How often could you safely flat iron your hair?

[vainღ♥♡jane]

once a week for me. ♥

 

[tthreat08]

I don't do anything routinely in terms of a style....I tend to do one thing or another in spurts...so with that I can offer this....

I found that for me, I can flatiron once a week with no issues in retention or the health of my hair. I simply air dry in two braids (applying a heat protectant while wet)...and then flatiron after I use the blow dryer on a cool setting to know out the waves after dry. I've done this from time to time on a weekly basis with no issue.

The REAL answer to your question though is it truly depends upon your hair. Try out a routine and pay attention to see if it works or not.

 

[BERlin]

I don't think it's possible at all to safely flat iron my hair, it's really fine up at the top, and easily disturbed. I only have a twa now, but when it gets longer I'll probably just band or rollerset it.

 

[30something]

-------updated response to original question in a future post

 

[DarkChyld]

I blow dry my hair. Then I plait it for the next day and throw it into a natural pony. About a day or two after blow drying, I then flat iron. And wrap or plait for some texture.

 

[Ms. Martina]

At least once a week if I want to with touch ups every few days. I used to curl my hair every day in HS and college, and it was healthy.


I stick to once a week or every two weeks now with limited touch ups in between if any at all.

 

[AlliCat]

Once a week as long as you take the precautions (ie. use heat protectant, DC etc)

 

[LovelyNaps26]

i haven't done it since December of 2008, but going forward (because i've learned how to care for my hair) i may treat myself 2xs a year max until i reach MBL and then maybe 4xs a year. I told myself once i reach my length goal i'm not hiding my hair all the time

i'll add a caveat: I will be doing my hair MYSELFfor the next 2 years . ( i need to SURPASS my hair goal before visiting a stylist).

 

[discodumpling]

When i'm on top of my hair game (as I am currently!) I can flat iron bi weekly. I'm lazy though so it works out to bout 1X per month during the fall & winter and NEVER in the spring & summer.

Generally I will DC, & flat iron my damp hair. I spray each section with Aphogee Green Tea Keratin and smooth all of it with coconut or EVO. It lasts me about 3 days before I NEED to wash again.

 

[afrikurl]

I only straighten a few times (2-3) a year when I'm in the mood. I have not perfected my technique and my ends usually feel rough when I use heat.

 

[tidit]

Depends on your hair.

I am currently transitioning @ 18 months with ultra fine hair strands, medium density. When I straighten, I roller set and flatiron only non-relaxed length of hair no more than once a month. With proper precautions of course (heat protectant, deep conditioning etc.)

 

[keepithealthy]

I think I could safely flat iron every month. But I usually only flat iron every other month, sometimes less than that if I'm busy.

 

[helixhoney]

When i'm on top of my hair game (as I am currently!) I can flat iron bi weekly. I'm lazy though so it works out to bout 1X per month during the fall & winter and NEVER in the spring & summer.

Generally I will DC, & flat iron my damp hair. I spray each section with Aphogee Green Tea Keratin and smooth all of it with coconut or EVO. It lasts me about 3 days before I NEED to wash again.

Discodumpling, I'm starting to believe you are my hair twin I have fine, thin 4a hair too and flat iron on damp hair with my maxiglide. I flat iron once a month, though. When I was blowdrying for flexirod sets, I did so biweekly.

I just started using heat in September and, so far, it's my friend. BSL might happen for me this winter after all.

 

[CherryCherryBoomBoom]

What's a fortnight?

Americans being unfamiliar with the word "fortnight" - well, this is news to me. Guess you learn something everyday .

To the OP, I've never really flat-ironed more than once a week, but I'm often protective styling months on end, so I don't flat-iron very often during the year anyway.

 

[Katherina]

Flat ironing doesn't really mess with my curl pattern so much as it thins my hair strands. No bueno. I'd say no more than once every three months.

 

[mzteaze]

I rarely flat iron. I found I don't have the patience (or the lifestyle) to deal with it. I think I would probably do it every 3 months for length checks tho.

 

[Imani]

I think I'm finally starting to "get" my hair. I'm 4b with fine/med strands. Maybe once a month. Definitely once every other month.

I was trying to do it weekly when I first transitioned and I could tell my hair was becoming thinner, limp, and dry. I don't think I'd be able to reach my length goal (APL) using heat that often.

Basically heat is not my friend. We are just associates. lol

 

[LushLox]

I flat ironed my hair bone straight from root to tip in order to do my trim recently. I wouldn't do this often, only a few times a year when I'm relaxing. It's just too much heat for my fine hair on a regular basis.

I think I could safely flat iron the roots weekly on freshly washed and conditioned hair though - but I won't I'll just settle with rollersets.

 

[stelladata]

I chose once a fortnight because that's what I do. So basically twice a month. If you wanna go the safer route you can always flat iron once every month.

 

[klb120475]

Basically heat is not my friend. We are just associates. lol

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[bb09]

I think I'm finally starting to "get" my hair. I'm 4b with fine/med strands. Maybe once a month. Definitely once every other month.

I was trying to do it weekly when I first transitioned and I could tell my hair was becoming thinner, limp, and dry. I don't think I'd be able to reach my length goal (APL) using heat that often.

Basically heat is not my friend. We are just associates. lol

Lol!^

Your strands got thinner and dry even with steaming?

 

[mostamaziing]

isuck at flat ironing my hair =(

ijust let my granny press my hair with the hot comb.

smdh..

 

[Nelli04]

I can probably do once a month...but I prefer every 2.

I was trying to do every 3-4 months, but I realized that washing my hair every week and the natural hair styling was causing breakage. I noticed that when my hair is flatironed I manipulate it less which results is less breakage. So I plan to flat iron every 2 months and wear the flat iron for 3 weeks (it's Cali, low humidity...my hair doesn't get dirty that quick) and then a braidout for one week. And braid it up for the other month.

 

[yardgirl]

Once a week. But that's ONLY after a shampoo and DC and two heat protectants

 

[Nya33]

I voted once every two months, my hair cannot handle excessive direct heat. That is one of the things I found out through my "set back year" last year!

 

[tapioca_pudding]

I dc,do a ponytail rollerset then flat iron my roots once a month (transitioning). No real probs so far. I gotta start moisturizing my new growth better, but this method seems to work. I keep it bunned up during the week.

Sent from my DROIDX using Long Hair Care Forum App

 

[Imani]

Lol!^

Your strands got thinner and dry even with steaming?

I miss the mention feature! Just now seeing your question.

Yes, even with steaming weekly. The ends just felt weak to me. My strands are already pretty thin, so thats just not a good look. I'm trying to make APL this year and I think had I kept weekly straigtening, I would get stuck around SL or maybe make APL but it would look really thin and not be healthy/lush.

 

[nysister]

I really can't apply heat to my hair at all. I'm thinking it braiding it to loosen in, taking them out and than applying very minimal heat sometime this Autumn, but I'm still hesitant. I think tat the answer to your question is dependent on many variables, your hair thickness, porosity, flat iron used, amount of heat used, heat protectant used, how many passes of the iron, etc, etc.

 

[BlackHairDiva]

I deep condition my hair twice a week and use a good heat protectant. Twice a week.

 

[HauteHippie]

I've started using heat every few days in the front of my hair. I will typically blow dry on hot with my comb attachment. I've been flat ironing every 4 or 5 days and watching my ends like a hawk. So far, I don't see any damage... but I am scared.

My hair is mostly 4b, fine strands ( I think), medium density.

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