Naturals Who are TERRIFIED to Press...

[KiSseS03]

...and those who've gotten over that fear!

Help me out! This weekend it will be 1.5 years to the day from my last ever relaxer. I did the big chop in July and since a few months before that I have had no heat whatsoever in my hair.

I have a special event to go to and I would like to go get a press and trim just for a change, but I'm sooo scared! I'm scared that it won't revert or that the full healthy head of hair I've taken so much care with will be ruined!

Hahah... my friends think I'm being ridiculous... you'd think I was contemplating shaving my head or something, but it's serious to me! Someone help me ease my fears... or confirm them...

 

[frostydoll]

When you say press do you mean with an actual pressing comb? Because I would be afraid of that as well. If your stylist uses a good ceramic flat iron and a protective serum you should be fine.

The only time I've experienced heat damage is when the person used a flat iron that goes in one of those stove thingys.

 

[luv04]

i havent pressed im nervous that ill have heat damage..i feel like my hair is thriving..i got a diffuser..but i dont even use it..lol...air drying is what works best for me...maybe one day ill get the courage but for now..no .lol props to the naturals who do ...

 

[KiSseS03]

Ooops Sorry!! I mean with a CERAMIC IRON!!

 

[KiSseS03]

i havent pressed im nervous that ill have heat damage..i feel like my hair is thriving..i got a diffuser..but i dont even use it..lol...air drying is what works best for me...maybe one day ill get the courage but for now..no .lol props to the naturals who do ...

This is me! No blowdryers, hot air, cold air... nothing! I'm soooo put off!

 

[luv04]

good to know im not alone.in this fear...lol but we will overcome..i hope...lol but im not going to loose sleep about it..i guess ill do it when the time comes HHG

 

[cocoa32]

When I was natural my hair was ruined from a blow dry, press, and curl by a stylist. My natural texture was much straighter and my hair began to break the very next day! I regretted it so much. Hopefully a flat iron will not cause you any damage.

 

[ClassicBeauty]

It's not that bad! I flat iron my hair all the time. I suggest that you inform the stylist of your fears and request they use a heat protectant. (If they don't know what that is....RUN!) I have never had a problem with my hair not reverting (and in the begning I did burn my hair with a straightening comb, but it still reverted.) I also suggest you start with a roller set instead of a blow dryer. (I personally think that blow dryers burn hair worst than the flat iron, but that's my opinion.) Use a good deep conditioner and a leave in conditioner. I definitely suggest a flat iron over the straightening comb, and don't let them use grease!

Fear Not! and feel free to PM me if you have any other concerns. I have mastered the straight look. It's the curly look that gives me problems. With 3 different textures and a layered cut, I have a hard time with the wash n go!

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

What you may want to do is wash condition and detangle your hair before going to the stylist, so there is no need to blowdry. Then make sure they use low heat + lots of heat protectant!

From my reading of the horror stories, most people with heat damage use an appliance without heat control or use the highest setting and do not use a heat protectant.

I flat iron my hair once or twice a year and haven't had a problem.

 

[mkstar826]

If it's what you want to do, I say go for it...but don't make the decision until you are sure you can deal with any damage that *could* happen.

 

[Ayeshia]

if you twist your hair up while 50-60% damp in sections with a small but significant amount of product on your hair and tie it down tigthtly (but no too tight) It really straightens out my hair, and if you get similar results, , you can skip the blowdrying and use a low to medium heatsetting on the flat iro. OR you can rollerst and flatiron each section after it dries if you want a full bouncy straight do

 

[Radianthealth]

I am texlaxed and afraid to flat iron. I heard about naturals becoming permanently heat damaged and I am terrified to use my flat iron too often and I am always paranoid when I do use it (twice so far) that it will be on too high.

Good luck whatever decision you make. I eased my fear by using heat protectant and only flat ironing once per quarter.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

Not to hijack the thread, but in all my years of relaxing with daily heat use, my hair was never permanently straightened. After a wash it needed to be straightened again. It's mind boggling to me that now that I'm natural with supposedly 'stronger hair bonds' that I have to worry about heat damage.

Monsters don't give me nightmares, but the damn Heat Damage thread on NP has me waking up in a cold sweat.


<J.C. goes off to kick rocks>

 

[healthyhairin07]

What you may want to do is wash condition and detangle your hair before going to the stylist, so there is no need to blowdry. Then make sure they use low heat + lots of heat protectant!

From my reading of the horror stories, most people with heat damage use an appliance without heat control or use the highest setting and do not use a heat protectant.

I flat iron my hair once or twice a year and haven't had a problem.

JCoily, your hair is so nice! I agree with you about the horror stories. I have my own. I still have a few heat-damaged strands from using a curling iron on a high setting without heat protectant. That was before I found this board and I wanted to get my hair straight. Now, I know better.

Please be very careful. I think a pressing comb is harsher than a flat iron since a flat iron can be put on a lower setting. Also, let the stylist know that it doesn't have to be bone straight. Make sure you have a clear understanding with her before you let her go all of the way with your hair. HTH

 

[ClassicBeauty]

I think a pressing comb is harsher than a flat iron since a flat iron can be put on a lower setting. Also, let the stylist know that it doesn't have to be bone straight. Make sure you have a clear understanding with her before you let her go all of the way with your hair. HTH

I agree that she should use the falt iron, but you can get straightening combs that are electric that have temperature settings just like a flat iron. I don't like them, but they do exist to prevent you from burning your hair.

 

[glamazon386]

I too was afraid of my natural hair being damaged by heat. But I went to the salon for a flat iron. I went to someone my friend recommended and I went and talked to him and expressed my concerns before making an appt. I didn't have any problems.

 

[BrownSkin2]

I've been natural 17 months and I've had my hair straightened twice. I suffered some heat damage the first time because the stylist used one of those flat irons in the little stove, and she didn't use heat protectant. Some straight pieces eventually reverted back, but I wind up cutting the other straight pieces out to wear a wash n go. The only other time was this past February, the stylist used a FHI flat iron and heat protectant. It got just as straight as a relaxer and, I didn't have any heat damage when I washed it. That was for a special occasion. I won't be using heat very often, and if I do in the future I'll be doing it myself, just to be safe.
The ceramic flat iron with heat control is much safer.

 

[CAPlush]

Press only with a temperature controlled flat iron, no marcels no pressing comb. Use the lowest setting possible to achieve the straightness you want. Experiment with back sections. If it is over 400 degrees, I would be concerned. Try to stay in the 300s or less.

Also, you will need a heat protectant. Otherwise, you are just going to have to take the plunge. You can damage your hair with heat, but if you are smart about it, there should be no problems.