10 Tips for Healthy Hair: Reduce Heat

Having healthy hair means reducing your use of heat. Too much heat can damage hair and prevent hair growth.

“Constant misuse of heating tools can have damaging effects on the hair overtime”

Why reduce heat styling?

-Extreme heat styling affects the hair cuticle and your natural elasticity, creating split ends and possibly permanent heat damage

-Thermal tools, like blow-drys, flat irons, curling irons, and hot combs can all cause dryness

-Once hair is burned, there is no way to fully repair your curl pattern until new hair grows in to replace it

How to protect your hair from heat damage:

Choose a low heat setting. Don't raise the temperature above 350 degrees to try to minimize the chances of heat damage.

Use a heat protectant. Prepare your natural hair by using a heat protectant first. Most heat protectants will protect your hair from heat up to 450 degrees

Deep condition hair before styling. This ensures your natural hair is moisturized, healthy, and ready to take on the additional change.

Visit a professional stylist regularly. Make sure you’re keeping up with your routine salon visits every three months. Visiting a stylist will help you keep track of any lingering damage and any maintenance you may need.

Use restorative styling products. Use styling products that provide both moisture and ingredients that treat damage. Products rich with humectants, emollients, hydrolyzed keratin, and sweet almond oil help prevent damage to your strands and promote new growth.

Air dry or "slow" dry your hair. Instead of using a blow-dryer, either air-dry or dry hair "slowly". Drying your hair "slowly" means keeping it protected while drying, as in twisting it up, or keeping it wrapped. Slowly drying your hair helps retain moisture, and your hair will dry smoother and shinier.