In addition to everything else that can change the health of our hair, heat is another element that we have to be careful with. Even the heat from the sun can have an effect on your hair. The hardest thing about using heat is that there is no specific formula that we can all follow that will keep us safe. Some people can use heat once a week and be fine and some people can use heat more often than that. You may be fine using a flat iron at 400 degrees where someone else shouldn’t go over 320. So each person has to find a routine for them that works. But keep in mind the amount of heat, the frequency, and the type of heat are all important.
Indirect heat such as hooded dryers and sun exposure is less damaging than direct heat such as blow dryers and flat irons. This is why roller setting the hair is healthier than straightening it. Ceramic heat is safer than traditional heat. This is why ceramic flat irons are well worth the higher price tag.
A lot of times we use high heat just out of habit. If your blow dryer has a warm setting, try using that as opposed to hot. It works just as well. Try flat ironing your hair at a low setting, perhaps 280 and only take the temperature up about 20 degrees until you achieve the look you want. You may see that you can use only 320 degrees as opposed to 400. Try roller setting your hair and then wrapping it instead of flat ironing and bumping it, or use flexi-rods for curls instead of wand curlers.
The last thing I want to mention is HEAT DAMAGE. To be honest, I hate this term. I do not subscribe to the whole “heat damage” theory. Here is why. When you have used so much heat that your natural curl pattern doesn’t return, people call it heat damage. When you put chemicals on your hair so that it is permanently straight and your natural curl pattern does not return, people call it relaxed. Just because your hair is relaxed, does not mean that it is damage. So just because your hair is straightened by heat, does not mean that it is damaged. Don’t get me wrong, your hair can be damaged by heat which is evident through split ends, and dry, breaking hair. When hair has been straightened by chemicals or heat the bonds have been broken down changing the structure of the hair, and while it may be more susceptible to damage, it may not necessarily be damaged. This hair can still grow and be healthy with good care and technique. Just like relaxed hair, this hair needs more protein to build it up. It has to continue to be balanced with moisture and handled with care. If you like to wear your hair in its natural curl pattern, you have to be careful not to use so much heat that you change the structure of your hair.
Mane and Tell 