For the Naturals: Do you believe in "heat training"?

[Wanderland]

Hair is personal. There is really nothing to "believe" in. I was interested in heat training until I realized that I preferred wearing my hair kinky majority of the time and only straightened twice last year. Who care if others label you heat damaged, heat trained, thermal-laxed, texlaxed, relaxed, in the end it's you hair do what works for you. Live and let live.


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[Amber Myst]

I'm just starting the transition from relaxed to natural (about 4 months in) and I can already tell I'm going to miss having straight hair. The twists and braid-outs are fun but can only take me so far.

For naturals, what is your opinion on heat training? There are those who say that it's a myth or extremely damaging to the hair and others who live by it.

Thanks in advance! I just want to say that I love you ladies and wouldn't be able to do it without you.

Also, if anyone has any tips or helpful ways to manage tangling and knots while transitioning, I would appreciate it greatly. I feel as though every time I run my fingers through my hair I find a tangled knot and rip out half my head trying to get rid of it.

Thanks again!

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I think heat training is fine, but it sounds to me that you're simply in the stage of transitioning where you're still getting your footing in terms of a solid regimen and understanding how to avoid tangles ssk's and mastering detangling. I would suggest keeping the hair stretched at all times btw.

In regards to straight hair, you can get straight hair as often as you like with the skilled use of a flat iron and small sections. Being natural opens up a world of possibilities in terms of styling, twists and braids are just two out of a myriad of possibilities.


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[QUEENJAMES231]

I think it depends on two things, 1. how your hair will respond to the heat. And 2. How do you prefer to wear your hair?

I personally stopped relaxing because my scalp couldn't handle it, not because I really wanted natural hair my plan was to heat train after my transition but I fell in love with my natural texture so I decided against it.

I would say do your research and make sure that you are not doing more harm then good to your hair, but over everything have fun with it!

Eta
when I transitioning I ps'd religiously. I wore wigs and buns a majority of the time and saved the twist outs/ braid outs for the times when I just wanted to enjoy my hair(once maybe twice a month max).

Also I wish I would have known about kinky twists back then. I probably could have transitioned a lot longer !

 

[Eisani]

I still don't buy it, but everyone's hair is different. Lately I've been seeing quite a few posts and vids that mention "slightly straight" pieces when hair is curly. That's damage boo, not heat trained. Jmo. I say go for it, but be sure to assess and make sure your natural hair likes it.

 

[FoxxyLocs]

If you wear your hair straight most of the time, I don't see what difference it makes if you have some straight pieces when your hair is curly. If those straight pieces are brittle, dry, etc. then you may have to cut them, but from what I hear this is not always the case.

I use heat maybe once a month. My purpose is not to heat train, but if my texture happens to change over time, it doesn't matter to me.

My mom is a long term transitioner, and she flat irons every two weeks. I haven't seen her curly hair, but if she has some straight pieces it doesn't matter because she doesn't want to wear her hair curly anyway. Her straight hair looks and feels healthy and that's all she cares about.

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[discodumpling]

If you prefer str8 hair. Why waste time transitioning to natural, nappy, kinky, curly hair? Only to spend more time, & effort learning how to keep it straight while minimizing possible excessive heat damage.

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

I'm generally opposed to heat training, but also biased because my hair does not hold up well to heat. In any event, I think if you're going to bother transitioning, you should hold off on heat training until you're fully natural. That way you can see your full, healthy curl pattern and decide if think you need to do something that will alter it. My thoughts on it are that "heat trained" hair is just "heat damaged" hair. You can still grow it to great lengths like LHDC, which you can also do with relaxed hair, which is technically "damaged" by chemicals. For my part, buns saw me through my year and a half of transitioning. I don't know how long you plan to transition before you chop, but I think month 16 is the hardest! LOL Good luck!

 

[pookaloo83]

If you prefer str8 hair. Why waste time transitioning to natural, nappy, kinky, curly hair? Only to spend more time, & effort learning how to keep it straight while minimizing possible excessive heat damage.

Maybe she doesn't want chemicals in her hair anymore.

 

[30something]

Whether I believe in heat training or not doesn't really matter..Your hair is for you to enjoy while keeping it healthy as like any other part of your body. Just do your research and wait until you're natural.

As for the tangles have you tried washing your hair in section with braids? Or using a conditioner with alot of slip and detangling in the shower under running water. Detangling in the shower with Aussie moist worked great for me until I got sick of all the water in my face. Check out detangling natural videos on YouTube that might help.

 

[indarican]

I definelty cant get down with heat training, But thats just me. I feel like i went through all that trouble to get the chemicals out of my head and to stop the damage, i dont think i can purposly damage it just for the sake of a style. Im having panic attacks thinking about the first time i will get my hair professionally straightened, that stylist is gonna need a big tip after all the hell i bring, again thats just me, I just couldnt do it, me and my hair has grown very attached.

 

[Amber Myst]

If you prefer str8 hair. Why waste time transitioning to natural, nappy, kinky, curly hair? Only to spend more time, & effort learning how to keep it straight while minimizing possible excessive heat damage.

I don't prefer straight hair; I used Bantu knots when I had my relaxers so I see the appeal of curly hair but I would enjoy a straight style every now and then. Anything that looks cute really but I realized that relaxers aren't healthy for me because I just couldn't find a healthy balance so I'm hoping natural hair will work better for me .

 

[Amber Myst]

Thanks for all of the feedback ladies!

I wash in braids but I don't detangle in the showers so I guess that's what I'll try next. I'm really excited about transitioning, I've seen some gorgeous natural hair so far from the ladies on this forum.

 

[yuhlovevybz]

I get confused between heat training and straightening. What is the difference? If heat training is intentionally damaging your hair it makes no sense. I myself keep my natural hair straight 75%, but when I wash it it reverts completely. When I had heat damage it was not cute and it was obvious even when my hair was straight, it became thin. I guess it's personal but I would rather straighten my hair and be able to have it pop back to its regular condition whenever I feel instead of damaging it. If I wanted damaged hair I wouldn't have paid six fiddy.

I (personally) recommend you use heat but use it carefully as you would if you wanted your hair to revert afterwards. I can get my hair bone straight and the style will last until I shampoo it, and every single coil will pop back. You could easily enjoy the best of both worlds. If you want to heat train, you can go on you tube and see the naturals who do this for more advice because I honestly do not know much about it at all. Hope I'm being somewhat helpful

 

[greenandchic]

I agree with everyone else with waiting and see how your hair looks and feels. My advice is to give it a year after the complete transition and get to know your hair, you may change your mind about keeping it straight most of the time.

Heating training/damaging is not for me mainly because my hair was heat damaged in the distant past and had to "transition" and chop as if my hair was relaxed. It was thin and constantly breaking. When it was wet, it looked like a wet dog and I lost most of my curl pattern. My hair is 4a/3c and the 3c was almost straight. My hair is porous with medium to fine strands so that probably made a difference too.

 

[sherrimberri]

I heat trained for four years but didn't know that was what it was called until I found this board. My hair always hovered between sl and apl, while doing so.
I still don't understand why heat training is frowned upon on this board. If you chose to straighten with heat or with a relaxer, it still changes the texture of your hair so what's the big deal?

 

[empressri]

preaching to the choir sis.

do what you want to do to your hair, you dont need to ask or inquire about what other folks think.

 

[Renewed1]

Like with anything in life, an overindulgence of a good thing is no longer a good thing.

 

[greenandchic]

I heat trained for four years but didn't know that was what it was called until I found this board. My hair always hovered between sl and apl, while doing so.
I still don't understand why heat training is frowned upon on this board. If you chose to straighten with heat or with a relaxer, it still changes the texture of your hair so what's the big deal?

I don't think its frouned upon here at all. There are many threads dedicated to heat training hair. If you go to a curly hair or natural hair board though, its a different story.

 

[CurlsBazillion]

At first I did look at heat training as heat damage point blank period but if you can still retain length without straggly ends then by all means, turn that heat up. It's still not for me and that's because my hair doesn't like a lot of flat ironing. Plus its a little pointless since I rarely wear my own hair out, I'm a wig addict and the only cure is getting my own hair to MBL.

 

[keelioness]

I get confused between heat training and straightening. What is the difference? If heat training is intentionally damaging your hair it makes no sense. I myself keep my natural hair straight 75%, but when I wash it it reverts completely. When I had heat damage it was not cute and it was obvious even when my hair was straight, it became thin. I guess it's personal but I would rather straighten my hair and be able to have it pop back to its regular condition whenever I feel instead of damaging it. If I wanted damaged hair I wouldn't have paid six fiddy.

I (personally) recommend you use heat but use it carefully as you would if you wanted your hair to revert afterwards. I can get my hair bone straight and the style will last until I shampoo it, and every single coil will pop back. You could easily enjoy the best of both worlds. If you want to heat train, you can go on you tube and see the naturals who do this for more advice because I honestly do not know much about it at all. Hope I'm being somewhat helpful

What's your regimen?

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[yuhlovevybz]

What's your regimen?

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Wash, condition, deep condition, blow dry and flat iron. I try to make the style last up at least two weeks and then I start to do twistouts or just bun while the hair is still straight. If I end up washing it after two weeks I'll follow with a light blowdry so I can just bun it, I don't flat iron more than once a month.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I'm using heat to straiten because it is easier to maintain my hair strait. My intent is not to change my texture. I blow dry and then roller set it for a strait bun look. So far, I am retaining length. I use grape seed oil for blow dry and roller set. My ends are looking more healthy and my hair is also thriving.

 

[Napp]

I liked my heat trained hair.i never had straight pieces when i washed my straight hair out. I had the most breakage when i would wear it curly because it would tangle and knot up like crazy.

 

[JudithO]

If it works for you, by all means. My hair can't handle the heat... If I want straight hair all the time, I'm better off with a relaxer. Nothing against it at all.