Women would use metal curling irons to curl their hair. These irons usually had wooden handles and were inserted into an open flame to heat them. Once heated the woman would proceed to curl her hair. Many times the hair or scalp was burned in the process. It was a rather dangerous way to satisfy a woman's vanity.
I can remember my mom using an old metal curling iron on my hair when I was younger. It was nasty business. Not only did she burn my scalp sometimes but the smell of singed hair was very unsettling! Curling irons of today have safety features and the heat can be regulated. To learn more about vintage curling irons read this article.
Another method of curling the hair was the use of strips of rags. I can also remember my cousin curling my hair with them but I don't know how she actually did it. The results were rather good and much less painful.
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