Heat styling can transform your hair locks into gorgeous waves or dead straight strands, just as you want them to be. All of us love the freedom it gives us. But going overboard with heat styling can have pretty damaging effects. The dry, frizzy, and lifeless hair. Everybody hates a bad hair day.
Excessive use of hot tools robs away the natural moisture from your hair and can lead to damages including but not limited to split ends, breakage and dryness. Although eliminating heat styling from your routine is off the table, there are certain things you can do to reduce hair damage.
Here are some tips to avoid hair damage while you can adorn your favorite hair-do.
1. Purchase High-Quality Tools
There are several companies selling hair styling tools. It is pretty basic that all of them are created differently. When you are purchasing any of the hair styling tools, never compromise on the quality. A flat iron should not cost you a fortune but must have some basic features.
Prefer tools that offer different heat settings. The cheaper ones don’t give you much freedom as they have one set. Look for a tool that displays temperature so that you can control the heat you are applying.
Choose dryers with a nozzle to distribute the heat evenly. If possible, you should you invest money in a professional-grade blow dryer to minimize the risk of damage.
2. Consider the Thickness of Your Hair
Just like everything else about us, our hair is unique. When you select a heat setting, consider the thickness of your hair. One of the biggest mistakes people do while using heat styling tools is to set the temperature too high.
Thin and fine hair are more susceptible to hair damage so it is recommended to stay below 200 degrees Fahrenheit when straightening or curling your hair. If your hair is thick, you can turn up the heat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit but don’t go beyond 300. It can severely damage the hair and may cause hair burn.
3. Use A Heat Protectant
This may seem like a no-brainer but you should always be using a heat protectant before applying heat. Just like sunblock protects your skin from the damaging effects of UV rays, heat protectant is a chemical specially designed to protect your hair. It creates a barrier between your hair cortex and the heated tool. They help in keeping your hair healthy by locking in the color and moisture.
Prefer a product that protects hair up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are thinking about how the protectant will affect your hairstyle, worry not. High-quality protectants can make your hair look smooth, shiny, and more manageable.
4. Never Heat Style Damp Hair
Using hot tools on damp hair is by far the most common mistake. It is totally unsafe to use any hot tools on your hair except the hairdryers and blowers. If you want to keep your hair healthy, wait till your tresses are completely dry.
Haircare experts discourage the use of straighteners, curlers, and hot rollers on damp hair because they can literally fry your hair. The moisture in the hair gets converted into steam that can cause havoc as it escapes the hair strands. This practice not only exposes your hair to extreme heat but puts you in danger of electrocution.
5. Stick the Rule: One and Done
Don’t keep running your hair styling tool over the same section of hair, especially when it is set at high temperatures. While it may seem like you are locking in the style, you may be causing hair damage.
A lot of people make the mistake of setting their tool at a very low temperature and then running it several times through the same section of hair. You have to adjust the temperature setting in a way that one pass should be just enough. It may take a few attempts to find the right temperature for your tresses. Once you know it, keep it with you.
6. Invest in A Weekly Hair Mask
Although using a hair mask is a great idea for almost everybody, it is especially important for those who heat style a lot. Mix up a deep conditioning hair mask at home or purchase a good quality product for your hair type. It not only helps replenish your hair’s natural moisture after heat styling but also adds an extra layer of protection to help prevent future damage from occurring.
You don’t have to take out extra time to apply a hair mask. Swap your daily conditioner with the hair mask. Apply it to your hair and let it soak in while you get done with your bath rituals. Rinse and you are good to go.
7. Use A Microfiber Hair Towel
Choosing the right kind of towel can also impact your hair health. Invest in a microfiber hair towel. They are known to be excellent absorbents of excess moisture. As they soak up all the additional water pretty quickly, you can use the styling tools without any risk.
Although it mainly depends on your hair length and volume, a microfiber towel helps you to achieve slightly damped hair, in just about 10-15 minutes. When your hair is damp, the drying time is cut by several notches and that definitely helps in keeping your hair healthy and shiny.
8. Study Styling Techniques
A little professional advice from a hair care expert never hurts. Ask your stylist to go over your hairstyling routine, even if you have been acing it for your years. They may be able to guide you to some shortcuts, or a better technique.
Set up an appointment and ask for some extra time to discuss your hair needs with the expert. If heat styling is a part of your daily routine, keep in touch with the hair care expert to keep up with the condition of your hair.
9. Limit Heat Use
At the end of the day, while heat styling is something, we all love, it should be in moderation. Like all other good things in our life, going overboard can do more harm than good. Limit heat use. Better set up a schedule for yourself and keep heat-free days or even weeks to let your tresses recover. Indulge in no-heat hairstyles to look amazing.
10. Keep Up with Latest Heat Styling Technologies
Another way to reduce hair damage is to keep up with hair styling technologies. For instance, try heat styling tools with revolutionary ionic technology. It uses an ionic generator to release a surplus number of negative ions in hair to lock in its natural moisture. And who knows tomorrow holds an even better technology. The smart way is to stay updated about the latest ones.
Or Find the Best Hair Salons in Bakersfield!
You can always hunt for the best hair salons in Bakersfield and book an appointment for safe hair styling. Professionals are properly trained to handle every hair type and they are equipped with the best tools. Tap in your network to get some great advice about the best salons or read online customer reviews to find a reliable hair professional.
