Straightening Article

I just finished reading Karen's excellent article on hair straightening. I have had my hair straightened in the past and the stylist had not done it much before me. She did not use the petroleum protective gel that Karen talks about and I did feel a lot of burning on my scalp and forehead. In fact, I got little red marks around my hairline from the solution. At the time I did not know to ask about the gel protector so if I had read Karen's article BEFORE I ever had my hair straightened it would have saved me some pain and aggravation. My stylist also did not do any type of test on my hair and so I supose she just was "winging it". My hair got very dry (as Karen mentions) and very brittle and I have not had it straightened in over 2 years. I have discovered that really good hair care products that make my hair soft does help me deal with the curls better.Thanks for a great article. I just wish Karen had mentioned specific brand names in her article. Has anyone tried any brands that contain the chemicals that are mentioned in the straightening faqs? I would love to hear other people's experiences with this process.Terri