Is heat truly a killer of long hair?

[Blossssom]

Not to bring up other races because I know black hair (typical black hair-not 1a) is very different from theirs but if heat is such a killer, why are they able to still have long, healthy hair.

Other races use heat every single day, many of them. I work with a couple of them.

When I wear my hair straight, I tend to use heat every day. However, I keep my hair sufficiently oiled so that it doesn't break.

I haven't experienced any adverse effects of using heat as often as I please, albeit, at a low intensity. It's not 450!

 

[B_Phlyy]

Not to bring up other races because I know black hair (typical black hair-not 1a) is very different from theirs but if heat is such a killer, why are they able to still have long, healthy hair.

Other races use heat every single day, many of them. I work with a couple of them.

When I wear my hair straight, I tend to use heat every day. However, I keep my hair sufficiently oiled so that it doesn't break.

I haven't experienced any adverse effects of using heat as often as I please, albeit, at a low intensity. It's not 450!

I think that that's some people's problems (not necessarily members of the board), they don't know how to say no to high heat. They often think the hotter the better. I have actually seen people's hair get burned off because of the lack of temp. control.

 

[navsegda]

I personally don't think heat kills long hair as long as you make sure to use a good heat protectant and products that strengthen and moisturize the hair. I've always had very good success with heat (even frequent usage), but everyone's hair is different. Some people's hair just cannot tolerate heat or isn't strong enough for it.

 

[Blossssom]

I think that that's some people's problems (not necessarily members of the board), they don't know how to say no to high heat. They often think the hotter the better. I have actually seen people's hair get burned off because of the lack of temp. control.

Girl, would you look!

I have a Jilbere curling iron. If I oil the night before, I put the setting between 25 and 30 to soak up the excess oil.

The next two to three days, I will have the heat set on ONE!

I use the iron to simply shape my hair. Not really curl it.

That sounds like that is the problem. The heat is too hot.

And I also think another problem black women have using heat appliances is their technique. I can't tell you how many times I've seen BEAUTICIANS wielding the flat iron or those Marcel curlers and before the hair is completely out of the appliance, the appliance is closed on the client's hair and removed BREAKING the hair!

If I'm sitting close by, I can hear the hair POP!

 

[Blossssom]

I personally don't think heat kills long hair as long as you make sure to use a good heat protectant and products that strengthen and moisturize the hair. I've always had very good success with heat (even frequent usage), but everyone's hair is different. Some people's hair just cannot tolerate heat or isn't strong enough for it.

I've actually taken to mixing my heat protectant with my oils.

 

[gymfreak336]

I think you all on are right about the temp. My sister all through high school wore her hair in a middle parted bob and she flat ironed every day and it still grew. Granted her hair is stronger than mine but she would set it on low and her hair still grew alot. I like to use my flat iron on the lowest heat possible just to help my hair absorb some moisturizers like my nourish and shine. When I do that, my hair stays sooo soft for days.

 

[CaramelMiSS]

I have also been talking to some people in other races that use heat and still have long hair. The only difference I see is that they wash their hair more frequently, like every other day so that way they are getting moisture and they are strengthening the hair by using certain products. Before I came here I would flat iron my hair every day I would apply heat protectant but no moisture so it would not do anything, so now I realize it is all about moisture and protein and keeping the two balanced.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

IMHO, excessive heat is bad. There was a member who said that she can always tell if a person blowdries on a regular and I agree.

I think in very (note the emphasis) slight moderation, it's okay. I still think in the end it always catches up to you.

But I remember when I was using a flat iron once or twice a week and thought nothing can break my hair and that it was "healthy." I soon learned that the silicones plus the flattening of the cuticles from the iron helped produce that look/shine and my hair was thin thin thin! There was a point of time I couldn't even bare to look at it without it being flat ironed.

But that's my opinion.

 

[Angelicus]

Blossssom, hey

The problem is that the people who you're referring who have type 1-2 hair have oily hair and scalp. Look at the shaft of their hair: It's straight, making their natural oils easier to go down the shaft.

Us 6F types are not that lucky. We have a hair pattern with kinks, coils, and waves that make it very harder for our natural oils to travel down the shafts, resulting in dryer hair.

Hope I am making some type of sense

 

[LocksOfLuV]

About the other races, some people will argue that our air is "weaker" by nature, becuause of the makeup of the protein of the strands. I don't know about that, but I think the fact that we relax plays a BIG deal in it.

 

[scribblescrabble2]

About the other races, some people will argue that our air is "weaker" by nature, becuause of the makeup of the protein of the strands. I don't know about that, but I think the fact that we relax plays a BIG deal in it.

I agree, and I heard that people with straighter hair have more cuticle layers than we do.

 

[camellia]

You might be on to something with the temperature of the tools used.

I just about destroyed my hair with curling irons, flat irons, clothes irons... and no heat protectant at all. "The hotter the iron the straighter the hair" was my motto.
Maybe if I had used lower temperatures I wouldn't have literally burned all of my hair off.

However, none of the women who have hair as long as I want mine (classic length and beyond) or even anyone I know with hair at my current length uses heat regularly if ever, and these are all white and Asian ladies. So I think you have a point about the temperature, but I'm not willing to risk it myself.

 

[Ms Lala]

At this website "12 steps for growing black hair" this woman actually promotes using heat. SHe is natural and presses regularly. I was on a no heat challenge but I have more knots since I stopped using heat so I'm going to start using it again but making sure that I use a protectant EVERY time instead of just some of the time.
Here's the website on hair growth

http://www.black-hair-growth.info/Twelve-Steps-For-Growing.html

 

[Bublnbrnsuga]

Well, I think heat can be a killer, but one overlooked killer of the hair is daily combing.
Take a look at Sylver2 and redhotlala's hair. They don't comb often but they use heat almost everyday.

 

[Blossssom]

Blossssom, hey

The problem is that the people who you're referring who have type 1-2 hair have oily hair and scalp. Look at the shaft of their hair: It's straight, making their natural oils easier to go down the shaft.

Us 6F types are not that lucky. We have a hair pattern with kinks, coils, and waves that make it very harder for our natural oils to travel down the shafts, resulting in dryer hair.

Hope I am making some type of sense

Hey!

But when you straighten your hair, the oil should slide right through it, right? All of your hair should benefit from the oil.

I don't have problems with oil whether I straighten or not, but I realize how important it is to my hair when straight to make sure it has the oil it needs.

I don't worry too much about oil when I do blowouts and buns because my hair is not being exposed to any heat at all.

 

[Blossssom]

About the other races, some people will argue that our air is "weaker" by nature, becuause of the makeup of the protein of the strands. I don't know about that, but I think the fact that we relax plays a BIG deal in it.

Any unprocessed hair is stronger than any processed hair including ours.

Black hair in its natural state is as strong as anybody elses.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

Well, I think heat can be a killer, but one overlooked killer of the hair is daily combing.
Take a look at Sylver2 and redhotlala's hair. They don't comb often but they use heat almost everyday.

Sylver uses heat every 2 weeks and RedHotLaLa every 14-21 days , they don't use heat every day.

 

[LocksOfLuV]

Any unprocessed hair is stronger than any processed hair including ours.

Black hair in its natural state is as strong as anybody elses.

This is actually how I feel personally, but some people go by the 'science.' I honestly don't have any proof but my opinions.

 

[DragonPearl]

I've actually taken to mixing my heat protectant with my oils.

Wow!! I need to do that next time I maxiglide.

 

[HoneyDew]

Well I know that heat has been bad for my hair.

Before I joined this board and ever heard of the Crown and Glory method or anything, I wore braid continuously for years and I only used heat in between getting them redone to soften my hair for the braider. My hair was thick and strong.

Now that I am out of braids and trying to grow out my hair after a setback, heat is the number one problem I have. It kills my progress - plain and simple.

Some can do more heat because they have stronger hair, but I know that I have to step away from heat styling in order to accomplish my hari goals.

 

[Blossssom]

You might be on to something with the temperature of the tools used.

I just about destroyed my hair with curling irons, flat irons, clothes irons... and no heat protectant at all. "The hotter the iron the straighter the hair" was my motto.
Maybe if I had used lower temperatures I wouldn't have literally burned all of my hair off.

However, none of the women who have hair as long as I want mine (classic length and beyond) or even anyone I know with hair at my current length uses heat regularly if ever, and these are all white and Asian ladies. So I think you have a point about the temperature, but I'm not willing to risk it myself.

At the white people's board I used to frequent before I arrived here, the "divas" of the board all had very long hair. Waist length to ankle length.

They did not use heat on their hair but it wasn't because it was damaging to it. They didn't use heat because they didn't want it TOO straight. They wanted some movement and some body.

What I've been doing for the past two weeks since I haven't washed is: once a week, I flat iron my roots. I don't do the entire shaft of the hair because all of that was straightened after the last time I washed. The roots is all new hair and it's, of course, the strongest.

I flip my ends to shape them and that's on the lowest heat available.

When the new growth re-kicks in (I don't even think I'm going to bother flat ironing my roots anymore between washings because they just revert anyway), I lift the roots and actually get a pretty good body movement going.

I think I prefer it anyway opposed to the straightened roots.

Again, other races don't fear heat for the same reasons black women fear it and a lot of their fear is misplaced. They need to fear the temputure on the thermostat!

 

[HoneyDew]

At the white people's board I used to frequent before I arrived here, the "divas" of the board all had very long hair. Waist length to ankle length.

They did not use heat on their hair but it wasn't because it was damaging to it. They didn't use heat because they didn't want it TOO straight. They wanted some movement and some body.

What I've been doing for the past two weeks since I haven't washed is: once a week, I flat iron my roots. I don't do the entire shaft of the hair because all of that was straightened after the last time I washed. The roots is all new hair and it's, of course, the strongest.

I flip my ends to shape them and that's on the lowest heat available.

When the new growth re-kicks in (I don't even think I'm going to bother flat ironing my roots anymore between washings because they just revert anyway), I lift the roots and actually get a pretty good body movement going.

I think I prefer it anyway opposed to the straightened roots.

Again, other races don't fear heat for the same reasons black women fear it and a lot of their fear is misplaced. They need to fear the temputure on the thermostat!

I feel you on this!! Mine never stay straight more than a day if that!

 

[Blossssom]

At this website "12 steps for growing black hair" this woman actually promotes using heat. SHe is natural and presses regularly. I was on a no heat challenge but I have more knots since I stopped using heat so I'm going to start using it again but making sure that I use a protectant EVERY time instead of just some of the time.
Here's the website on hair growth

http://www.black-hair-growth.info/Twelve-Steps-For-Growing.html

After my stylist overprocessed my hair, half of it was fried (the lower half). Another stylist tried to get me to cut off the fried part but that would have left my hair around my shoulders somewhere. HELL NO!

What did I do? Started working blowouts and straightening my hair. The heat actually CURED my fried hair! Believe THAT!

The oil and the heat blended my damaged hair so well with the healthy hair that you couldn't even tell it was damaged!

 

[Blossssom]

Well, I think heat can be a killer, but one overlooked killer of the hair is daily combing.
Take a look at Sylver2 and redhotlala's hair. They don't comb often but they use heat almost everyday.

Just like heat, the comb is not your enemy either. It's the way you're combing your hair that is your enemy.

I don't know if Sylver's around today, but can someone post her regimen or direct me to it?

Thanks.

 

[Blossssom]

Wow!! I need to do that next time I maxiglide.

Yes, please do. I just recently started doing that.

Before I would heat protect the night before I did a full flat iron. But then decided not only would I oil in between but throw some of the protectant in with the oil!

FABULOSITY!

 

[Qetesh]

I agree, and I heard that people with straighter hair have more cuticle layers than we do.

I don’t agree I think our hair is stronger thus able to put up with all the relaxing flat ironing ext in nature, but of course we pay the price for that as well.

I don’t think our hair is any weaker, but more prone to tangles if left the way other races can leave there hear with no heat ext. basically our hair IMO is dryer needs more moisture and is more prone to tangles breakage, but in its natural state is NOT weaker than other races.

To the topic of this thread I feel too much heat is defiantly bad for your hair I stunted my growth from hot curling daily just because my hair can “hold” a lot of heat in no way means its good for it.

Now because our hair is prone to tangles which leads to breakage if you can keep it untangled without heat that is the best route BUT if you must use heat I can understand why some find better results from this, this and if done sparingly and properly I feel your hair can manage it.
I know white girls who have broken their hair off from heat as well so it’s not only AA that this can happen to, too much heat is not good for any hair type.

 

[breezy]

I can't say for everyone else, but heat was a killer for my hair. Like others, I thought it was healthy b/c my hair was smooth, but really it was terrible, chewed thin ends and hairs all over my back.

Now I only use heat once every 3 months and my hair has never been healthy. I think heat is fine in moderation (maybe every 2 weeks or so) on very healthy hair, but for unhealthy hair it's def. a killer.

 

[navsegda]

Just like heat, the comb is not your enemy either. It's the way you're combing your hair that is your enemy.

I'll admit I used to have this problem--not knowing how to comb my hair. But I've gotten much better at it now and I have almost no breakage when I comb.

 

[Bublnbrnsuga]

Just like heat, the comb is not your enemy either. It's the way you're combing your hair that is your enemy.

I don't know if Sylver's around today, but can someone post her regimen or direct me to it?

Thanks.

I don't agree. I remember when I used to comb my hair daily, I combed it the 'right' way and my ends were always limp and straight. Since I don't comb often now, my ends are so thick and healthy. Sylver2 barely combs her hair too and just look at it!

 

[Bublnbrnsuga]

Sylver uses heat every 2 weeks and RedHotLaLa every 14-21 days , they don't use heat every day.

I know I have seen in their pics that they've used heat more than that. I will ask them.