Direct heat is never good for the hair. It will always be damaging because you're literally burning your strands straight. I flat iron my hair about every 2-3 months, but I have to make sure I go through steps as in using a protein deep conditioner to strengthen my strands and moisturizing my hair more than the norm afterward. Now, my hair is not the best with heat. I can get heat damage very easily.
For an example of a friend whose hair "appeared" to flourish with heat. Her hair was slightly below APL when we were kids and that was astonishing back in the day. She would get her hair pressed religiously every two weeks. It wasn't until a few months ago and telling her about achieving healthy hair again (now at SL.. stuck there since her mom stopped doing her hair), that she told me about her mom following most of the practices we use for longer hair. Don't be fooled into thinking that one variable ie flat ironing gave her long hair like we all thought back in the day. She may have thought that made her hair grow but she also told me she thought everyone was doing what she did for their hair. I'll mention a few things below. IMO the real reason for her success:
1. Low manipulation - Definitely automatically low manipulation with straightened hair. You don't have to deal with the kinks everyday. Just roll it into a bun and go.
2. Genetics - I'm sure I'm saying somewhat of a taboo word here, but some people's hair can handle more damage than others. Have you ever wondered why every other race but black can constantly straighten their hair everyday but their hair still looks longer and stronger than yours?? Genes hun.. not all of us but many of us black women have naturally dry hair that is prone to breakage. Maybe my friend wasn't one of them
3. Last but not least.. her mom knew the secrets without knowing they were hair secrets haha.. she was doing hot oil treatments with Haitian Castor Oil prior to each visit. She would take a whole aloe vera leaf, extract the juice and rub it on her wet hair.. she would deep condition. Now have you asked your friends what else they do besides straighten? When she told me all of these things, I yelled.. "Damn!! Why didn't you tell me?!" She replied, "I thought everyone did that to their hair." Haha.. because it was the norm in her house.
Surely, with all of those practices my friend may have had much longer hair if it wasn't for the heat but she would have to adjust some of her products to fit a more natural hair lifestyle.
I said my piece lols.
