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What Damage do Curling Irons, Straighteners, Blow Dryers and Brazilian Blowouts do to your Hair?
In our quest for perfectly styled hair, we often rely on heat styling tools like hairdryers, straighteners, and curling irons. While these tools can help us achieve the looks we desire, they can also cause significant damage to our hair. In this blog post, we will explore why heat damages your hair, the science behind it, and how you can protect your hair from heat damage. With that being said, we all know that heat is still going to happen sometimes, because we need it! Sometimes we want to have that super sleek effect, or we want a blowout for that corporate event or some bouncy curls for a date night! This post and page absolutely encourage more natural ways to take care of your hair so we do encourage less heat but since we all use it occasionally, please use this post to educate yourselves on why heat is not beneficial long term for your hair.
The Science Behind Heat Damage, Coarseness, and Dry Brittle Hair.
Hair Structure
To understand why heat damages your hair, it’s essential to know a bit about hair structure. If you do decide to decrease the amount of time you spend with your favorite straightener, let me tell you why it’s important! Each hair strand consists of three layers:
- Cuticle: This is the outermost layer, kind of like the layers on a roof, made up of overlapping cells that protect the inner layers.
- Cortex: The middle layer, which contains proteins and pigments that give hair its strength and color. The cortex contains keratin proteins and lipids which are oils and determines the strength, moisture, and the color of your hair. A healthy cortex means healthier hair! The Coconut Oil Treatments optimize the health of the cortex layer.
- Medulla: The innermost layer, present in thicker hair types.
How Heat Affects Hair
When you apply heat to your hair, there is a lot of things that happen at the core of your hair-the cortex. The cortex is the inner part of your hair strands (the thickest part), and it contains water molecules that are bound to the keratin proteins. When we apply heat, the natural oils are stripped from your hair, and the water molecules evaporate, changing the hair’s protein structure. These are the effects that happen when you apply heat:
- Moisture Loss: High temperatures cause the water molecules in your hair to evaporate, leading to dryness and brittleness.
- Cuticle Damage: Excessive heat can lift and break the cuticle layer, exposing the cortex and making your hair more vulnerable to damage. When we put heat on our hair, we’re essentially frying the outer layer of our hair so the less the better. And use a heat protectant for sure!
- Protein Breakdown: The proteins in the cortex can denature and weaken under high heat, reducing the overall strength and elasticity of your hair.
- Color Fading: Heat can cause the pigments in your hair to fade, especially in color-treated hair. So you’ll get a little more out that pricey hair appointment because your color will stay longer and and won’t fade as fast if you are using less heat!
Signs of Heat-Damaged Hair
Recognizing the signs of heat damage can help you take corrective measures early on. Common signs include:
- Dryness and Brittleness: Your hair feels dry, rough, and easily breaks.
- Split Ends: The tips of your hair split and fray.
- Dullness: Your hair loses its natural shine and appears lifeless.
- Texture Changes: Your hair may become overly curly or lose its natural wave pattern.
- Increased Shedding: You notice more hair falling out than usual, and you’ll know when you look down in your sink, or at least that’s how I knew! I have personally completely stopped using all heat styling products.
How to Prevent Heat Damage
1. Use Heat Protectants
Applying a heat protectant spray or serum before using heat styling tools can create a barrier that reduces moisture loss and protects the cuticle. You’ll end up with a better, smoother blowout too. But most importantly it protects the cuticle layer from direct exposure to high heat settings, which minimizes the damage and preserves the overall health of your hair.
2. Lower the Temperature
Avoid using the highest heat settings on your styling tools. Instead, opt for medium to low settings to minimize damage. If you are going to use a straightener or a blow dryer, use a low or cool setting it’ll save your hair!
3. Limit Heat Exposure
Try to limit the use of heat styling tools to once a week if at all. I try to make it like something I do for something like a wedding. For daily use, I have not been using heat on my hair for the last six months. If you can, embrace natural hairstyles whenever possible to give your hair a break!
4. Invest in Quality Tools
High-quality styling tools with adjustable temperature settings and ceramic or tourmaline plates can distribute heat more evenly and reduce the risk of damage. Since we’re going to use a straightener sometimes (we knew we will) at least use one that will reduce the heat damage because these ceramic and tourmaline plates really do help make a difference! And if you can, scrunch versus straighten.
5. Regular Deep Conditioning
Deep conditioning treatments can replenish lost moisture and nutrients, helping to repair and strengthen your hair. There are a lot of great conditioning treatments. I always use the ones without Sufates and Parabens.
6. Air Dry When Possible
Whenever you can, let your hair air dry instead of using a hairdryer. This simple step can significantly reduce heat exposure. Air drying saved me! I ended up not knowing what to do with my hair and started scrunching my naturally 1/3 straight/1/3 wavy/1/3 curly hair. It truly has no uniform texture. But I guess it is true you can “hair train” you hair, and that’s what I did! It took me several months but I continued scrunching it with a coconut based gel (chemical free) and after some time, the waves look more “beachy” and less crazy!
Natural Remedies to Repair Heat-Damaged Hair
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is renowned for its moisturizing properties. Apply warm coconut oil to your hair and scalp, leave it on for at least 4 hours each time before you shampoo your hair each time. If you are able to leave it on overnight, even better! When you wash it out, you will feel much softer, hydrated hair.
2. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is rich in vitamins and enzymes that promote healthy hair. Mix aloe vera gel with a few drops of essential oil and apply it to your hair as a mask.
3. Avocado Mask (another trick I learned!)
Mash a ripe avocado and mix it with a tablespoon of olive oil. Apply this mixture to your hair and leave it on for 30 minutes before rinsing.
4. Honey and Yogurt
Combine honey and yogurt to create a nourishing hair mask. The proteins in yogurt strengthen hair, while honey adds moisture.
Conclusion
Understanding why heat damages your hair is the first step towards healthier, stronger locks. By taking preventive measures and incorporating natural remedies into your haircare routine, you can minimize heat damage and keep your hair looking its best. Remember, your hair deserves as much care and attention as the rest of your body. Prioritize its health, and it will reward you with beautiful, resilient tresses.
By following these tips and insights, you’ll be well on your way to maintaining healthy hair despite the occasional use of heat styling tools.
