HELP!!! CHI Silk Infusion worked for my hair, however...

[seraphim712]

I bought CHI Silk Infusion yesterday, and used it after my weekly hair washing procedure. However after I blowdried and sectioned off my hair, I applied the CHI Silk Infusion. I used my CHI flat iron and the heat did infuse with the C.S.I (short for CHI Silk Infusion) and cause my hair from the roots on down to become silky, but when it got to the ends, no change was noticable. My ends just remained dry, rough and frizzy.

Am I doing something wrong??? Or is it because of my flat iron/ I know my CHI flat iron doesn't have a temperature dial and stays at a constant heat temp/ I don't know why the ends of my hair didn't have the same results as the other parts of my hair. Should I just cut off my ends???

Someone please HELP!!!

 

[Ms Lala]

When my ends don't get as straight I comb through them w/a small tooth comb before flat ironing (if small tangles are the problem). If that doesn't work you may need a trim. Last time I straigthened I had to cut about an inch and a half, I thought it was my technique but it turned out that my hair just needed a trim.

 

[navsegda]

I bought CHI Silk Infusion yesterday, and used it after my weekly hair washing procedure. However after I blowdried and sectioned off my hair, I applied the CHI Silk Infusion. I used my CHI flat iron and the heat did infuse with the C.S.I (short for CHI Silk Infusion) and cause my hair from the roots on down to become silky, but when it got to the ends, no change was noticable. My ends just remained dry, rough and frizzy.

Am I doing something wrong??? Or is it because of my flat iron/ I know my CHI flat iron doesn't have a temperature dial and stays at a constant heat temp/ I don't know why the ends of my hair didn't have the same results as the other parts of my hair. Should I just cut off my ends???

Someone please HELP!!!

The temperature for the original CHIs is 425 degrees (if not a little higher). Too much heat can "fry" your hair (especially the ends which are older and may not be as strong as other parts of your hair) and make them frizzy and damaged, which is the opposite effect that you want when you flat iron.

No, you shouldn't just cut them off. You should 1. get a newer CHI with temperature control and 2. nurse them back to health with laying off the heat, deep conditioning, moisturizing frequently (but not enough to throw off your protein balance), etc.

 

[seraphim712]

The temperature for the original CHIs is 425 degrees (if not a little higher). Too much heat can "fry" your hair (especially the ends which are older and may not be as strong as other parts of your hair) and make them frizzy and damaged, which is the opposite effect that you want when you flat iron.

No, you shouldn't just cut them off. You should 1. get a newer CHI with temperature control and 2. nurse them back to health with laying off the heat, deep conditioning, moisturizing frequently (but not enough to throw off your protein balance), etc.

I've already decided that I am going to get a Solia, after the two post I read yesterday about flat irons and researching on Folica.com, and from reading how much your Solia works for you, I'm getting one.

Did you say 425 degrees!!!!!! No wonder my flat iron seems to smoke once it makes contact with my hair, even after I use a heat protectant on it.

By the way, how much heat should I lay off? Should I stop for a couple of months and airdry without flat ironing, or should I just do a rollerset and let my hair dry under a dryer???

 

[CAPlush]

The Solia flat iron product brochure says that you should flat iron at 300 degrees for relaxed hair. The max that they recommend is 370 degrees, and that is for natural healthy hair, so 425 may be too much heat for your ends if they are damaged/distressed.

 

[navsegda]

I've already decided that I am going to get a Solia, after the two post I read yesterday about flat irons and researching on Folica.com, and from reading how much your Solia works for you, I'm getting one.

Did you say 425 degrees!!!!!! No wonder my flat iron seems to smoke once it makes contact with my hair, even after I use a heat protectant on it.

By the way, how much heat should I lay off? Should I stop for a couple of months and airdry without flat ironing, or should I just do a rollerset and let my hair dry under a dryer???

Yay for the SOLIA!

I say you should stop until at least a couple weeks (if not maybe a little more) after your ends look "normal" again. Who knows? Maybe you got lucky this time and the frizz is the biggest thing you'll have to worry about instead of mass damage. If your hair really didn't get damaged that much and this is mainly just a temporary setback, then you will see your ends bounce back very quickly. If your ends did suffer a decent amount of damage, then it may take longer. This could take less time than 2 months depending on what you do to baby your ends.

Also, what condition were your ends in in the first place? Like on a scale of 1 to 10, how healthy/strong do you think they were?

 

[Sistaslick]

It may also be that your ends have issues with porosity. I'd try deep conditioning followed by an ACV rinse first to help impart some moisture and smooth the cuticles that way. I agree with navs that you need to get a variable control flat iron ASAP. You need to be able to control the heat.

But if after that, your ends are still not holding curls well, are unresponsive to your ceramic iron, deep conditioning, and the ACV rinse, I agree with Ms Lala that you may be due for a trim. You can usually tell its time and the ends are worn/damaged when they respond less to straightening/curling and "catch" on themselves rather than moving freely when down. It doesn't have to be much of a trim at all- a maintenance dusting may be all you need.

 

[seraphim712]

Yay for the SOLIA!

I say you should stop until at least a couple weeks (if not maybe a little more) after your ends look "normal" again. Who knows? Maybe you got lucky this time and the frizz is the biggest thing you'll have to worry about instead of mass damage. If your hair really didn't get damaged that much and this is mainly just a temporary setback, then you will see your ends bounce back very quickly. If your ends did suffer a decent amount of damage, then it may take longer. This could take less time than 2 months depending on what you do to baby your ends.

Also, what condition were your ends in in the first place? Like on a scale of 1 to 10, how healthy/strong do you think they were?

I'm not sure, I would say between a 4 and 5. They always seem to come out dry , rough, and brittle. But the funny thing is, it seems like my ends in the back have this problem more than the ends in the front of my hair. They seem to bush up after I dry them and are hard to comb through

 

[sistawithsumthin]

That is part of the reason I bought the Maxiglide because I don't get the frizzies on the ends and then I can really tell what needs to be trimmed and what doesn't.

 

[seraphim712]

It may also be that your ends have issues with porosity. I'd try deep conditioning followed by an ACV rinse first to help impart some moisture and smooth the cuticles that way. I agree with navs that you need to get a variable control flat iron ASAP. You need to be able to control the heat.

But if after that, your ends are still not holding curls well, are unresponsive to your ceramic iron, deep conditioning, and the ACV rinse, I agree with Ms Lala that you may be due for a trim. You can usually tell its time and the ends are worn/damaged when they respond less to straightening/curling and "catch" on themselves rather than moving freely when down. It doesn't have to be much of a trim at all- a maintenance dusting may be all you need.

1.) What's an AVC rinse?

2.) And when you mean by "catch" are you talking about when the ends act like they don't want to separate when you comb through them?

 

[navsegda]

I'm not sure, I would say between a 4 and 5. They always seem to come out dry , rough, and brittle. But the funny thing is, it seems like my ends in the back have this problem more than the ends in the front of my hair. They seem to bush up after I dry them and are hard to comb through

Between a 4 and a 5? Hmm...yeah, lay off the heat until you think they are about an 8.5 or a 9. If your ends are already in a weakened state, it will take less heat and usage of the flat iron to cause damage on your ends than on someone else's hair (with healthy ends).

 

[seraphim712]

Between a 4 and a 5? Hmm...yeah, lay off the heat until you think they are about an 8.5 or a 9. If your ends are already in a weakened state, it will take less heat and usage of the flat iron to cause damage on your ends than on someone else's hair (with healthy ends).

I will try this. I'm also considering letting my hair airdry and stay in it's natural curly state after I wash.

 

[navsegda]

I will try this. I'm also considering letting my hair airdry and stay in it's natural curly state after I wash.

Sounds like a good idea. Do what Sistaslick said (btw, ACV is apple cider vinegar) as well. Also, the Silk Infusion doesn't have to be used with heat. It can help get your ends back healthy, since it is also a reconstructing complex and the silk in it will reconstruct your hair and make it stronger. You can try using it either before or after you airdry.

 

[Sistaslick]

1.) What's an AVC rinse?

2.) And when you mean by "catch" are you talking about when the ends act like they don't want to separate when you comb through them?

An ACV rinse is an apple cider vinegar rinse. Its basically an acidic wash that helps contrict, tighten up, and smooth the imbrications along the cuticle. It helps reduce the hair's porosity and makes it more able to retain moisture. I use 1/4 cup ACV to 2 cups of cool water. Use it as a final rinse after your deep conditioning- and of course finish the final rinsing in cold water.

And by "catch" you are right! When it "catches" it is extremely difficult to detangle when wet, and when its dry/straightened the hairs kinda stick/clump together and usually don't hold the curl well (unless you are rollersetting).

My thinking is that if the hair is damaged, it is damaged. You can baby it as much as you like, but if physical damage has been done to the hair shaft then those areas will always be compromised. Even with all the treatments we can do! Eventually, you'll need to clip them away. That's why I suggest trying the deep conditioning and ACV to see if the problem isn't just a random cosmetic one from wrong products/iffy flatironing skills. If those ends still look and feel the same and do not improve after those measures, then you know the problem is more than cosmetic. In that case, a dusting is the best option. The only way you can take a 4-5 to a 8 or 9 is to clip the 4-5 sections. Anything else would be a temporary fix.

Keep us posted!

 

[seraphim712]

Thanks for all the info navsegda and sistaslick and to everyone else, I'm taking notes and will try this out Wed. Keep a lookout for photos in my fotki soon!!!