possible heat damage? Help

[NefertariBlu]

I straightened the front part of my hair with Ghd straighteners this week and decided to wash it out yesterday. My hair is still stick straight after washing it. I have 4b hair and my friend passed the ghd over my hair about 3 times.

I panicked yesterday because I hadn't straightened my hair in about 9 years and I really hope it reverts back. I was told by two different naturals that it would take about a week or two for it to revert because I used a ceramic straightener not a hot comb. Is this true. I'm praying it is because I do not want to loose my coils after all this hard work of protective.

I am so mad at myself for doing this as I didn't even like the results. My hair had only been straightened for 2 days when I decided to return to my fro. I'm wearing a protective style at the moment to cover up the straightness at the moment and I look cute so that's the only thing that's keeping me in good spirit's.

Does natural hair that has been straightened with a ceramic straightener take longer to revert than using a hot comb? Do you think my coils will come back?

 

[LushLox]

I'm sure your coils will come back, perhaps just up your conditioning treatments for a while. Do a few protein treatments too.

 

[Lady_q_tee]

Your hair should have reverted, it sounds as though the bonds within your hair have been weakened. You need to do a protein treatment asap, use aphogee 2min reconstructer or an egg, mayo and oils... Then wash of and follow up with a deep mouisturizing conditioner...after that your curls should return..

Sent from my GT-I9000 using GT-I9000

 

[keepithealthy]

Hey OP I'm sorry this happened to you.

Question: Did you use a heat protectant and how much heat did you use? When I went to the salon a year ago they caused me to have heat damage on the right side of my head. I think its because they either used to hight heat or not a good enough heat protectant or both. I straighten my hair now when I feel like it with no problems.

I did a lot of protein treatments and most of it reverted. But there was a patch of hair that was still looser than the rest of my hair. I just kept doing styles that blended it in and cut it after a year.

 

[NefertariBlu]

Thanks ladies,

she didn't use a heat protectant, but my hair was moisturized before I did it. I will have to get some protein treatments in before I get my hair braided next week.

The straightener wasn't that hot, no where as hot as the hot comb soI don't understand why it hasn't reverted.

used to get my hair straightened when I was younger all the time with the hot comb. It lasted for about a week, but once I washed my hair it would revert straight away. Nothing like this. But since talking to a couple of friends who have had their hair straightened with the flat iron, they have all said that he should take a couple of weeks for my to curl back up again. I will be praying to the hair gods that I'll get my naps back. I'm too fass trying to be curious about hair length. I'll just stretch it next time

 

[Fhrizzball]

Next time I would use a heat protectant because that's really the only thing protecting your hair from the heat no matter how low it is. You did three passes as well so it adds up. I would do as other suggested and try a moderate to heavy protein treatment. Good luck maybe next you can try rollersetting if you're adverse to using heat.

 

[westNDNbeauty]

The bright side of this problem is only one section if your hair has been affected.

For future reference, I would make note of the temperature the iron was on and make sure to use temperatures below that in the future. I think this may be apart of your journey to learning how much heat your hair can tolerate.

I personally had an ENTIRE head of heat damaged hair as I was learning how much heat my hair can take. Its all grown out now thankfully.

I am very cautious now -- I never let anyone heat straighten my hair and I always over moisturize my hair with my DC before straightening. HERE is an article about avoiding heat damaged hair when straightening.

See my YouTube Tutorial on straightening HERE

 

[Nonie]

Does natural hair that has been straightened with a ceramic straightener take longer to revert than using a hot comb? Do you think my coils will come back?

OP, this hasn't been my experience. I used a ceramic iron at 446 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius) and my hair reverted the minute I applied shampoo to it. I have read of people having to wait a while for reversion to occur...but I don't know why that is. Maybe too much product buildup takes awhile to be removed? The only product I use in my hair when I straighten is protectant...so I'm careful to coat my hair well. And because there's nothing else on my hair, the product adheres well and seems to protect my hair from damage. One of the things I was thrilled about being this meticulous was the absence of burned smell when I straightened my hair.

This was my hair before I washed it:

This was my hair when I undid one of plaits after applying shampoo to comb it out and as you can see it was curling back (I was over the moon at this point, not so much because of reversion but more because there wasn't that smell I am familiar with smelling on straightened hair when you wet it. The only smell in the air was that of shampoo!):

This was my hair after I was done washing it:

But just because your hair didn't revert doesn't mean it wont. I've read of people saying their curls returned after a few protein treatments. Maybe that'll be your story too. But if it doesn't, no biggie. You'll learn to live with it

 

[AuNaturalMaMa]

Why should it take a week or two to revert? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question, but I am confused by this. Even if there was no heat protectant shouldn't washing/water cause it to revert, if its heat damaged not back to the original texture/type but somewhat reverted. If no heat damage it should revert to the original texture/type. When I straighten excessive sweat causes reversion.

 

[stylistlaurie]

As a hair stylist I can tell you that ceramic, ionic flat irons take longer to revert back than a regular pressing comb and marcel flat iron. The main reason is that these products are ionic meaning they interact with your hair's ions/molecules to close the cuticle and some of the metals/gemstones used on these products head from the inside out or have some sort of infrared technology that heats from the inside out. Plus you still have the temporary bonds that are broken from heat coming into play. So please use a heat protectant but its not going to promise your hair will revert. They provide surface moisture that steams off the hair so that the 70% water that is part of your hair structure is not depleted. And some offer conditioners that react to the heat and become lodged in the cuticle layer.

Follow the advise of the others, protein and moisture treatments. Maybe you should see a professional so they can evaluate if is damages or just the GHD (a German engineered, self adjusting flat iron) doing its job.

And avoid professional grade flat irons as much as possible for home use

 

[Evolving78]

you do have heat damage, but the question is, to what extent? try the treatments and moisturize with dc to see if it will help.

 

[NefertariBlu]

Thank you stylistlaurie and Nonie for the helpful advice. I too also wondered why it would take a while to revert back once I used the ghd. But it seems to be a similar story with all the women I spoke to. I was suprised because I've never used a flat iron on my hair.

As I washed my hair yesterday, when do you think would be a good time to do a protein treatment? I will be braiding my hair next weekend.

I bought the aphogee reconstructer so hopefully I will see a difference.

 

[texasqt]

you do have heat damage, but the question is, to what extent? try the treatments and moisturize with dc to see if it will help.

shortdub78 Could you clarify what you mean by this? I'm asking because some posters are saying she doesn't and others are saying she does so is heat damage black and white like your statement or are there gray areas when you say "to what extent"? What are the "extents"?

If her hair reverts back in a few weeks, does that mean she never had heat damage at all OR are you saying she has heat damage now but it may disappear in a few weeks as in having "reversible heat damage"? I would like for you to elaborate on this because some people, including OP, may read statements that it is definitely heat damage and grab a pair a scissors when that may not be the only remedy.

 

[Evolving78]

shortdub78 Could you clarify what you mean by this? I'm asking because some posters are saying she doesn't and others are saying she does so is heat damage black and white like your statement or are there gray areas when you say "to what extent"? What are the "extents"?

If her hair reverts back in a few weeks, does that mean she never had heat damage at all OR are you saying she has heat damage now but it may disappear in a few weeks as in having "reversible heat damage"? I would like for you to elaborate on this because some people, including OP, may read statements that it is definitely heat damage and grab a pair a scissors when that may not be the only remedy.

the hair should have reverted back by now. if you have to do extensive protein treatments to repair or fill-in broken bonds, then damage does exists. it's all about how much damage was done. it is possible to repair (put a bandage on) damage without doing a drastic cut.

 

[Evolving78]

NefertariBlu
i would start treaments asap

Thank you stylistlaurie and Nonie for the helpful advice. I too also wondered why it would take a while to revert back once I used the ghd. But it seems to be a similar story with all the women I spoke to. I was suprised because I've never used a flat iron on my hair.

As I washed my hair yesterday, when do you think would be a good time to do a protein treatment? I will be braiding my hair next weekend.

I bought the aphogee reconstructer so hopefully I will see a difference.