How often do you use heat?

[IMFOCSD]

I was wondering how often you ladies are using heat. I am thinking about using heat once a week (after hair is well cleansed and conditioned of course) do you think that is too often? I was going to try wearing it straight for one week then wear a twistout the next week. The only reason I might not do that is because my hair is not long and twistouts/braidouts gives me a wild a nd crazy look. I might try it any way so I would be using heat once every other week. If that does not work out then I will wash, deep conditon, airdry and flat iron my hair once a week only but I have to get some advice from you ladies first.

 

[tiffers]

I haven't used heat since Nov or Dec. But I'm about to get a flatiron, so of course I'm gonna use it when I first get it After that, I'll just use every now and again. Anywho, I think once a week may be a bit much. Another member did the same thing, she dc'd, moisturized, used heat protection, and it still fried her hair. Is it possible for you to flatiron only once a month? That would be much better.

 

[IMFOCSD]

Thanks Tiffers,

Hughmm let me see, I may be able to flat iron once a month but if I do that then I will only be washing/cowashing my hair once a month. I pretty much want to wear my hair straight during the week and the only way I know to get my hair straight is flat ironing. I have never tried doing a rollerset to get my hair straight because I need a dome dryer, my hair reaches the end of my neck in the back the sides are a little past my ears and I have bangs and my hair has layers so I have no clue what size rollers to get that would give me a straight look. What do you think about flat ironing once every two weeks (twice a month)?

 

[JLove74]

once a week to blowdry and flat iron. during the week I use steam rollers or flexirods at night to maintain curls

 

[IntoMyhair]

Only when i deep condition under a hooded dryer once a week

 

[IMFOCSD]

Jlove74,

So you blow dry and flat iron once a week? Do you get any breakage or dryness when doing this or are you pretty much safe from damage. I want to try rollersetting my hair so bad but I don't think it would look right with my length.

 

[janeemat]

I use heat twice a week (Wed & Sat) when I deep cond and do my roller set with my hooded dryer. I have not used a blowdryer since 2005. I will use my curling iron on my ng around 8 wks post relaxer to smooth after my rollerset.

 

[SohoHair]

Direct heat? 1X per month if that.

Indirect heat? (thermal cap for deep conditioning/henna, hooded dryer for rollersets) about 1X a week.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

Like Tiffers said, I used to flat iron and blowdry once a week. It was pretty and all, but it never grew and eventually it thinned. Flat ironing will def. fool you. It gets the hair so straight that when it thins it is hard to see.

So now I am at every 3 mos. Only because I am in the "growing it out stage." Once I reach WSL I will probably use direct heat once per month and rollerset once a week.

Have you thought about rollersetting to get a smooth look?

 

[JLove74]

Jlove74,

So you blow dry and flat iron once a week? Do you get any breakage or dryness when doing this or are you pretty much safe from damage. I want to try rollersetting my hair so bad but I don't think it would look right with my length.

My hair is very strong when it comes to heat. I've not experienced any breakage or dryness. Using heat protectants, protein treatments and keeping the roots moisturized also helps.

 

[HoneyDew]

Like Tiffers said, I used to flat iron and blowdry once a week. It was pretty and all, but it never grew and eventually it thinned. Flat ironing will def. fool you. It gets the hair so straight that when it thins it is hard to see.
So now I am at every 3 mos. Only because I am in the "growing it out stage." Once I reach WSL I will probably use direct heat once per month and rollerset once a week.

Have you thought about rollersetting to get a smooth look?

Okay for me it is different. If my hair is really straight, any thinness is much easier to see. My hair is majorly texlaxed so flatironing can do but so much since I never turn the temp past 300 degrees. But, more of the hair towards the ends are relaxed bone straight ( for the time being) and it is easier to see that those areas are not as thick when my hair is super straight. Again, this may be because my hair never gets super straight because I don't go for that when I flatiron.

Sometime I long to have my hair bone straight and I feel like just doing a "corrective", but I am afraid of losing my thickness and my hair's ability to withstand heat ( with proper conditioning, reconstruction and moisturization of course )

 

[YUMMY28]

I voted twice a month, i roller set for 15 mins under the dryer and then i let it air dry (with rollers still in) and then i flat iron my roots on lowest setting on my sedu iron

 

[Marcia16]

I use heat once a week for deep conditioning and once a month for flatironing after I receive a relaxer.

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

I'm trying to stick to twice a month. Straight one week, the next wash and go's or slicked back in a ponytail.

 

[RainbowCurls]

I use heat about once every 2 months. Although it'll probably be less from now on for a few reasons:
1) Not sure if my (bleached) hair can handle the heat any more.
2) It frizzed out bigtime last time I straightened it. (So why bother.)
3) I'm starting to not feel like 'myself' with straight hair, and miss my curls.

Are you relaxed or natural? Do you have permanent colour?
If you are relaxed or have permanent colour, I think once a week might be too much. Some members on here manage that with no problems, but most do not.

 

[SpyCats]

Once every 2 months.

 

[trulyurangel82]

It varies. Since september I sometimes have went without heat for weeks since im trying to grow my hair out. Then there are times I used heat once a week. I think using it once a week isnt a problem especially if you deep condition and use heat protectants. As long as you arent using it everyday or more than twice you should be fine. I used to flat iron my hair everyday in college erplexed and I can tel you that is what damaged my hair and kept it from growing.

 

[Tee]

I use direct heat maybe every 3 to 4 months. (only when I have my hair relaxed.) That is why I dont know why I own my Maxiglide! lol

In-direct heat.......I use my heating cap once a week for deep conditioning.

 

[trulyurangel82]

I also want to add..if anyone decides to flat iron their hair they shouldnt use any other heat source like a blow dryer. For me..my hair is less fried and dry if I just air dry and then flat iron. Or I do a roller set under a cool setting under the dryer and then flat ironing. Using a regular blow dryer and then flat ironing just makes it fried and dry. With any deep conditioning I think if you are going to use heat there should only be one source of heat.

I rarely blow dry anymore but if I blow dry I wont flat iron it. I would just put it up in a pony tail or put some rollers in.

 

[Blu217]

I just flat ironed tonite for the first time. I haven't straightened with heat in at least two decades; I don't think I like it heat-straightened; it feels kinda "dead" to me compared to my regular rollersets.

I have a Sedu, but I don't think I'll be using it often at all until I'm deeper into my transition, and then I hope to not need it more than once per month at most. Heat scares me.

 

[Naphy]

I haven't used heat since the end of the last year. I want to get more thickness, so I will use heat twice a year (for my birthday and for new year eve ^^)

 

[lonei]

Once every 3 weeks with my hooded dryer and once every 12 weeks with my maxiglide.

 

[silvergirl]

3-4 times a year.

 

[Cbgo]

I used to use heat once a week but am now only using it once a month. My hair seems much happier now.

 

[aurora3140]

Before about three weeks ago, I hadn't used direct heat since November. I do, however, use the hooded drier to rollerset once a week.

 

[prettypuff1]

I use it sparingly, but i am finding that my hair looks really thin when i do use it so i am cutting it out completely. I was mostly doing it randomly to check length and that sort of foolishness, but i dont care too much now... I use heat for AphoGee Heavy Protien treatments only. I let my hair airdry, then rollerset it dry and it turns out well.. Once i get to my goal length i dont think i will use it then cuz it will take to long( i want to be hipbone or tail bone)

 

[Isis]

I don't use heat. Airdrying in rollersets work very well for me to straighten out my hair. Airdrying in satin scarves work too and I'm experimenting with that.

 

[Miss*Tress]

I answered that "I don't use heat" but that should be amended to say "I don't use direct heat". I use my bonnet dryer for DCs and roller sets every two weeks and it doesn't damage my hair at all. Air dried roller sets do give the silkiest, smoothest results ever but take too long for me.

 

[InnerSoul]

Only when i deep condition under a hooded dryer once a week

yea....but I use my hooded dryer to deep condition and or rollerset twice a week. So technically I use heat 2x a week.

 

[tiger4513]

My only source of heat is through a hooded dryer that I use every 2 wks. I use to blow dry my hair with a brush attachment, but now I just use the hooded dryer only. My hair does not like a lot of direct heat.