Straighten Up: The History of the Flat Iron
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While the commercial flat irons used on hair every day all around the world may seem like a modern invention, the straightening of long locks dates all the way back to ancient Egypt. Egyptians would heat iron plates over a fire and then run them over hair until smoothed, sometimes causing severe burns to the user's hands or faces.
Multiple people have been credited with the invention of the first hair straightening iron, a device generally consisting of two metal plates, each facing one another connected with a hinge, which were heated by fire or ashes.
In 1872, French hairdresser Marcel Grateau was noted as using an early version of the heated curling iron; this inspired Isaac K. Shero to apply the same strategy to straighten hair.
The first known patent for a flat iron device was actually filed by American school teacher Ada Harris in 1893, though she is unfortunately not mentioned in most histories of the hair tool. Instead, the invention is most often credited to Scottish heiress Lady Jennifer Bell Schofield, who in 1912 developed a version that included clamps to hold hair.
These fire-heated devices were still very dangerous and damaging to hair, so when long, smooth and straight locks were more popularized by the likes of Cher and the hippie generation in the 1960s, clothing irons were often used instead. After the big hair trend of the 1980s was downsized, beauty companies began marketing new straightening devices that used electric hot plates and plastic handles to avoid burns.
Today’s flat irons are made of lighter and less damaging materials like ceramic or coated in titanium or gold with temperature selectors.
Image Credit: Parilov / Shutterstock.com
