HEAT DAMAGE ON 4B NATURAL: What is the worse outcome?

[dlove]

Ok, I went in for a two strand twist consult. The beautitician looked at my straight ends in my bang area and asked me if I had been straightening my hair. I told her yes. She replied, its damaged.

Now I'm scared as all get out. Naturally, I have a different texture around the perimeters of my head. It more like 3c. Now it looks like 3a--very loosly curled hair when wet- 90% straight when dry. The inner parts of my head are 4a like. Dense and shrunken.

My question is, If my entire head is heat damaged will my hair start to thin out? fall out? break unevenly all over eventually ? what?

Do I need to BC again?

I trusted SMB to protect me. I Deep conditioned everytime I straightened. I do the tension method. I mostly air dry. I turned my comb up to "9 or 10" -Highest setting on an electric Hot Tools ( non professional). I flat ironed on 375-395 I do a one pass swipe with a hot comb and then a pass swipe with a cermic flat iron (Solia).

I still love SMB. My hair will not revert.

 

[Soliel185]

Are YOU sure that it's damaged? I know I have a looser texture around the perimeter of my head, and it's the same for lots of naturals. Maybe you should start taking pics of the area so you can compare and see the difference?

I know Moustacy just posted a few days ago with her shingling results and her ends in the front are almost completely straight - if I'm not mistaken she doesn't use heat, it's just part of her pattern. It might be the same for you....and I doubt you need to BC or anything like that. Take it a day at a time and baby your hair a bit. I'm sure it's fine for the most part.

 

[dlove]

Thanks,

I getting the two strand twists and will continue to get them for a while. I do like my hair straight sometimes. I will limit it to special occasions or that strong , strong, sense of urgency to straighten.

 

[Bigghair]

Hmmm...I am sorry this happened to your hair. It might break off or not. I would moisturize and do braidout or twistouts if you don't want to bc. You can do mini chops until it is healthy again. If it starts having major breakage you might just bc. Good luck with your hair.

 

[Fine 4s]

I'd def. incorporate protein treatments (2 min or otherwise) in my regimen when using heat.

My heat damage made my strands weak and so they broke very easily. I use to have strands of hair all over my bathroom floor and never understood why (in fact thought it was normal). Basically it could affect your growth retention.

 

[dlove]

I'd def. incorporate protein treatments (2 min or otherwise) in my regimen when using heat.

My heat damage made my strands weak and so they broke very easily. I use to have strands of hair all over my bathroom floor and never understood why (in fact thought it was normal). Basically it could affect your growth retention.

Wow...I might get about 3 to 4 quarter sized balls of hair everytime I do my weekly wash. My plaits seem to be getting longer each week. I did a protein treatment last night with AO and got one quarter size of hair in my comb. Def. up the protein when needed.

Thanks!

 

[Evolving78]

i got my hair straightened one time and i didn't wait very long to bc that damage off. i liked wearing my hair in its natural state, and my hair became stringy. protein was not helping, but it may help you until your hair grows back out again. i wouldn't use heat again though if you are trying to save your hair.

 

[sydwrites]

Heat damage is damage, but it may not be the end of the world if its not that noticeable. Generally its a problem when you are trying to do a nappy style and there's a straight piece sticking out of nowhere. It is weaker, the bonds are broken much like a relaxer, so more protein and babying(sp) and you can keep them, but its not the end of the world if you didnt even notice it at first. Its good you know so you'll take better care, and do you think you have to press and flat-iron your hair to get it straight? Those temps are pretty high, especially if you are doing both, I like SMB as well, but I disagree about the 400 part that he puts in his instructions and videos.

 

[londontresses]

When I was using SMB a lot my hair went a bit funny. I clarified and did a protein treatment (followed by moisturiser) and it went back to normal.

 

[msa]

My question is, If my entire head is heat damaged will my hair start to thin out? fall out? break unevenly all over eventually ? what?

Do I need to BC again?

Well heat damaged hair is weaker, so breakage may become a problem for you. As others already mentioned, make sure you have protein in your regimen so that your hair will be strong and retain moisture.

You don't need to cut the damage unless you want to. You could just wear styles that incorporate the permanently straightened hair in a way that's not noticeable.

I trusted SMB to protect me. I Deep conditioned everytime I straightened. I do the tension method. I mostly air dry. I turned my comb up to "9 or 10" -Highest setting on an electric Hot Tools ( non professional). I flat ironed on 375-395 I do a one pass swipe with a hot comb and then a pass swipe with a cermic flat iron (Solia).

I still love SMB. My hair will not revert.

I think what everyone needs to understand is that some people's hair cannot take heat no matter how much dc'ing, protein, and SMB they use. You may be one of those people.

Or you just made some mistakes that can be remedied. First of all, you're already using a hot tools hot comb. The type of tools you use matter. It doesn't matter if your flat iron is ceramic if the your hot comb (the first heat appliance that touches your hair) is a cheap electric that doesn't even have a temperature setting. If you're going to continue to use a hot comb, you need to get the ceramic kind with real temps on it.

Second, is your drying method sufficient? What I mean is, some people can airdry in a banded ponytail and then flat iron with one swipe because the banding straightens their hair out enough. Maybe you need to come up with a better method of drying so that you don't have to use a pressing comb and a flat iron. I know some people have found that it's just easier to blow dry (on low, with an ionic, professional dryer) because it preps their hair better for the flat iron, leading to less damage from manipulation.

Third, your regimen may have to get more serious to avoid damage. Maybe you need to DC, protein treat, and moisturize more. If your hair is easily damaged, then you would have to do more to avoid it.

Last, is SMB enough of a heat protectant? I thought it just blocked out humidity, but I could be wrong. Anyway, make sure you're using the best protectant you can. And, you may want to add another layer just in case.

 

[glamazon386]

When I was using SMB a lot my hair went a bit funny. I clarified and did a protein treatment (followed by moisturiser) and it went back to normal.

SMB is nothing but two cones in a bottle. You probably had cone build up. Once I used up my bottle I never purchased it again. I didn't like how it made my hair feel coated.

 

[dlove]

Heat damage is damage, but it may not be the end of the world if its not that noticeable. Generally its a problem when you are trying to do a nappy style and there's a straight piece sticking out of nowhere. It is weaker, the bonds are broken much like a relaxer, so more protein and babying(sp) and you can keep them, but its not the end of the world if you didnt even notice it at first. Its good you know so you'll take better care, and do you think you have to press and flat-iron your hair to get it straight? Those temps are pretty high, especially if you are doing both, I like SMB as well, but I disagree about the 400 part that he puts in his instructions and videos.

Thank you. Actually, I can hot comb press my hair in one pass to get it straight, but the ceraminc flat iron gives it that smooth silky feel and that "bump" on the ends. Its just for one pass. So, at what temp do you press?

 

[ajoyfuljoy]

SMB is nothing but two cones in a bottle. You probably had cone build up. Once I used up my bottle I never purchased it again. I didn't like how it made my hair feel coated.

What heat protectant do you use now?

 

[londontresses]

SMB is nothing but two cones in a bottle. You probably had cone build up. Once I used up my bottle I never purchased it again. I didn't like how it made my hair feel coated.

It seriously took me a while to work out that it was the SMB....I thought it was heat damage...was so happy when my curls popped back! I'm back to either my Mizani or my Redken now.

 

[dlove]

I still have curls too. Sort of 3c/4a tight in the middle of my head. My my sides and back look like 3a. Wavy loose large curls.

 

[Prettymetty]

I too have heat damaged 4b hair. Im not experiencing breakage, but I am just not able to wear wash n gos. I have about 4 inches of straightish ends. It will take at least a year to grow out the straight ends and gradually trim them off.

I used smb for a while and that was part of the reason my curls loosened. It blocks moisture so my hair never fully reverted even with shampoo. Now im using chi silk infusion and my hait reverts every time.

I think my old Dominican salon was to blame also. My new salon doesn't use as much heat. They only blow my roots and I always have body and texture left

 

[CurvesAndCurls]

I recently big chopped my APL 4c hair due to heat damage. It was the second time I had to do a major cut because of it. My nape was stick straight as were some areas of the front. I tried to stick it out but my hair appeared much thinner and just looked raggedy. I naturally have very thick, dense hair and it just kept breaking more and more. I don't plan on flat ironing anymore.

 

[PinkSunshine77]

I think what everyone needs to understand is that some people's hair cannot take heat no matter how much dc'ing, protein, and SMB they use.

yes this is me! I didn't bc to destroy it with heat so when I want my hair straight, i'll rock a wig. My hair just cannot take it.

 

[Fine 4s]

This is why I won't go to a salon to press or flat iron my hair. I will do that myself on the max heat that my hair can handle which is like 340. I was able to revert after doing it myself.

However I ruined my hair in 2011 from the salon. I'm back on track but it's not the same. I refuse to go through this again. The thicker the strand the more you may be able to handle heat. If your strands are fine like mine a pressing comb is too hot (anything from the marcel stove). I learned. I could have been at hip length by now ugh!!!! And the front of my hair grows slow so it's going to take me at least two more years for the front to be up to my standards.