What is the perfect amount of time between heat straightening?

[Neith]

I've decided that I want to wear my hair straight more often, but I don't want to use so much heat that it gets damaged because of repeated use of my flat iron in too little time.

I was thinking that once every 2 months is perfect. Close enough so that I don't feel as bored with my hair, but long enough to give my hair a break and recover fully.

What do you think?

 

[freshlikemoi]

Once every two months is great time. SO much better than what I do. I use heat almost once a week.

---I moisturize, DC, and really baby my hair. But I cannot give up my heat.

 

[Vshanell]

When I was straightening I refused to do it any more than once every two weeks.

 

[PinkSkates]

The perfect amountof time for my hair is every 2 weeks.

 

[Riverwalk]

I think every two weeks should be fine.

 

[Paradox]

I've decided that I want to wear my hair straight more often, but I don't want to use so much heat that it gets damaged because of repeated use of my flat iron in too little time.

I was thinking that once every 2 months is perfect. Close enough so that I don't feel as bored with my hair, but long enough to give my hair a break and recover fully.

What do you think?

I can safely say once a month. I used that much for 6 years, and although I have some heat damage, it is not horrible.

 

[Lanea87]

I only apply heat when I relax. Use to be every 6 months, changing to every 4.

 

[Neith]

It's interesting! Seems most people use heat more than I thought.

I might have to change my vote to once every 6 weeks

 

[meecee]

For me it would be once a month. I really think I need new straighting tools because my hair gets really really dry when I flat iron. The main culprit is my blowdryer. Ugh. Its not a big deal right now, cuz its summer and there is no way I'm straighting all this hair.

 

[Fine 4s]

While I don't use heat...YET, I think every 3-4 months would be best for me (to check on progress mostly).

 

[LiberianGirl]

The perfect amountof time for my hair is every 2 weeks.

Same here. I really think it depends on what type of straightening tool you use and the temperature.

 

[chebaby]

i have been using heat once a week for the past 3 weeks and i am stopping. i was doing once every two weeks for 7 years and i think thats good as long as you continue to dc and co wash and protein treatment when needed. i like my hair straight but i think im going to stay away from it until a month after school starts.

 

[caramelcutieinva]

I do every month or month and a half

 

[missnappylady]

Even though I only use heat maybe 4x/yr MAX (not even). I think once a month should be ok.

 

[malachi74]

Same here. I really think it depends on what type of straightening tool you use and the temperature.

Two weeks I say - as long as you make sure you are keeping up with DCing and keeping your ends healthy.

 

[Chrissmiss]

Once every 2-4 weeks with DC and heat protectant.

 

[foxieroxienyc]

I think heat gets a bad wrap around here. I know there are those like myself who VERY SAFELY uses heat up to TWO TIMES A WEEK... There I've said it... I've broken one of the healthy hair commandments.

I think you need to honestly look at YOUR HAIR and the state of its HEALTH. I strayed away from what I was originally doing (the straight up Cathy Howse method) because I got so caught up in this train of thought that heat is the devil, it will RUIN your hair. Yes improper use of it will, indeed... So will too much conditioning, too much protein, too much co-washing, too much bunning, etc etc... I'm now back to the very simple regimen of wash/dc 2x a week, then AIRDRY/flat iron. As what Cathy says in her book, you should not use double heat (meaning blowdry/flatiron, but choose one of the two as your method). I have no breakage when I do this (like I do when I rollerset, I have breakage galore), I keep a close eye on my ends which ironically have less splits.

When I straighten, I only need to use the second heat setting (278 degrees), and my hair always comes out super soft, swinging, and moisturized. My flat-iron is very similar to the Chi flat iron, it has tourmaline/ionic plates, I always use a leave-in and heat protectant. I shampoo before with a moisturizing shampoo or one that contains low/no sulfates, and then I always DC. I use protein on my hair once a week depending on what my hair needs I will do either a mild or a strong (rotate in the strong every few washes). I will cowash in the middle of the week which is where I tend to braidout.

So I think the decision to straighten is such a personal thing. You need to really know your own hair and what it can take. I don't think heat is as evil as it's made out to be, particularly if you are smart about how you use it.

 

[KweenBeeDiva]

Every two weeks (when I was doing so regularly). To maintain it, I either roll it/pincurl at night, or wrap it the best way that I could; sometimes it worker, most of the time it didn't.

 

[glamazon386]

2 weeks... My stylist said every week would be too much heat. I do touch up pieces occasionally in that two week period but not often.

 

[clever]

I think heat gets a bad wrap around here. I know there are those like myself who VERY SAFELY uses heat up to TWO TIMES A WEEK... There I've said it... I've broken one of the healthy hair commandments.

I think you need to honestly look at YOUR HAIR and the state of its HEALTH. I strayed away from what I was originally doing (the straight up Cathy Howse method) because I got so caught up in this train of thought that heat is the devil, it will RUIN your hair. Yes improper use of it will, indeed... So will too much conditioning, too much protein, too much co-washing, too much bunning, etc etc... I'm now back to the very simple regimen of wash/dc 2x a week, then AIRDRY/flat iron. As what Cathy says in her book, you should not use double heat (meaning blowdry/flatiron, but choose one of the two as your method). I have no breakage when I do this (like I do when I rollerset, I have breakage galore), I keep a close eye on my ends which ironically have less splits.

When I straighten, I only need to use the second heat setting (278 degrees), and my hair always comes out super soft, swinging, and moisturized. My flat-iron is very similar to the Chi flat iron, it has tourmaline/ionic plates, I always use a leave-in and heat protectant. I shampoo before with a moisturizing shampoo or one that contains low/no sulfates, and then I always DC. I use protein on my hair once a week depending on what my hair needs I will do either a mild or a strong (rotate in the strong every few washes). I will cowash in the middle of the week which is where I tend to braidout.

So I think the decision to straighten is such a personal thing. You need to really know your own hair and what it can take. I don't think heat is as evil as it's made out to be, particularly if you are smart about how you use it.

THANK YOU!!!You just saved me a lot of typing!I agree that heat gets a bad wrap around here.I've been using heat between 2x/3x a month since APRIL and my hair has never been healthier."Wet heading" is not the end all be all,its all about technique and care.

I completely agree with the part about "improper" use.Anything done with poor technique is going to cause a setback,not just heat.I co-washed for months on end when I first got here and I only used heat maybe 2/3 times and my hair wasn't better for it.I just can't do the "heat is the debil" & letshaveacompetitiononwhocanuseheattheleast"type deal.

Now if i was tryig to use a blow fryer,grease,and then go over with a hot comb I would have a problem and a head full of splits.I found my happy medium.

ETA:I feel you on the moisturizing shampoo tip.It makes a difference.

 

[blkbeauty]

I've decided that I want to wear my hair straight more often, but I don't want to use so much heat that it gets damaged because of repeated use of my flat iron in too little time.

I was thinking that once every 2 months is perfect. Close enough so that I don't feel as bored with my hair, but long enough to give my hair a break and recover fully.

What do you think?

Hey Neith,

Actually, I sort of wrote a thread about my recent hair growth. I had started straightening my hair once every 6 weeks and I have not received any damange. Also, my hair seem to like it like the heat from time to time.

I don't see a problem with once every 2 months.

 

[blkbeauty]

While I don't use heat...YET, I think every 3-4 months would be best for me (to check on progress mostly).

I used to do this, but my hair always get tangled in its natural state and end up breaking off. Now I try to swith from natural to flat iron.

Neith, Make sure you are deep conditioning your hair and keep it moisturized.

 

[cocopuff06]

Great question, I was wondering the same thing. I think I will stick to once a month. Follow up question: (paricularly for naturals) How do you moisturize while your hair is straightened? I'm usually a "aloe vera- glycerin- water" gal, but that obviously wont work when my hair is straightened

 

[taj]

It's interesting! Seems most people use heat more than I thought.

I might have to change my vote to once every 6 weeks

Although, I don't use heat I think every 6 weeks would be ideal. Once I reach my goal of WL, I'll be flat ironing every 6 weeks as well.

 

[chebaby]

i blow dry and flat iron once a week but i use heat protectant and deep condition.
my hair is thriving.

 

[SouthernTease]

I do it once every three months just to check length.

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

I think heat gets a bad wrap around here. I know there are those like myself who VERY SAFELY uses heat up to TWO TIMES A WEEK... There I've said it... I've broken one of the healthy hair commandments.

I think you need to honestly look at YOUR HAIR and the state of its HEALTH. I strayed away from what I was originally doing (the straight up Cathy Howse method) because I got so caught up in this train of thought that heat is the devil, it will RUIN your hair. Yes improper use of it will, indeed... So will too much conditioning, too much protein, too much co-washing, too much bunning, etc etc... I'm now back to the very simple regimen of wash/dc 2x a week, then AIRDRY/flat iron. As what Cathy says in her book, you should not use double heat (meaning blowdry/flatiron, but choose one of the two as your method). I have no breakage when I do this (like I do when I rollerset, I have breakage galore), I keep a close eye on my ends which ironically have less splits.

When I straighten, I only need to use the second heat setting (278 degrees), and my hair always comes out super soft, swinging, and moisturized. My flat-iron is very similar to the Chi flat iron, it has tourmaline/ionic plates, I always use a leave-in and heat protectant. I shampoo before with a moisturizing shampoo or one that contains low/no sulfates, and then I always DC. I use protein on my hair once a week depending on what my hair needs I will do either a mild or a strong (rotate in the strong every few washes). I will cowash in the middle of the week which is where I tend to braidout.

So I think the decision to straighten is such a personal thing. You need to really know your own hair and what it can take. I don't think heat is as evil as it's made out to be, particularly if you are smart about how you use it.

It is very personal. When my hair was short I flatironed it EVERY MORNING. Now that it is much longer I flatiron usually when I get touched up but you know the other day I was like "I am tired of this rollerset...I'm straightening my hair."

 

[ImFree27]

I voted once a month, but once a month to every 2months should be good. or on special occasions. Just look at it as a style, when you feel like having straight hair, do it.. and theres so many natural styles that you can do in between that you prob wont be straighteing that much anyway...

 

[strawbearysweet]

I would say once every two weeks should be fine. I know people that do it once a week and have beautiful hair but that might be a bit of a gamble.

 

[Momstar]

I think heat gets a bad wrap around here. I know there are those like myself who VERY SAFELY uses heat up to TWO TIMES A WEEK... There I've said it... I've broken one of the healthy hair commandments.

I think you need to honestly look at YOUR HAIR and the state of its HEALTH. I strayed away from what I was originally doing (the straight up Cathy Howse method) because I got so caught up in this train of thought that heat is the devil, it will RUIN your hair. Yes improper use of it will, indeed... So will too much conditioning, too much protein, too much co-washing, too much bunning, etc etc... I'm now back to the very simple regimen of wash/dc 2x a week, then AIRDRY/flat iron. As what Cathy says in her book, you should not use double heat (meaning blowdry/flatiron, but choose one of the two as your method). I have no breakage when I do this (like I do when I rollerset, I have breakage galore), I keep a close eye on my ends which ironically have less splits.

When I straighten, I only need to use the second heat setting (278 degrees), and my hair always comes out super soft, swinging, and moisturized. My flat-iron is very similar to the Chi flat iron, it has tourmaline/ionic plates, I always use a leave-in and heat protectant. I shampoo before with a moisturizing shampoo or one that contains low/no sulfates, and then I always DC. I use protein on my hair once a week depending on what my hair needs I will do either a mild or a strong (rotate in the strong every few washes). I will cowash in the middle of the week which is where I tend to braidout.

So I think the decision to straighten is such a personal thing. You need to really know your own hair and what it can take. I don't think heat is as evil as it's made out to be, particularly if you are smart about how you use it.

I really like the simplicity of your regimen. I need something simple and effective but that also keeps me looking presentable. Does your hair grow with this method? Do you keep your products simple too?