I have thick, curly, past my shoulders length hair. According to my hair stylist it was also slightly coarse and resistant, although my curls range from corkscrew spirals to loose wave depending on what angle you look at my hair.
So needless to say, i spend a large portion of my time blow drying and flat ironing my hair out so i can get a nice sleek manageable hairstyle. On average i would spend 30-45 minutes in the morning straightening out kinks I get from sleeping. When I wash my hair I spend 30 minutes blow drying and then another 30-45 minutes flat ironing.
I was considering Japanese straightening my hair for quite some time, but was worried about the effects it can have on my hair. After some online research and in person quotes I came up with the following information.

There are three types of Thermal reconditioning systems:
Yuko (original developed in Japan)
Lisco
Bio Ionics (North American knock off)

These three are the best systems to use as they are permanent ie. If done properly, you should only see curls in your hair from new growth, hair that has been treated will stay this way until it is grown out and cut off.

The process I decided to go with was Bio Ionic as they were reasonably priced and I knew other women who had their hair done at the same salon.

The process takes between two-and-a-half and five hours depending on the client's hair. I was there for 4 1/2 hours. You hair will be washed assessed, and then the retexturising solution is applied to wet hair and left to process. The time needed for this depends upon a client's hair. This was the most uncomfortable step as the cream applied feels heavy, and smells like Nair (don't worry, there is no odor when you're done and it doesn't have the same effect as Nair!)
The hair is then rinsed, blow-dried and straightened. A re-texturising/neutralizing cream is then applied, rinsed off, and the hair is blow-dried & flat ironed again, leaving it perfectly, permanently straight and beautifully reconditioned. You will also be given a hair cut to polish up the look as many women (myself included) had a hair cut suited for curly hair.

Take a book/magazine with you for this process as it is very lengthy. Make sure you don't have any cuts or allergies to the products as this can cause irritation/burning effect.

Once the process is completed you will be told to not wash your hair/get it wet for the next three days and avoid tucking your hair behind your ear, tight hair clips, ponytails & hairstyles during this time as well.

Since i've gotten my hair done it has been shinier & smother. Since you will no longer use a flat iron everyday you hair will also be less damaged. Although i do use the flat iron for 5 mins just to touch up my bangs and hair that frames my face, my hair was pin straight when i washed it and let it air dry after my first wash.

If you do get this process done elsewhere, be sure that the stylist has been certified. Results can be amazing if you get it done by a professional who knows what they're doing. If you go to any random place that does it for cheap, you will get less than perfect results and end up with severely damaged hair.
Several other places I went to quoted me between $500 - $700 (this can go up to $1000 if you have very coarse hair) so price wise L'Attitudes is a bargain. There are two women who work on your hair, Maria and Kim (I preferred Maria) since some of the process is time sensitive. I personally recommend aking for Maria, she did most of my hair, from straightening it out and my hair cut (which is included in the price).
Maria was amazing, stayed an extra 1 1/2 after closing to finish my hair. She was extremely accommodating in regards to if i needed to eat/drink etc.
Be sure to go for a consultation before hand though, and get them to write down the price on a business card and take this with you for your appointment. You don't want any surprises in final cost!

I highly recommend this process to girls with curly hair who flatirons it out every day. Time is money!