Heat used during styling, blow drying and even while out in the sun can cause permanent damage to your hair, leaving you with dry, straw-like and brittle hair that breaks easily.
If you use heated styling appliances regularly, taking a few simple precautions will help to protect your hair and prevent long-term damage.
Avoid Styling Wet Hair
Using heated styling appliances on wet hair causes drastic and sudden changes to the moisture content of hair follicles, weakening their structure and leading to brittle or dry hair.
Allow your hair to dry naturally or use the cool setting on your blow dryer to make sure your hair is fully dry before using curling irons, straighteners or other heated styling appliances.
Use Heat Protection Products
Heat protection products are available as sprays, mists, creams, serums and can even be found in some styling products. These products are designed to provide your hair with a layer of protection against excessive heat, while also helping to hydrate and moisturize the follicles. You may need to experiment to find the right products to suit your hair type.
Switch to the Coolest Settings
When using straighteners, curling irons and other appliances to style your hair, always choose the lowest heat setting possible to achieve the style you want.
If you need to use a high setting, limit the amount of time your hair spends in direct contact with the heat. Some serums, styling sprays and other products are designed to achieve specific results, such as straight or curly hair, and can reduce the amount of time or heat needed to style your hair.
Protect Your Scalp
Many people overlook the importance of protecting the scalp from sources of heat, but excessive heat can damage the scalp, making it difficult for healthy hair to grow.
Keep heated appliances away from your scalp and always use heat protection spray or wear a hat when spending extended periods of time in strong sunlight. Apply aloe vera gel to a sunburned or heat damaged scalp to help soothe the skin and speed up the healing process.
Replenish/Retain Moisture
Heat dehydrates the hair, leaving it dry, frizzy and difficult to manage. Replenish your hair’s natural moisture by using oil treatments, serums and hydrating hair masks.
Look for products containing keratin, egg albumen and argan oil, as these ingredients can also help to repair the damage caused by excessive heat exposure. In addition, you can help to retain moisture by avoiding towel drying or using friction to dry your hair. Instead, wrap a t-shirt around wet hair and allow it to soak up any excess water.
In Sum”hair”ry…
Excessive heat can damage your hair and make it difficult to manage. Allowing your hair to dry before styling, using heat protection products, protecting your scalp and hydrating your hair will all help to prevent or reduce heat damage. Taking a styling break just one day a week can also make a huge difference to the health of your hair.