How much of a difference do you REALLY see by not using heat?

[Brownie518]

less shedding and less splits

Most definitely. No more severe breakage, my ends are in great shape now, and my hair is no longer a dry, broken, shedding, mess. I haven't used direct heat in a year or more. That's one of the first changes I made when I joined the Board.

 

[Ramya]

I'm texlaxed. Honestly, heat really doesn't do much to my hair. Most of the time I rollerset (airdry overnight) and my hair "seems" thicker (simply b/c it's more textured and fluffy without heat) but honestly as soon as I flat iron it looks exactly the same. I don't have any problems with split ends, retention or breakage though.

 

[PuffyBrown]

Oh wow, I did not think that this issue is so "involved" but what you all are saying makes sense. I can see why there are many choices and decisions that you have to make if you don't use heat. I can see where someone with natural hair that is very thick may need to have heat to to prevent too much breakage from daily maintenance. However, there are naturals that can go with out heat as their hair has a looser curl pattern.
I agree with the comments that heat is not really necessary for relaxed hair. I gave up the flat iron and curling iron years ago, but I never let go of my blow dryer until may 4 or 5 months ago where I would blow dry once a week. After I stopped blow drying I must admit that I have had not shedding until "retouch" time but some of that I think could be me maybe needed to do a little more to my roots when my new growth gets really thick. I don't even miss the flat iron or the blow dryer. I have learned to take products, use them and get good results, and body to my hair. I could however see myself using heat for a special occassion like an anniversary dinner, wedding, formal party...etc...

thanks ladies your posts are great and I look forward to hearing more stories about the choices that we all make when it comes to heat and our hair....

 

[melodies815]

I saw a huge difference. . . less splits, less shedding, and more moisture.

Okaaayyy...this is waaaayyyy off topic, but I pray that your delivery is completely uneventful...the only event being the safe and healthy delivery of your precious little one. Happy early birthday, little baby....

Sorry for the hijack...

cj

 

[Tee]

Never saw your before pics, but just looking at your hair now would be enough for me to stop using heat forever! Love it!

Thanks so much secretdiamond.

Same hair. Retention is key. And my hair/ends just look so much better.

RIGHT. I was wondering why I never saw progress. I was frying it all off. I use to have pieces of hair all over the place all the time and I was lead to believe that was normal. Thank God for LHCF!

Okaaayyy...this is waaaayyyy off topic, but I pray that your delivery is completely uneventful...the only event being the safe and healthy delivery of your precious little one. Happy early birthday, little baby....

Sorry for the hijack...

cj

I love that. ITA. That was soooo worth the hijack!

 

[FlawedBeauty]

check my siggy lol.

I have used absolutely NO heat for several weeks.
I really don't see that much of a difference...at least I don't think I do...what are some of the differences? What kind of changes are you supposed to see?
If you move from occassional heat to

 

[PuffyBrown]

Yummy....That is a lot of growth
What products do you use?
Im off to look for a fotki......

I am so excited, I order the stuff to do my retouch and I cannot wait until it gets here so I can see how much hair I grew. I can't believe how simple it is to have no heat and still able to get a nice style....thanks to LCHF

check my siggy lol.

 

[PuffyBrown]

Question: How much of a difference do you REALLY see by not using heat?

Answer: From SL to BSL. Yes, I see a LOT of difference.

Your Hair =

 

[Starr1]

Okaaayyy...this is waaaayyyy off topic, but I pray that your delivery is completely uneventful...the only event being the safe and healthy delivery of your precious little one. Happy early birthday, little baby....

Sorry for the hijack...

cj

Thank your so much for the well wishes and prayers!

 

[PinkPebbles]

I started this week when I found this board.
I put away by blow dryer and Flat Iron.
How long befor I shoudl see a differenct on relaxed hair?

If you are starting with healthy ends or a fresh trim then you would immediately see a huge difference in retaining length!

However, if a person is trying to repair or holding on to their split / damage ends then it would perhaps take them a lot longer to see a difference.

 

[Solitude]

Drastically reduced split ends. My hair used to shed and split like crazy, but since I found this board I have been roller-setting like crazy and using only occasional heat when I have to get ready to go out or something & my breakage has literally stopped.

 

[MizAvalon]

I've never really used all that much heat, except in high school!

But the biggest difference is that my hair is less dry.

 

[Hot40]

I have seen my daughter's hair and my hair change a lot
over the last three years, there are two things I know
that could have caused the change
I purchased a flat iron and I stopped deep conditioning.
I think I used way to much heat.
I will recover but I am upset I caused the changes to her great
head of hair

 

[FlawedBeauty]

I use profective break free sealed with alma oil. elucence poo and condishh or infusium moisturologie condish and ors replenish pak for dc.

Yummy....That is a lot of growth
What products do you use?
Im off to look for a fotki......

I am so excited, I order the stuff to do my retouch and I cannot wait until it gets here so I can see how much hair I grew. I can't believe how simple it is to have no heat and still able to get a nice style....thanks to LCHF

 

[SparklingFlame]

Thanks ladies, these are some great responses. i am seeing that difference with my new growth and what I am getting nervous about is, right now I am 10 weeks post relaxer...what if I decide to transition to natural? I cannot see not being able to smooth down these roots with heat so that I wont tug to much on the new growth and the relaxed hair.. Any comments?






How often are you trimming. I looked at your hair a couple of weeks ago in your fotki and you hair looks beautiful...just wondering...





I wish I could get into the swing of rollersetting. After two rollersetting challenges I still haven't seemed to get my hair stop feeling so dry after I come from under the bonnet. My rolling technique is good, but I can't figure out what I am doing with the drying part. I can't get that smooth shiny full of body looks, my hair looks dry and I have to apply product.



Your hair is da bom, I love the BT and as a matter of fact used it last night. I rotate that with my MT, I don't really pay much attention to the growth, I just like the way my hair feels when I use it.

Awww thanks so much!

 

[Angkin73]

I have been 100% natural for 5 mths now, and only used heat once. I did not care for that at all.

I have seen no splits and just recently started to see a little breakage. From protien overload. I also don't think I'm sealing in the moisture like I should. Also, about the normal amount of sheadding. Anyway, I decided to flat iron today and dust my ends.

Well, I thought my hair was pretty thick, but when straight I noticed that in the back of my head, (where my hair is very hard to manage, my problem area) had thinned out!!! Over all, my hair just does not seem to be as thick as it was before I went natural. I know its going to seem thinner the longer it gets, but dang! I don't know, maybe I'm just being paranoid. I thought I had a head of very full thick hair.

So, I guess it is good to apply heat once in a while to get a different look at how your hair is doing.

I see now that I will have to take extra, extra care of this area to get it doing as good as the rest of my head.

 

[Gigi-07]

I've seen a big difference. I once suffered from split ends, but I no longer do, thanks to protective styling and staying away from heat.

 

[Fine 4s]

MUCH more thickness, plump twists, less breakage=higher retention=longer hair, shinier hair, less dry scalp (since no blowdying)...

 

[Fine 4s]

I have seen my daughter's hair and my hair change a lot
over the last three years, there are two things I know
that could have caused the change
I purchased a flat iron and I stopped deep conditioning.
I think I used way to much heat.
I will recover but I am upset I caused the changes to her great
head of hair

Wait, you stopped DC-ing? Why?

 

[PuffyBrown]

bumpidy bump

 

[Sunrise]

As a texlax/bone straight relaxer - frizzy but, retain length and, less split ends!!

Now that I am near natural - my curl pattern is more pronounced, less breakage on the natural part anyhow, colour of hair has returned (was ginger brown from heat) and my hair has more elasticity.

 

[anon123]

I do see a difference, but I think it's for the worse. I see more knotting and tangling.

But then again, before I didn't use strong heat anyway, like I didn't straighten my hair. But I used to blow dry my hair just to dry it more quickly once a week, by just holding a section and putting the blow dryer on it. So probably not enough heat to cause damage, but enough so that my hair didn't air dry shrinking up to a matting tangling knotty ball. I really should start again but I've gotten kinda lazy now and by the time I'm done with all the stuff for washing and detangling I don't feel like blow drying.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

1. Fewer splits
2. Moisture
3. silkier feeling hair
4. thicker hair

 

[naturalgurl]

Major difference. I'm natural and I used to flat iron my hair in between braids. My ends were so wirey and hard. Like a brillo brush. Now they are so soft and my hair has some bounce to it. It doesn't silently break off anymore. It stetches to a snap when I'm not careful. I like that because I get a "warning" before I snap or break any hair. I won't lie and say I will stay away from heat, I'm dying to see the length of it flat ironed. I just won't be flat ironing every single time I wear my hair out like I used to. Didn't know what else to do with it. Now I like my naps and only crave straightening every now and then.

 

[ACRawlins]

My story is a little different. I went from cropped "Halle Berry/Toni Braxton" to APL in 2 years while using direct heat nearly every day. At one point I washed, blow dried, and curled my hair EVERY MORNING and my hair is/was still full, thick and healthy. I think my story may be a little unique considering the overwhelming majority of ladies on this site advocate and have seen tremendous differences from using less heat. Truth be told, I wish I knew how to style my hair without heat, but I don't. To compensate for that, I blow dry my hair on a medium setting with the dryer at least 6-12 inches from my hair. I then curl my hair with my flat iron on a heat setting between 200-250 degrees. I use the CHI silk infusion for a heat protectant. I do this on average now about 2-3 times a week. Maybe one day I'll learn how to rollerset or something (I'm intimidated by the process.

 

[Ganjababy]

Definatley increased thickness

 

[PhiLee]

Is a dryer with a diffuser considered direct heat?

 

[BeautifulRoots]

Helped retain more length, less split ends

 

[aja1121]

My hair is thicker and I was able to retain so much growth. The retention was a result of other healthy hair practices as well. If you don't see a difference, be thankful that your hair thrives the same with or without heat. I wish mine did.

 

[PuffyBrown]

Your hair is so beautiful.
Your progress picture is so motivating.

My hair is thicker and I was able to retain so much growth. The retention was a result of other healthy hair practices as well. If you don't see a difference, be thankful that your hair thrives the same with or without heat. I wish mine did.