I've always been a sucker for a dare. It's Saturday afternoon and I've got myself into a bit of a pickle. The previous week I met a friend with hair the same as mine who'd had it blow-dried straight. No harsh chemicals, no permanent damage, no problem, she said.

When I voiced my concerns, she asked why I always "had a go at women who straighten their hair". I don't know if it was because hair is always such a big deal for black women, or because we were in a vodka bar, but things got rather heated and somehow I ended up agreeing to have my own hair dried straight.

Not all Afro hair can be blow-dried straight - most needs serious amounts of chemicals to get rid of the curls. But if you're going to do this, the most important thing is to go to someone who knows your hair very well. Even though it's basically just a powerful blow-dry, it can damage the hair permanently if done wrong. So, if your usual hairdresser isn't up to the job, get recommendations from friends and visit the hairdresser a couple of times for a regular cut and dry before you trust them with the straightening tongs.

The first thing that surprises me is how nervous I am. It takes all my will power not to cancel my appointment with Errol Douglas. But once I'm there, Errol's charm works wonders as he tells me repeatedly how good it will look and promises that my beloved curls will bounce back the moment the hair gets wet. As I try to relax, Errol gets to work. My hair is washed and dried, then put into huge curlers and set under a drier. After about half an hour, the rollers are taken out and, using tongs, the hair is dried straight. Very straight.

In less than an hour and a half, I have gone from a four-inch Afro to shoulder-length flowing hair. Errol asks if I like it. My mind empties - all I can think to say is, "I've got a fringe."

He laughs: "We've just spent nearly two hours breaking down your hair and all you can say is you've got a fringe?"

"But I've never had a fringe before," is all I can manage.