TOP Tips to PROTECT YOUR hair FROM HEAT STYLING Damage

Let’s face it – heat styling can all too often be the difference between neat and messy, sassy or so-so, and head-turning or not. However, using too much heat too often without any protection or measures to repair the damage caused by hot styling utensils, can also lead to horrific hair damage. Here’s how to turn up the heat without your hair hating you for it.

Understanding how heat can damage your hair, and why using heat protectant is critical 

Knowing how hair dryers and straighteners can taint your tresses is key to improving how you use these tools going forward and understanding which products to incorporate into your hair care routine.

Your hair’s strength comes from its keratin protein bonds. These bonds can be broken by excessive heat styling or failing to use a good heat protectant as you go along. Secondly, a hot tool will ‘suck out’ the much-needed moisture trapped inside the hair shaft, without which it looks dry, limp, dull and damaged. To counter this, use moisturising shampoos and conditioners to repair the hair shaft, and add a repair mask to your maintenance routine once a week, or once every two weeks.

Tips to prevent heat damage 

• Try not to use hot tools on your hair all the time; let your hair air dry in between if possible. 
• Take a bit longer and use the lowest possible heat setting when styling your hair.
• Change your technique so that you never allow your hot tool to be in contact with your hair for more than five to a maximum of ten seconds at a time when heat styling.
• Use a quality heat serum to smooth your locks and hydrate your hair. Rub a small amount in the palm of your hands for about five seconds to warm it and activate the active ingredients. Start from the ends, moving to the middle of your hair and working in just the last residue into the scalp – the idea is to nourish your scalp without causing greasy build-up. 
• Wet hair is much weaker than dry hair, so never style your hair from a wet state. An example would be a wet-dry straightener – when you run a straightener through your wet hair, you’ll actually see the tool steaming up as the heat from the tool vapourises. This steam is extremely harmful to your hair. Dry your hair before applying a straightener or curler, and remember the mantra here is ‘protect or neglect’. Your locks will lose texture, shine and its healthy appearance if you repeatedly fail to use a heat protectant or heat serum. 

Turn to trusted products

You already know that heat protectant, heat serum, repair masks, and hydrating shampoos and conditioners are must-haves in your hair arsenal to fight the good fight on behalf of your hair to combat heat styling damage.

Over-the-counter products may not only fail to yield results, but actually cause more damage due to the high sulphate and paraben content, which is harsh to your hair. Always opt for products from salon professional ranges.

Applying heat to your hair need not end in a horror story. Prepping your hair with some love in the form of hydrating, protecting and nourishing products, as well as factoring this into your maintenance routine, will see you and your straightener remain friends for a long period of time yet!