Abstract: A hair treating system which produces radially oriented curls has a resiliently collapsible tubular body with a larger diameter top at the outer end and a similar but preferably open-ended bottom; features of the top and bottom provide for holding the unit in axially collapsed mode after the user has engaged it to the scalp using a comb-like appendage at the bottom and has wound a tress of hair around the body and pressed the top of the unit toward the user's head; special hair guiding and holding structures are described in various embodiments, including a provision permitting giving different treatment to free ends of the tresses.