Heat Training vs. Heat Damage

[GreenEyedJen]

Hey ladies!

I've been wondering about this for awhile now (since my BC) and haven't found a thread that addresses this.

Before I relaxed (by choice) around nine or ten years old, my mom was the only person to ever do my hair. She has never had a relaxer so all she knows is natural hair. During my biweekly wash days, she would wash and condition, do a HOT, blow my hair straight and then braided it. I was a "heat trained" natural, pretty much. I never wore my hair curly and when it got wet, it was just like a huuuge mass of "big hair" (no real curl definition, just bigness). My hair was really long when she took care of it, was always soft, and detangled easily.

Well, now that I'm natural again and have a little length back, I've been loving twistouts/braidouts on a blow out (does that make sense? ). Anyway, my hair is super healthy and while I love my natural curls, I love the look of a blow out too...but don't want any damage. I'm confused on this issue because, like I just said, when I was heat trained my hair was soft and grew, it just didn't curl up. Was it damaged back then?

Bottom line: What is the difference between heat training and heat damage? Are they the same thing?

TIA

 

[Bun Mistress]

There was a thread on this a few days ago. It is a heated topic and this thread will only lead to more of it. I have already posted my thoughts on this subject in another thread, I'll post the link:

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=492040

 

[GreenEyedJen]

Okay, sorry if I offended you (or anyone else). It's not heated for me. Just a question.

I didn't read through all that thread, but basically it seems like the answer is it's a matter of opinion?

 

[Tiye]

As with all hair board trends and movements it's a matter of opinion and opinion is subject to change. I say your hair was heat trained as was the hair of most black women in America before chemical relaxers came into vogue. Heat is controversial now for some hair boarders and bloggers but not for me, I like heat which doesn't mean I'm for burning my hair off or anyone else's hair. If anything it's kinda insulting to make it as if hundreds of thousands of mothers and grandmothers who were very skilled with hot tools didn't know wth they were doing. But ... it's all trend and if you log off and come back in 5 years and it'll be the biggest thing.

eta - as always do what works for you.

 

[nadiacurly]

Heat training and heat damage... the same to me...it's like you ask yourself is the glass half full or half empty..(translation from dutch)...same thing.
Your hair stretches more after every blow out. The hair gets damaged and thats why the curl formation doesn't come back easy. Sometimes it's so damaged that the curl disappears.
It's (MY OPINION) to think that they are not the same...only people who want to live in denial say that it isn't the same thing

 

[lovenharmony]

As the other ladies above stated, it's all a matter of opinion. I personally believe too much of anything is damaging, but if it works for you then I say go for it.

 

[Yoshi3329]

Bottom line: What is the difference between heat training and heat damage? Are they the same thing?

TIA

This is my opinion.

Heat training is a type of relaxer. You're breaking your S-bonds just like a relaxer. This is by choice and your relaxing with a different method, heat. You slowly break the s-bonds in a control environment. This is still damage. Relaxed hair no matter how you do it is still damaged hair, it just controlled damage, but damage nonetheless.

Heat damage isn't by choice. It's not wanted. It's usually by accident.

That's my take.