Deep Conditioning? With or Without heat

[girlyprincess23]

What is the big to do about DC with heat? Is there a difference between DC with heat for like 30 min and DC overnight? Ever since I started on this not heat styling thing I've been wondering should I make eliminate heat completely which would mean no DC with heat? What are the advantages/ disadvantages to DC with heat as opposed to DC overnight?

 

[JustKiya]

I don't use any direct heat, but I'm strongly considering DCin'g every week with SamanthaJones homemade steam treatment - my hair LOVES it, and there is a clear difference from DC with steam/DC overnight without steam - my hair is much moister, lusher, and suuuppppeeerrr easy to detangle.

I've noticed a milder difference when I DC with just plain heat, but I usually figure if I'm going to be sitting under the bonnet anyway, I might as well steam.

 

[cocoaluv]

I deep condition without heat each week.

 

[Sunshyn3]

Heat helps to open up the hair shaft to allow the conditioner to penetrate faster. You can deep condition overnight and still get the same results. While your sleeping the conditioner can still penetrate just off of your natural body heat. When I sleep my head gets hot..LOL

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

I condition 1x per week with heat. My hair feels better that way. Right now, my hair is almost mushy it is so moist. I may skip it this week...

 

[QT]

I DC weekly w/outheat, I use heat once a month

 

[tiffers]

Heat helps to open up the hair shaft to allow the conditioner to penetrate faster. You can deep condition overnight and still get the same results. While your sleeping the conditioner can still penetrate just off of your natural body heat. When I sleep my head gets hot..LOL

Just what I was gonna say If I don't use heat, I dc overnight to get the same effect. Depending on the conditioner, overnight dc'ing works better for me than dc'ing for an hour with heat

 

[Keen]

I can feel the difference in my hair when I use heat. So I always try to use heat for at least 5 minutes.

 

[angelp]

I don't really feel a big difference when I DC with heat. I normally DC overnight on dry hair or DC for two or three hours with a plastic cap while I do chores around the house.

 

[Brooklyn72]

I don't think there are any disadvantages to using heat while doing your dc. If I don't use heat, I will put a plastic cap on and do a 45 min workout. It's all the same to me as long as there is some kind of heat working to help penetrate the conditioner into my hair.

 

[girlyprincess23]

I don't use any direct heat, but I'm strongly considering DCin'g every week with SamanthaJones homemade steam treatment - my hair LOVES it, and there is a clear difference from DC with steam/DC overnight without steam - my hair is much moister, lusher, and suuuppppeeerrr easy to detangle.

I've noticed a milder difference when I DC with just plain heat, but I usually figure if I'm going to be sitting under the bonnet anyway, I might as well steam.

I don't even know how to steam!!!

 

[PinkSkates]

I deep condition weekly with my shower cap and body heat. I deep, deep condition every 8 weeks sitting under my Pibbs dryer.

 

[girlyprincess23]

thank you ladies for all your replies. I was just wondering because my head gets pretty hot underneath that plastic cap!! I guess it's like most things different for everybody. I think I get the same results overnight or with heat, I just don't like sleeping with that mushy stuff on my head all night!! My hair also seems to be thriving since using a mild protein every week, a deep moisturizer 1-2 times a week, and a leave in with no direct heat, it looks soooo much thicker so I was thinking if I left all heat out what would that do for my hair??

 

[nichole21]

Girlyprincess, I think going the no-heat route can definitely be beneficial. I haven't used any heat in over a year and I believe my hair has thrived during that time. The reason I joined the hair boards was because I suffered from so much heat damage. I deep condition weekly without heat (usually overnight if it's a moisturizing conditioner). I really haven't noticed a difference. I hope that helps!

 

[*Muffin*]

The purpose of using a heat cap or hood dryer while you DC is to allow your hair cuticle to open, or raise up, so that it can allow the conditioner to penetrate the shaft. Some people believe that you should sit under the hood dryer for at least thirty minutes to allow the conditioner penetrate, and others stay under just long enough for their head to be warmed and their cuticle to raise. Either way I don't really think it matters as long as you leave the conditioner on for an extended period of time. It's just personal preference. I've seen ladies with very nice hair that don't use heat. And you don't necessarily have to use a heating cap/hood dryer to apply heat, either. You could warm a towel and wrap it around your head while the conditioner is on and this will help your hair's cuticle to raise up a bit to allow the conditioner in.

 

[Toy]

I Deep condition 2x a week w/o heat.

 

[bellecheveux]

I've been doing it sans heat for a while now. But I think I might go back to using my dryer.

 

[fluffylocks]

For the longest, once a week I've been going to sleep with conditoner on my hair...or leaving it on all day and rinsing before bed.

I deepconditioned a couple of days ago w/heat and WHOA! I am in love, I almost want to deepconditon 2-3x a week now. My hair was so much softer and detangled!?! Weird. But I really like it I was like this is why people use heat.

 

[empressri]

See, it depends. I'm a label follower for the most part. I learned that some dc are better WITHOUT heat. Now if the maker says that you can use with or without heat, I'll use it without heat.

Some of them work so well with your own body heat that I don't need to break out the heating cap.

 

[girlyprincess23]

Girlyprincess, I think going the no-heat route can definitely be beneficial. I haven't used any heat in over a year and I believe my hair has thrived during that time. The reason I joined the hair boards was because I suffered from so much heat damage. I deep condition weekly without heat (usually overnight if it's a moisturizing conditioner). I really haven't noticed a difference. I hope that helps!

I agree when I don't use heat my hair looks thicker and fuller and it's still straight so why bother with the heat and possible damage!!

 

[Artemis]

Deep conditioning with heat allows me to get the benefit of a quality deep treatment quickly in the least amount of time. For my hair type, I only need to sit under for 10-15 min. Any longer and my hair will over swell, which creates a vulnerability for damage. If I weren't using heat I'd only dc for 25-30 min while doing housework or something.

And yes, the product does matter, esp if you are trying to reverse damage or resolve inherent dryness This is one place in my regimen I don't go cheapie.

 

[JustKiya]

Deep conditioning with heat allows me to get the benefit of a quality deep treatment quickly in the least amount of time. For my hair type, I only need to sit under for 10-15 min. Any longer and my hair will over swell, which creates a vulnerability for damage. If I weren't using heat I'd only dc for 25-30 min while doing housework or something.

And yes, the product does matter, esp if you are trying to reverse damage or resolve inherent dryness This is one place in my regimen I don't go cheapie.

How do you know when your hair is over swelling??

And Hey! Long time no see!

 

[*Muffin*]

So sitting under a heating cap for too long isn't good for your hair? I didn't think it mattered. I usually sit under the heated cap for about 30 minutes. But sometimes I leave it on for an hour if I'm resting or something. Is it better to leave it on for 5 to 15 minutes with heat and then just sit the rest of the time without heat or what? TIA.

 

[hillytmj]

I definitely think my conditioner penetrates my hair more when I sit under a hooded dryer for 30 minutes. I just put on my curl bag, sit under the dryer and read a magazine. When I rinse it out, I feel like the softness is still in there. When I don't add heat, my hair feels hard again once I rinse the conditioner out.

 

[Artemis]

How do you know when your hair is over swelling??

And Hey! Long time no see!

Hey there!

When the hair feels mushy or stretches beyond its threshold; the elasticity is completely shot and breaks.

 

[Artemis]

So sitting under a heating cap for too long isn't good for your hair? I didn't think it mattered. I usually sit under the heated cap for about 30 minutes. But sometimes I leave it on for an hour if I'm resting or something. Is it better to leave it on for 5 to 15 minutes with heat and then just sit the rest of the time without heat or what? TIA.

That depends on your hair type. Like fine hair vs coarse hair, etc. If the hair has more cuticle layers it can retain more of its natural shape and moisture.

That's why I mentioned what I have found is best for my hair, as it is fine textured (ie, fewer cuticle layers). I personally have experienced over conditioning of my hair so I know what to look for and the do's and don'ts.
For me I kept experiencing a specific type of breakage and even though I thought I was doing everything right so I had to look deeper into my regimen. So basically I figured it out through trial-and-error.

Edit: It also depends on how much damage you are trying to either repair or prevent. Someone with damaged hair may need to dc more often or more intensely than someone with healthy hair who is just maintaining.