effects usually resulting from other relaxer treatments.

The Japanese Straight Perm uses new products and special irons to straighten your curly, wavy, frizzy hair. For the best results, the new technology and techniques require an experienced professional. This process is also known as Thermal Reconditioning and, as recently mentioned in the New York Times, is a trend growing in popularity worldwide.

Chemical relaxers unfortunately do not straighten hair very well, and they use chemical ingredients that leave the hair brittle, dry, and unhealthy. The Japanese Straight Perm gives you soft, silky, shiny, straight hair. And, your hair will be healthier!

Including a haircut, and a Protein Conditioning Treatment, the Japanese Straight Perm should cost between $180 and $250.

Usually the cost is slightly less to re-touch than for the original treatment. Actually, the re-touch is in some ways more difficult, and requires about the same amount of time, and lots of attention is given to the previously treated sections of hair. See next question.

Only the roots will need the Japanese Straight Perm treatment, while the ends will not. The ends will receive a "protection" coating, to avoid unnecessary contact with the perm solution. Also, the ends will get a special conditioning treatment.

Typically the Japanese Straight Perm will last from 4 to 8 months, at which time you should set up an appointment to touch up your roots.

You'll be able to style your hair any way you like. The good news is, if you don't want to take the time to style your hair, you'll still have smooth, straight hair. It's best to wait about a week after the treatment before trying new styles.

Yes, you can color and highlight your hair after the treatment. One important consideration, though, is that some color and highlight processes can damage your hair more than you might expect. To keep your hair healthy, use gentler products, and consider getting only a few highlights, on the top, rather than all over.

Although the process works for short hair, too, I recommend that your hair be at least 5 inches long. As the roots grow out, longer hair will have the weight to pull them straight for a while. Short hair will need to be touched up sooner.

Generally, you can expect to let your hair air dry, with great results. If you'd like to style your hair, or perhaps if you need to dry your hair more quickly, then of course, you'll still have the choice of blow drying also.

The Japanese Straight Perm is one of the most difficult procedures to do correctly, and very few people have had the opportunity to specialize in the process.

You can arrange for an appointment by calling the salon or use website reservation page or send email (hairkylee@hairkylee.com). When making your appointment, we require a $250 deposit to hold your reservation. You can make the deposit by clicking on the paypal button on our homepage.

Please remember that this deposit is non-refundable for any cancellations made within 72 hours before the appointment. To cancel by phone, you MUST speak with the salon receptionist or directly with LKY. Email cancellations will be accepted based on the time reported by our email server.