Low/No Heat Ladies...

[MizaniMami]

Hello All,
This question is directed to the low/no heat ladies. How long did it take you to see results from using low/no heat??

 

[goldensensation]

I used to be one of them. I did no heat for a whole year and I could tell the difference after a month or so. Hence my current one month no-heat challenge.

 

[VelvetRain]

I noticed results in about two months. I have not used direct heat for almost two years now.

 

[NYRICAN1]

I noticed results in about two months. I have not used direct heat for almost two years now.[/QUOTE

btw michelle 3147 your hair is beautiful. how do you set your hair. I currently get wash and sets and then have my roots blown out at the dominican hairdressers. do you just wash and set?? how do you get does beautiful curls

 

[Candy_C]

a month i saw a big change in texture and gloss

and after 3 months (nearly) i've seen a 200% improvement in the state my hair is when its airdryed. also moisture has increased and breakage is non-existant..only on combout day where i lose only around 100 total shedded hairs.

no heat really is the way 2 go!

 

[VelvetRain]

I noticed results in about two months. I have not used direct heat for almost two years now.[/QUOTE

btw michelle 3147 your hair is beautiful. how do you set your hair. I currently get wash and sets and then have my roots blown out at the dominican hairdressers. do you just wash and set?? how do you get does beautiful curls

Thanks. I have been doing wet sets for like forever.I just set my hair on big rollers and use mousse like setting lotion with a leave in conditioner. I sometimes position the rollers a different way which can determine how the set will come out. I think this was when I parted each section diagonally and had the rollers flowing in a diagonal way.

 

[camellia]

In about 4 or 5 weeks. I used to flatiron almost every day. On dirty hair!

It finally got to be too much, my hair was always breaking and it smelled terrible. I cut off 3 to 4 inches and started washing a couple of times a week. I stopped ALL heat. In just about a month my hair had noticably improved.

 

[Poohbear]

IMMEDIATELY!

Growth
Thickness
Softness
Moisturized
No breaking or split ends

I've been heat free for almost 11 months. But I have decided to be on the No Challenge FOR LIFE!

 

[Poohbear]

IMMEDIATELY!

Growth
Thickness
Softness
Moisturized
No breaking or split ends

I've been heat free for almost 11 months. But I have decided to be on the No Challenge FOR LIFE!

 

[erin558]

Man, I wish I could go without heat. My hair seriously frizzes up if I dont.

 

[Isis]

I noticed results right away (with no broken hairs in the sink) and hair retaining more moisture. It got better and better each week. It was thin and see-through and then my hair started to thicken up to it's original state. It soon became very moisturized, strong with great elasticity. Since my ends are always moisturized, I am retaining my length. I have not used any heat since July, 2003.

 

[CarLiTa]

at first i was thinking: what kinda results are you talking about???

but now that I think about it, doing low/no heat is GREAT!
I dont exactly remember how long it took, but i know that it's what i've gotten used to nowadays.

But using heat more often is what gave me the 4 month setback that i'm suffering right now. Using a flat-iron makes me shed more and then my hair tangles when i wear it down, and i get paranoid.

It's all about getting the right products. i washed and airdried yesterday and put Rusk Smoother and Giovanni Direct leave-in on wet hair. My hair came out SOOOOOOFFFFFFFTTTTTTT it's so soft that it's falling out of the bun that i put it in. It looks all thick and luscious

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I could not do it on relaxed hair, but once I went natural, I noticed that my hair dried more quickly without heat. Yes, I think I'm a special case. My hair doesn't shed anymore because it's more healthy.

 

[SparklingFlame]

I noticed a difference about a month after I stopped using heat. My hair was softer and more manageable. I haven't used heat since Christmas Eve '05 and last week or so I brushed my hair while wet w/ conditioner ( I have had my hair in twists constantly since Feb - and I didnt comb/brush since then too) and I noticed there was hardly any hair in the brush when I finished! I put a pic of it in my fotki. So the benfits for me are:
1. less breakage
2. easier manageability
3. more moisture
4. more growth retention b/c I dont need to trim. Last trim was in December 05 and no knots on the ends or splits.

 

[cocowhite]

I used to blow dry on low-medium heat, but I started to see a difference after two months.

 

[Dee-Licious]

are any of you low/no heat ladies relaxed? if so.. what do you do to your hair after you let it airdry as far as styling?

 

[JazzyFLPeach]

I noticed a significant difference in about a month of using no heat. My hair was softer, had more body, and had a great shine once I put down the ceramic iron and blow dryer w/attachments. I just wash, condition, and go. The phony ponies and buns have helped me let go of the heat. Once my new growth was out of control on my 4a/b relaxed hair, I started wigging and braiding it.

I've been heat free for about 7 months now and couldn't be happier.

 

[Neroli]

I noticed results right away (with no broken hairs in the sink) and hair retaining more moisture. It got better and better each week. It was thin and see-through and then my hair started to thicken up to it's original state. It soon became very moisturized, strong with great elasticity. Since my ends are always moisturized, I am retaining my length. I have not used any heat since July, 2003.

DITTO! I notice results right away and it just got better with time. . .

 

[baglady215]

I rarely use heat. Less than once per month. Maybe once every other month. My hair has absolutely no problems when I stay away from heat. But as soon as I flat iron or blow dry, I see little broken hairs. So I try to stay away as much as I can.

 

[IntelligenceisBeautiful]

I think it's easier to use no heat when your hair is long, if you have short hair like me (neck length) then it can get trying

 

[KiSseS03]

I LOVE NO HEAT! Seriously, I can't go on enough about it... it is the main reason that I am able to retain my length. I get little to no breakage/splits when I stay away from heat.

When I first started checking out hair sites I didn't think it was possible to give up heat, but I just made myself get creative and it worked. The main difference I have found with not using heat is that I can stretch my trims out for MONTHS! The first time I went off heat for 5 months, and didn't trim the entire time, at the end my hairdresser trimmed less than 1/4 of an inch. Normally I would trim 1/2 inch at least every 3 months.

More recently I went off heat from November 24 til April 1st (Saturday). I flat-ironed my 6 months post hair on Saturday in order to trim, but my friends and sister looked at my ends, and they think a trim can wait, so I'm gonna let it be.

By the way, even if I do use heat (which will be a very rare occasion, only for trims) I NEVER blow-fry, my hair does not agree with that! It's a light flat-iron, after an air-dried rollerset only. The flat-iron has gone back in the drawer now though, for another couple of months !

 

[cocowhite]

are any of you low/no heat ladies relaxed? if so.. what do you do to your hair after you let it airdry as far as styling?

I'm relaxed and lazy, after airdrying, I apply moisturize and jojoba oil and awrap up in a bun and then in the morning I wear a ponytail. I have only one a braidout once this year and wore it down amazzzzzzzzing for me, but my style is 98% of the time a bun / ponytail until next wash.

 

[Mestiza]

I haven't used heat in so long. Immediately, I noticed a difference in my hair and the improvement has continued to progress. My hair remains soft, silky and smooth all the way down to my ends.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

How do you ladies keep your hair straight and manageable without heat? I'm relaxed, but I have a mild relaxer, so my hair is not relaxed straight-straight. So, when I wash my hair, my hair tends to revert back to curliness. How do you keep it straight?

Do you roller set and sit under a cool dryer? Or, if you air-dry without appliances, how do you do it? Pony-tail method? Let me know PLEASE! I'd like to decrease heat on my hair, but I just find it really tough....especially when I try to stretch my relaxers 12-14 weeks.

 

[princesslocks]

I'm also interested in knowing how to handle the growth that is 16 weeks post relaxer without appyling any heat (blowing the roots.)

It seems like it would be really tough to handle without any heat.


PrincessLocks

 

[Neroli]

Crystalicequeen & Princesslocks: I'm 4b and I go up to 12 and 14 weeks between touchup without heat the key for me is to leave the new growth strictly alone. Basically, when i wash and bun dry, my new growth drys pretty straight and i don't mess with it again, no combing, no brushing, no disturbing until I wash it again -- the key is to leave the new growth alone, even though it may be a little bit thick under there, I personally don't care 'cause its *looks* good - straight and smooth - from wash to wash and it stays moisturized and i don't have to comb it, deal with it or use heat to control it! Once I stopped trying the *control* my new growth and just left it alone in between washed, my hair took off and my routine became very minimal. I deal with and attempt to *control* my new growth only when its freshly washed, otherwise, I'm in a losing battle OR I'm using heat, neither of which appeals to me! I wash once a week.

I'll say that this method works best once hair has a bit of length, perhap shoulders or longer. I initially rollerset and airdry or cool dry until my hair gained some length, than I discovered "bun dry" and its been easy, breezy, lazy hair routine since then . . .

I learned this from Sylver2 and Isis, even though at first I couldn't see me having *straight* new growth without heat either, it was really hard for me to just "leave it alone" but once I did, it was like, duh . . .

 

[KiniKakes]

Question: When everyone refers to low/no heat, does that exclude the heat from the dryer during a roller set? Do no heat folks find alternatives to drying their hair, in lieu of sitting under a dryer (ie, I have heard ppl talk about sitting under a cool dryer, air drying, etc.)

Just wondering where I fall along this low/no heat spectrum...? I do sit under a HOT dryer (lol), and occasionally I let the Dominicans blow my roots (to get the roller dent out) afterward, but that's about the extent of my heat use. No blow dryer heat along the length of the hair, no curling/flat irons, etc...... and yes, I have found that my hair flourished under these conditions, vs. my college years, where I literally fried my hair every single day with some grease and curling iron. *smh* erplexed

 

[ekomba]

i been heat free ( no direct heat, no dryer nothing no flat iron) for 10 months and saw results like 3weeks to 1 month after, softer hair and less harsh specially the ends. i dont use it at all but i would love to maxiglide my hair soon to keep my hair straight even though i m natural i do banding tie the hair all the lenght when i airdry and it comes out straight (im 4b natural)

 

[Neroli]

Question: When everyone refers to low/no heat, does that exclude the heat from the dryer during a roller set? Do no heat folks find alternatives to drying their hair, in lieu of sitting under a dryer (ie, I have heard ppl talk about sitting under a cool dryer, air drying, etc.)

Just wondering where I fall along this low/no heat spectrum...? I do sit under a HOT dryer (lol), and occasionally I let the Dominicans blow my roots (to get the roller dent out) afterward, but that's about the extent of my heat use. No blow dryer heat along the length of the hair, no curling/flat irons, etc...... and yes, I have found that my hair flourished under these conditions, vs. my college years, where I literally fried my hair every single day with some grease and curling iron. *smh* erplexed

IMO, heat from hooded dryer or any other source is still heat. I totally eliminated heat by starting out doing rollersets and airdry (took ALL day 12 -14 hours to dry!), then I graduated to rollersets and cool dry (hood dryer on *cool* setting for 3 hours!), now I do the bun dry (put freshly washed hair in a bun and go!).

I make a distinction between direct heat (blow dryer, flat iron, curling iron, etc.) and indirect heat (hood dryer, ???) with indirect heat being less damaging - still cause damage with repeated, frequent use, but not as bad as direct heat.

I'm not sure what constitute "low" heat tough, perhaps, hood drying every couple of weeks on warm or medium???

 

[KiniKakes]

IMO, heat from hooded dryer or any other source is still heat. I totally eliminated heat by starting out doing rollersets and airdry (took ALL day 12 -14 hours to dry!), then I graduated to rollersets and cool dry (hood dryer on *cool* setting for 3 hours!), now I do the bun dry (put freshly washed hair in a bun and go!).

I make a distinction between direct heat (blow dryer, flat iron, curling iron, etc.) and indirect heat (hood dryer, ???) with indirect heat being less damaging - still cause damage with repeated, frequent use, but not as bad as direct heat.

I'm not sure what constitute "low" heat tough, perhaps, hood drying every couple of weeks on warm or medium???

Cool, that helps clear it up for me. Thanks girl.