(ARA) – Fashion changes with the seasons, and those seasonal switches aren’t just limited to the clothes you wear every day. Fashion forecasters pay equal attention to new hairstyles that come down the runway.

It’s easy to adapt to changes in clothing styles – but when it comes to hair, it’s easy to feel like you can’t carry out the looks you love if your hair isn’t the right texture.

For those who crave the opposite of the hair texture they were given, the last few years have been revolutionary. Beauty companies and salons have been answering the demand for products and processes to make styling easier with a range of treatments that give better results than ever before.

One of the most in-demand styling solutions in recent years has been thermal straightening, which is now being offered in as many as 30 percent of all salons. Many of the products used to perform these services are based on a combination of formalin, keratin and heat to straighten the hair and improve shine, softness and condition of the hair.

The service typically lasts for two to six months. As the popularity of the treatment has grown, so have health concerns about the ingredients used in it, including the cosmetic-grade solution of formaldehyde called Formalin. Some potential symptoms of Formalin can include skin irritation, breathing problems and noxious fumes that can be inhaled by the client and the hairdresser during the application process

But as demand continues, so does innovation, and a new, safer alternative is emerging for those who want the results of a keratin treatment. Redken’s Shape Control system, which is formulated without formaldehyde, provides permanent thermal straightening, gorgeous curls or luscious waves that are so much a part of the season’s top hair trends.

This treatment, available only in Redken salons, can be adapted to the desires of the customer, and also provides deep conditioning that reduces frizz – a plus, whether you opt for straightening or curling effects. The end result is better manageability, and the opportunity to try some of these leading hair trends of the season:

* The pixie cut. Women with curly hair might never have dreamed that a super-short cut was a possibility for them, but a thermal straightening treatment opens that door. Once the hair is straightened, let your stylist start paring down your locks to a super-cute cut like the one Emma Watson sported to revive the style.

* The wavy bob. The difference between wavy and super curly is a wide gulf, as those with tight ringlets will tell you. But the gentle waves that have been popularized by the likes of ‘It’ Girl Alexa Chung appeal to both those with naturally straight hair and those with curls – a treatment that gives you just a bit of curl enables everyone to get this casual, versatile style.

* Full bangs. Longer, eyebrow-skimming bangs demand a bit more heft, so cutting more hair with give you fuller bangs. However, this can cause a problem if your hair is prone to frizziness – a straightening treatment is the perfect way to get bangs that are guaranteed to behave and keep you flawlessly in style.

In years gone by, women had to work within the parameters of their natural hair texture, which meant missing out on a lot of fun trends. But with today’s increasingly safe treatment technologies, like Redken Shape Control, getting the style you want is possible, no matter what kind of hair you were born with. For more information on treatments, trends and styling tips, please visit www.redken.com.