We all know how we get heat damaged hair, but what does heat damaged hair look like? How can you tell if your hair is showing signs of heat damage, and what can we do with heat damaged hair? I’m going to explain all about heat damaged hair, so keep on reading to find out more…
Why Do Hot Hair Tools Cause Heat Damage?
All hot hair tools (like hair straighteners and curling irons) can cause heat damage. When you’re using them, you’re exposing your hair to high temperatures, and it’s these temperatures that strip moisture from the hair.
Damages usually happens when your protective cuticle layer is lifted, as this ends up causing brittleness and breakage.
Keratin proteins inside your hair strands’ structure is affected by extreme heat, and this causes a reduction in elasticity and strength.
When it comes to the temperature that can cause damage, even temperatures as low as 300°F (149°C) can cause significant hair damage.
Using heat tools on your hair frequently, without using heat protection products will make your hair more porous, and this will then make your hair more vulnerable to environmental damage.
As your hair’s cuticle layer is affected, it can make you hair less smooth, making your hair more dull and frizzy too, which will make it difficult to style.
What Does Heat Damaged Hair Look Like?
Heat damaged hair has multiple signs, with the most obvious being split ends, with strands splitting into multiple directions. The split ends will make your hair more prone to damage, and it’ll become harder to style.
You’ll notice more tangles and knots, and the texture will feel rough and frizzy, giving you lots of flyaways.
An increase in the hair’s porosity leads to uneven moisture retention, so it’ll be dry and fragile.
Tips To Prevent Your Hair Getting Heat Damage
Limit the use of heat styling tools as much as you can, using heat-free styling methods when you can, to reduce the amount of heat tools usage.
If you *have* to use heat tools, always use a heat protection spray, as this will give you a protective barrier, and your hair will be less likely to be damaged from the high temperatures.
Using high quality hot tools will potentially prevent the worst heat damage, as they tend to have adjustable heat settings, so you can choose lower temperatures to prevent unnecessary hair damage.
Can You Fix Heat Damaged Hair?
Ultimately, we can’t get rid of heat damage or split ends. All we can do is cut the damage out of our hair, but we can do steps to make hair look better.
Ensure you use super hydrating haircare products containing peptides and amino acids, as they’ll help repair damage and add moisture.
Make sure you book regular haircuts to trim off the split ends, so they don’t break up further up the hair shaft. This will also encourage healthier growth.
Use bond-building haircare products, to strengthen your hair, and rebuild its internal structure, and where possible, use heat-free styling options to prevent potential damage.
