How Often Do You Use Direct Heat?

[LushLox]

As bizarre as it sounds coming from someone who is relaxed I prefer curls and waves - it suits my face better so there isn't a need for me to flat iron really. The last time I did it though was about four weeks ago, really just to get a length check. I can't see me doing it again until perhaps Christmas, and maybe not even then. My hair is very healthy away from the heat...

 

[beans4reezy]

I voted twice a year. For length checks only.

 

[fyb87]

As of April '09 it is once a year. As of right now I haven't used heat and I don't plan on using it again. Now that I have found the right products I love my curly hair way more than my straight hair. Plus, I get MORE compliments!

 

[Celestial]

I will flat-iron my hair every 4-6 months. It all depends on my mood and ocassion.

 

[shtow]

Every 2+ weeks I wash, condition, sit under the dryer until 80 percent dry, blow dry, and flat iron.

 

[Fhrizzball]

Once a year but since I finally have my own flat iron I may go crazy it up it to 2 times a year...

 

[KrystalClear]

I only use the hooded dryer for any "heat" - but direct heat, never feel the urge to.

 

[NikkiGirl]

I only use heat once every four months when I do my length checks. But if I feel the need to straighten for a special occasion I will and I won't feel guilty. I straightened for VDay and put it right back up the next day.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

3 times a year during my salon visits.

 

[gennatay]

I've been 100% natural since September 09. I haven't used heat since.

 

[Optimus_Prime]

After 5 weeks post I flat iron the roots only, but not necessarily every week, sometimes every 2 weeks.

 

[CherryCherryBoomBoom]

Before my hair journey, I was blow drying my hair every week without sufficient heat protectant (when I wasn't in braids, that is). When I started my hair journey, I read about how heat isn't good for growing your hair, so I have cut it out and only use it once about every 2 months or so. Which is alright cos I've been protective styling most of the time with either buns, braids or half wigs.

 

[Vashti]

I don't use heat at all right now. I'm waiting until my hair is APL.

 

[Hair2Here]

I use heat (blow dry and flat iron) for length checking only....about every three months. Big difference in hair health. LHCF is what's up! My hair is what's going down to da FLOOR!

 

[Supervixen]

I'm a HOT GIRL . I don't blowdry, but I flat iron weekly. If I can get my scalp problems together, I'd like to take it to once every 2 weeks.

 

[yardgirl]

About once every 6 to 8 weeks. My hair is short so I can't do long stretches yet. My stylist uses a ceramic flat iron to style. I don't blow dry anymore and I use indirect heat (bonnet dryer) once a week when I poo and DC.

 

[yaya24]

I plan on blowdrying 1x a month.

 

[Janet']

I'm on a no-direct heat stretch...Right now, I'm doing roller sets and buns, using my hood dryer.

 

[Foufie]

I blowdry before I get my braids installed but i didn't think blowdrying is/was direct heat. its not really different from blowing on my head from a hooded dryer

 

[NaturalBoss]

I'm still experimenting w/ my hair since I've only been completely natural for a little over a year. It 'appears' that my hair likes to be blow dryed a little before braiding it and putting on a wig. I'm not sure why but this has been my observation. So I either let it air dry when I have time or I sit under a hooded dryer for a while and then blow dry a little just to get it slightly straight. Therefore I blow dry (only about 10 minutes for my whole head) about 1x per week.

Going outside w/ my hair wet is not an option because I live in Washington and it's COLD

 

[CDiddy614]

I use direct heat weekly or biweekly. Just depends on what look I'm going for.

 

[LisaLisa1908]

In the fall/winter months, every other week.

In the spring/summer months, maybe once every two months. So 12 times in the fall/winter, and 3 more times in the spring/summer, for a total of 15 times a year.

 

[MrJohnsonsRib]

I chose eery 3 months but I've been natural since like Dec 08 and thus haven't gotten a real pattern yet with my hair and heat. I've spent the whole time experimenting. I just realized that I may have to up my heat intake and use my hooded dryer instead of air drying in hopes to protect ends and dointg more hot oil, deep condish treatments cause I have been slipping. As for hand dryers and styling tools I will definitely use them, on fake hair all the time but maybe a handful of times in the year on my real hair to maybe see the length or attempt to do a flat ironed/pressed style-it never looks right so I just quit halfway...thats how heat fits in my life now. I think once the summer comes air drying will be beneficial with the sun than in the winter. Look at that! I just realized that. I should use heat in the winter and not so much in the summer....

 

[Misshairdiva]

I just direct heat only a few times a year. Like a few weeks ago with my stylist went on vacation and it started snowing and I didn't want to walk around with a wet head doing wash n go's. Then I broke down and flat ironed.

 

[FNP-2009]

I'm a lazy bum. I used to do it every two weeks when I was in my early 20's (long time ago....when it was marcel iron and stove with a pressing comb). Now, you're lucky if I do it once every 2-3 months. I work in the hospital, so the curly ponytail is a favorite of mine. Quick and easy

 

[growinstrong]

I use direct heat when its to to relax and do length checks which was every 2 months (6x/year). now that I am stretching, looks like it will be 4x/year .

 

[Melchuck29]

Now that I stretch my relaxers to 6 months, I use direct heat every week. I have tried no heat/low heat regimens and my hair is usually a tangled, frizzy, knotted, matted mess EVERY TIME. And on the rare occasions that it isn't, I get frustrated because the style does not last for more than a couple of days due to my wild sleeping. I refuse to wear my hair in a bun more than once a week, so my hair must be laid at all times. Air drying just does not cut it. My new growth is so defiant that I can no longer use the comb attachment on my blow dryer because it will not stay attached. My new growth does not cooperate with gentle. I have sacrificed some of my length retention just to have manageable hair without relaxing the life out of my hair and my scalp every other month.