Our first question from a reader comes in response to the fact that Japanese hair straightening requires you to keep your hair dry for 48 to 72 hours following the procedure.

Not only should it be kept dry. It must also not be bent. Bends during this time can become permanent.

For more information on how to care for your hair after thermal reconditioning, visit our guest post from Yuko USA.

Now, on to our question.

Q: If my hair is not to be wet for 72 hours, how should I shower?

An answer might seem straight forward at first. Couldn’t you just wear a shower cap and go on?

“If they have long hair, a shower cap won’t work.”

For insight, we reached out to our hairstylist friend and long-time Yuko Straightening practitioner, Ana Rivas. With over 14 years of experience with Japanese hair straightening, she was quite familiar with the question.

After a thermal reconditioning procedure, hair is very fragile as it takes a couple of days for the oxidation process to finalize the new structure of the hair. Bending the hair to get it to fit into a shower cap would be a very bad idea.

“I suggest that they wrap their hair in a towel instead. And they should avoid steam in the shower for at least two or three days.”

Wrapping it in a towel allows it to maintain its straight shape while still protecting it from water in the shower. Of course, towels aren’t water proof. So you shouldn’t bring the towel into direct contact with the water if possible.

Check out our page on Caring for Reconditioned Hair for more information, including what to do if your hair does get wet!

Many thanks to Ana Rivas for her help in responding to this question! Ana currently works out of her own studio at Salon Republic in Beverly Hills. Visit her website, yukobyana.com, if you’re looking for a stylist in the Beverly Hills area. You can also follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

Do you have a question about straightening or hair care in general? Share it with us on our Ask a Question page.

If you have a thought or idea related to this question, share it in the comments below!