The Nineteenth Hole

i have wavy hair, and whenever i put gel in it, it ends up just making me look like i have curly hair. So for the past year now, ive been using my mothers straightening iron to straighten my hair out so that when i put gel in it, it stands straight up. however sometimes my hair wont cooperate with the straightening iron, and the tips will sometimes curl a bit or whatever else. put it this way, i like to have my hair spiked straight up. now, i can deal with the straightening iron, but ive been contemplating chemically straightening my hair. will i still need to iron my hair straight up after i chemically straighten it? how much should i expect to pay, esp since i have short hair? do they even chemically straighten short hair?