Flat irons?
 

I have never used a flat iron. I am going to get one because all of my friends that use them have nice looking hair. My hair is thin, straight for the most part except it waves in spots, and it tends to get stringy easily, so I mostly keep it up. Do these things really make your hair look nice, or is it just going to be another waste of time and a letdown for me? I just want it to lay nice and not get stringy looking. There is seriously very little I can do with my hair to make it look nice. Its not a nice color, just a plain brown, its so oily that I wash it daily and it still can be greesey looking by the end of the day, it doesnt hold a curl, and I have always felt like everyone else must think I am a slob about my hair. I try and try and it just never looks nice.
I want some miracle product to come out and give me beautiful hair. :(

My hair is wavy and I try to use mine but it takes so long... My hair is really thick and dry so I don't know if it would work for you. I like my Hot Tools purple 2" ceramic one. It was like $60. I tried a $20 one from Target and it was horrible.

my daughter has fine thin hair and uses a CHI straight iron almost every day... it makes her hair more structured and "in style".... my other daughter has curly thick hair and straigntens hers regularly and it is pretty...

The KEY here is to us a GOOD Professional type straightener, not a store bought "cheapie" AND to use protectant for your hair. We have had 3 CHI's in our home and wouldnt have a different one. They both use heat protectant sprays on their hair....

Good Luck!
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i used a revlon hot iron for a looooooooong time ... but then it felt like it wasnt heating the same so i buckled down and bought a CHI.. the best $100 I have ever spent..... have had it for 2 yrs now zero problems....

Crap, so I have to buy something else? Hmmm, a heat protectant huh? What is a good kind to get? Is it something I can get at any store?

I think I would literally die without my CHI ceramic iron. It is about $100 but totally worth it. I have tried everything else, the CHI works the best for me. Also, I use a product called Bio-Silk before and after I straighten. It makes my hair really silky and it protects it from the heat.

my dd with the curly hair uses the Vo5 protectant, and Paul Mitchell(when I will buy it) and the straight thin hair uses Aussie protectant...

but they both swear by the Chi.... i dont use one myself, my hair is curly and I like it that way but they love theirs!
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I love curly hair, I wanted at least one of my 6 kids to be curly, but none of them are :( Thin oily hair just isnt fun.

You might also consider lightening your hair. If your hair is thin, hair dyes and bleaches, can make each hair thicker. Maybe some streaks would be nice. The flat irons are great and can give you a sleek look, and since your hair is oily you probably won't need to use the protectors as much as those with dry hair.

I'm a cheapie here, lol! I use a Remington Wet2straight straightener with a straightening/heat product from Charles Wellington (I THINK thats the name, lol!) and it works great on my hair. I get it at Drug Mart, I'm sure they sell it other places but that's just where I have always picked it up :) Mine was super straight wouldn't hold a curl for the world growing up. Then during my 1st pregnancy it got a natural wave to it, which I hated!! With each following preg, (I have 3 kiddos) it got more wavy. I would love a CHI but that would mean I'd have to stop buying my furkiddos things w/ my extra money for a couple of weeks ;)

It wont make it thicker, only more porous , since bleach tends to dry, some highlights will definitely help with your oily hair and more body.
Chi flat iron is the best, all Chi products are good, they have an oil to put on your hair after is dry, smells wonderful

I use the chi hair protector too. i love it.
YOU may want to consider a very large like a 2 inch barrel curing iron.
instead of a flat iron.
My hair has tons of body.
when i use my curling iron i get a nice finish on the ends.
when i use my flat iron it is just super super straight and stringy sometimes
I can get my hair pretty straight with the large iron..just a thought

I have very fine fragile thin hair.... I've always flat ironed my hair. First I blow dry my hair with a large round brush, then define it with the flat iron.

I also give the Chi flat iron two thumbs up. Its all I've ever used. If I were you... and since you have thin hair, get a good spray on product that will protect your hair from the heat damage.

I've hated my hair for so long because it is so thin. I recently got an a-line cut and it made my hair look much fuller! I'm loving it. I was very scared to cut it because it takes forever to grow my hair, but it was a great decision!

First and foremost rule of thumb is to find a hair stylist who knows how to work with fine, thin hair. I am blessed with very fine hair (NOT) but have a fair amount of it. If you wear your hair long it is all the more important that you find a stylist who knows what they are doing and doesn't just listen to your wants. First, I never use a conditioner. My stylist tell me it weighs my hair down too much. Also watch what type of shampoo you use. Store bought ones weigh your hair down except Suave. These are the products I use. While my hair is still damp I use Catwalk Root Boost only on my roots. Rub it around on the roots with the tips of your fingers. Then I use about a nickel size dob of ProFound Beauty gel and rub it over the top of my hair especially on the back top. Then blow dry with a large round brush. Use a flat iron to put some lift in, using your wrist to turn the iron as you move down your hair. After I've styled it I use a little PureOlogy NanoWax to help put definition into my hair. To top it off I spray with a little Sebastian SuperPlus hair spray. A lot of different brands but these are the ones I have found do best on my hair. Also don't cause little white build-up. Search out which ones that work best for you. Good luck.
Oh, yes the suggestion was to put highlights into your hair. A definite should. Adds much body and keeps the greasies from appearing. Always know when I need a new "weave" done. My hair starts looking stringy.

Thanks for all the replys :D I appreciate all of them.

Ok, I think I should mention again that I have 6 kids age 10 and under.....spending lots of time and money is not an option. I have had my hair highlighted, but hated it after awhile because I cannot keep up on it and then it looks stupid.
This is my schedule:
Sunday we have church in the morning, thats over 40 miles away. We stay there after service until youth group, which gets done at 7:30 pm. I fix dinner up there for the youth and I am a youth leader. (Dont worry, my mom takes care of our dogs on Sundays)
Monday-Friday I have daycare kids, and some evenings 4-H, and pretty soon I am going to be volunteering with the Parents as Teachers program. During the school year, I drive the kids to and from school because our school has no bussing. Then theres football...
Saturdays pretty much are nonexsistant anymore. When I do have a few hours, I am gardening or playing with the horses or goats.

I just want something simple I can do with my hair and look nice. I dont know if thats going to happen though :( I love having all my kids and doing all that I do, but I dont want to LOOK like I have 6 kids and never get to sit down or sleep, ;) Perhaps investing in a wig would be a better idea :D

I doubt this is what the OP is looking for but this is for those of you who use a Chi. I used a Chi almost everyday for about a year. I have very fine, thin wavy hair, colored and highlighted (just for reference). After using it for a while, even though I use an excellent heat protector (S Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray), my hair was starting to feel dry and didn't feel as smooth when I ran my fingers through. After reading a ton of reviews, I bought a GHD flat iron. I swear it's like I have a new head of hair. I've been using it for about 6 months and my hair is so silky I can't believe it. It is a little more expensive than the CHI but if you are noticing any dryness it is worth it since you can't buy a new head of hair- well you can but it cost way more than a flat iron.:p I gave my CHI to my daughter who has thick, course hair that isn't chemically treated. She mainly uses it on her top layer but when that CHI breaks, I'm getting her a GHD too. I can not say enough about my GHD!:)

I have thick curly hair that I straighten often. I have a chi turbo iron. I think they are like $180. Ive used the regular chi iron for $120 and I see no difference between the 2, so I wouldnt go with the turbo, just the regular chi would work. BUT I think a round brush and blowdryer would be better for you. It will take practice but get the round brush under your hair, near your roots and blow your hair upward to give it some body, plus I think the blowdryer keeps hair nicer than the iron does. When I blow dry my hair straight I can leave for at least 5 days, but when I straight iron its only good for about 3 days. (I have VERY VERY dry hair!)

Here is 11 home remedies for oily hair!! It says most can be found in your own kitchen!

Howstuffworks "11 Home Remedies for Oily Hair"

The cheap one dont work very good. Invest in a good one. Royale makes a good one also the chi is good. The cheap ones just burn your hair

I too used to swear by CHI...and I am now using a GHD too! I love it! My clients love it! We can't keep them on our shelves! It is the new best Flat iron out there. And its perfect for ALL kinds of hair! It actually has sensors in it...if you hair is fine...it won;t get real hot. If your hair is thick and course...it heats up. No temp control. Just sensors what your hair needs!!!!!