Are there any frequent heat users?

[Karonica]

Frequent meaning once a week at least. How do you combat damage? What heating method do you use, e.g. flat ironing, etc.?

 

[rayne]

I flat iron my hair once a week. I air dry my hair either by wrapping it (the method I use most) or putting it in a ponytail. Before flat ironing it, I apply some type of hair oil or hair protectant. The one I'm currently using is the Break-Thru Heat Strenghtening Styling Cream. For me, I think the real key to preventing damage is by using a good conditioner to help keep the hair from getting dry and brittle.

 

[Cres81]

I use heat once a week. I blow dry my hair once a week straight. I blowdry on a cool and a low heat setting. I don't blowdry it to the point where it is completely dry without any moisture. Afterwards I might curl it with my curling iron or my caruso rollers.

I don't get any damage because with all of the different conditioning methods I do during the week such as conditioning washes, protein treatments and deep conditioning, gentle combing, ponytail method, and scrunching my hair is strong and good to go!!



http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/cres812000

 

[Zgirl]

I use a blowdryer twice a month and a flat iron once a week

My hair is the healthiest it has ever been, I think its b/c I no longer relax my hair.

I wash my hair once a week and use a protein conditioner then a moisturizing conditioner. I might rollerset or airdry and then use a ceramic flat iron to straighten my hair.

some days when Iam in a rush i would blow dry my hair but before I do that I put some oil in my hair like WGO and a heat protectant, I also use the breakthru. after I blow dry I use the flat iron to straighten. I think that constant moisturizing has helped me alot, I use a moisturizer twice a day. Also I find that if you dry your hair the night before and then add moisturizers, then straighten the next morning the hair comes out much softer.

 

[MissM]

I blow dry (on low-warm), flat iron (ceramic flat iron) and bump my hair once a week. I highly recommend Sweetcocoa's idea of spritzing your hair with water mixed with some oils, although in place of that I just use a deep conditioner spray I have laying around, and I only spritz my ends.

Just keep your hair well moisturized and you won't have a problem using heat. I like my hair better flat ironed rather than roller set, which I just don't have the time to do. And usually when I roller set it I end up wrapping all the curls out of it anyway.

 

[latoyao]

I flat iron my hair after I wash and airdry over-night. (Which is about every three days) I think that my hair is heatlhier now than it ever was before and I think that not blowdrying and good shampoos, conditioners, and wrapping lotions have a lot ot do with it. I do not use any type of oil on my hair, and I wash it so much because it gets very greasy by the third day. But it's always shiny and I have less split ends now even though I flat iron it more than once a week.

 

[caress]

bump

 

[lunalight7]

cres you have beautiful hair so you must be doing something right!!!

 

[dcprdiva]

yes. i airdry once a week and ceramic flat iron. and also blow-dry (with an ionic dryer) and flat iron when i do my CO washes. i keep my hair moisturized and have no issues. i have 4a relaxed hair and can't see not using heat. it is a must in my book... at least for now

 

[dcprdiva]

i use carols daughter healthy hair butter, kemi oyl and a serum for protection

 

[epicura]

yup, guilty as charged.
Post shampoo, I've been using a little QP Mango Butter, especially at the ends and air dry.
I also used Kerastase Oleo Relax Serum with much success. My hair was described as mink like by my honey.
I want to try the L'Oreal Smooth-Intense Anti-Frizz Serum...I hope it's similar to the Kerastase.

 

[Ayeshia]

When I was relaxed, I heat styled twice a week. I think the reason why I didnt have any breakage was becuz my hair was clean and I added a small amount of heat protectant to it before it airdried and then I flatironed (not blowdrying)

 

[Cat_Eyed_Cutie]

I use a ionic blowdryer and flat iron on my hair on a weekly basis without fail. I have 4a relaxed hair, and I can't get by without heat either, my hair is too thick. Wrapping is a disater and takes over 3.5 hours under a dryer, and it still comes out damp. Air drying causes knots and make me look like those treasure trolls that were all the rage in the early 90's, when my hair is finally dry it feels like straw. It takes far to long for my hair to dry with a rollerset so heat are my only options. I've never had a problem with using heat, and I don't use products specifically to treat my hair or protect it from heat. I use either Silk Therapy or Fantascia IC Hair Polisher on my hair when it's wet, then blowdry...and I add more before flat ironing if needed. That's all folks.

 

[NuMe2004]

I've been growing out my relaxer since February 1st of 2003. I currently have between 4-6" of new growth. I wash my hair twice a week and apply heat to it only one of those times. I like wearing my hair down on the weekends so I straighten it because my hair draws up too much due to my new growth if I don't. I've been using a ceramic flat iron to straighten my hair and I absolutely love it!! My hair actually looks healthier now then ever before when I used to straighten it. I think that's because I used a tip I read in a Black hair magazine that Aaliyah's stylist used to do for her hair. The mag said that you should give yourself a hot oil treatment before straightening, which I now do and it gives me silky results! I'll sit under the dryer with the oil for about 20 min then rinse out any excess oil. I then apply a heat styling straightening balm (MHz straightening balm) to my hair and I allow my hair to dry under a hooded dryer. I then spray each section of hair with 911 heat protecting spray before running the iron through. I realize that this technique may leave some people's hair too oily due to the left over hot oil, but I think it's good for protecting your hair. Also, I airdry my hair on the second wash of the week and wear my hair in a bun five days out the week. During this time I also oil the ends heavily, so my hair has plenty of time to recuperate from my weekend styling. As someone previously stated, I think using heat is okay if you prep your hair properly first. Also, I only apply heat once a week with the flat iron, with no curling or anything in between. Also, I sit under a hooded dryer which is less damaging than a hand-held blowdryer, so I think minimizing heat use is still a must for healthy hair.

 

[cutebajangirl]

I think heat is okay too as long as you are taking care of it in all other arenas. I think we encounter breakage when we do too many bad things (overprocess, no scarf, allowing it to dry out, or infrequent washing) at once. If you treat your hair well you'd be surprised at how much it can handle. I am thinking of starting a weekly regime of air drying and flat ironing w/ heat protecctant. Detangling to rollerset is causing me too many problems.

 

[lunalight7]

Me too CBG. I find that w/ a lot of new growth, just parting the hair for the rollers and trying to smooth each section results in a lot of hair in the comb. Im gonna try a ceramic curling iron after airdrying...then if that doesnt work, I'll invest in the Rusk ceramic iron.

 

[Karonica]

Thanks for bumping, caress.

I've actually gone back to using heat once a week myself, and may continue to do it, since I'm getting frequent trims.

 

[Victorian]

*sigh* Y'all making me want to buy a flat iron.

I'm tired of fighting my newgrowth--I've been getting scary knots close to the scalp. I try to take my time detangling with conditioner in the shower, but I guess I haven't mastered handling my newgrowth yet (at least when I'm airdyring)

 

[LABETT]

I blowdry my hair 3 times a month and when in a hurry.
I use a good leave-in conditioner Lanza leave-in heat Protector or Nexxus Headress.
I deep condtion once a week and do a Protein treatment
once or twice a month and use Heatlthy Ends to protect
my ends and I have no problems.