Styled hair is highly desired in today’s world. One way to achieve this look is with heated styling tools such as flat irons, curling irons, and blow dryers. While these tools provide instant styling gratification, they can also damage your hair. Overusing these tools can cause your hair to become dry, brittle, and damaged. To prevent long-term damage to your hair, it is essential to understand how heating styling tools affect your hair. Heat styling tools can damage your hair, as we’ll explore in this article. You’ll learn how to protect your hair while achieving your desired look.
The effects of styling damage
Dehydration
Hair can dehydrate when heated with flat irons, curling irons, and blow dryers. Heat can dehydrate your hair by evaporating the natural oils and moisture that keep your hair healthy and dehydrated. This can make your hair more dry and brittle, making it more prone to breakage. Over time, repeated exposure to heat can lead to long-term damage, including split ends, breakage, and a lack of shine. Split ends and breakage are more likely to occur when your hair loses its natural elasticity from too much heat.
Cuticle Damage
Overusing heat can cause your hair’s cuticle, the outer layer of your hair, to become rough and uneven. This can make styling your hair difficult and cause it to tangle easier. High temperatures can break down the proteins that make up the cuticle causing it to lose its smooth shape. This is why the cuticle how the cuticle becomes rough and uneven; it can also weaken hair bonds. Over time the cuticle damage can become more severe, leading to split ends, breakage, and other forms of damage.
Dull and Lifeless Hair
Styling tools can leave your hair dull and lifeless due to high temperatures. This can strip away the natural oils that help keep your hair moisturized and healthy. The oils your scalp produces act as a protective barrier for your hair, keeping it smooth and shiny. The oils can evaporate when exposed to higher temperatures, leaving your hair dry, brittle, and prone to breakage. Besides stripping your hair of its natural oils, it can also leave it looking dry over time.
Damaging the Hair Shaft
You can damage your hair shaft if you style it when wet. The heat from styling with wet hair can cause the moisture in your hair and turn it into steam, which can cause the hair shaft to expand and become distorted. This can lead to hair breakage and split ends. Ensuring your hair is completely dry before using any heated styling tools to minimize the damage is important.
Alternative Solutions and Tips
Air Drying
Air drying is an alternative way to dry your hair because it doesn’t expose it to high temperatures that can cause damage. Air drying allows your hair to dry naturally without heat damage. Additionally, air drying is a low-maintenance way to dry your hair that can help you save time and money on hair styling tools.
Air drying your hair can also damage it since wet hair is very fragile. It should be handled carefully and dried gently with a soft towel to remove excess moisture. Another alternative is to air dry it partially and then blow dry it. This will reduce blow-drying time and damage to your hair and scalp.
Styling Tools
When using heated styling tools, it’s important to use them on their lower heat settings. The amount of time can also make a difference; use the shortest time needed for your desired style. Using styling tools for a shorter period can reduce your hair’s exposure to heat, minimizing the risk of heat damage.
Furthermore, using a lower heat setting can reduce the risk of damaging your hair and maintain its healthy balance. Try using a hair dryer with heat and air control to minimize damage. Some blow dryers also utilize negative ions to smooth hair.
Heat Protector Spray
The best way to prevent heat damage to your hair is to use your styling tools in moderation. Excessive use can damage your hair by depleting moisture, breaking down proteins, and causing split ends. There are heat-protectant products the on the market designed to shield your hair from high temperatures.
These products typically contain ingredients that form a protective barrier around your hair strands, which prevents the heat from penetrating the hair shaft and damaging the hair. Applying a heat-protectant product before using any styling tool can reduce the risk of hair damage, such as split ends, breakage, and dryness. The heat protectant product can help your hair maintain its natural moisture, leaving it looking healthy.
A bonus to heat protectant is that you can use it in the summer to protect your hair from sun damage. A great heat protectant available is the thermal defense from Lilla Rose. It contains Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Extract, Betula Alba Bark (Birch) Extract, and no Parabens or Sodium Chloride.