I have very coarse, 'kinky' hair and have hated it all my life....I had it straightened a few times, but the time, money, etc., just were not worth it; and once I got scalp burns from it......REALLY painful!!.....so I just quit....as someone else here said, the new shampoos and conditioners for 'wavy/curly/frizzy' hair are TREMENDOUS..and have helped the appearance of my hair a lot!!!!!..PLEASE don't chemically straighten your  hair!! it's the worst thing you can do!! I am a retired hairdresser and have tried it all; even a perm one time on big rods; it just gave me the look of a fingerwave, and I hated it.....so get the shampoos and condtioners for curly/wavy hair,  & enjoy your new look!! it also helps to keep the the sides short and maybe a little length on top....I also use hair gel which give my hair a nice sheen and control......but there are also other styling aids out there you can try............good luck and have fun!!!!!!!