Black men have been going to the barbershop in their local neighborhoods for years to get the right haircut.
Straightening natural hair without heat is probably going to be the best way to avoid heat damage but with the right heat training you can go from curly to straight in a matter of minutes.
Grow your real hair under your wig for protective styles when transitioning to natural is important to retain length and avoid hair breakage.
Hair relaxers and straightening perms are very popular among african american women.