The Thing About Heat Damage….
Is that it doesn’t go away. Once the damage has been done you have to live with it or cut it and there are no magic treatments or conditioners to reverse it.
I know this because I am living it.
After my experience with severe head damage back in July I cut most of the highly damaged pieces off. Lots of protein treatments thankfully revived most of my curls. Still, almost every time I was in the shower, the water would reactivate the distinctive smell of singed hair. It was….the worst.
Last week when getting my hair cut again, my stylist Marie noted that there was still a lot of damage left in certain places (which is probably why I could still smell it). While the pieces on the ends could be clipped off easily, some of the damage occurred in mid-shaft. I still have lots of these pieces where there is a straight section in the middle of the shaft and one whole section that is totally straight.
It’s very sad indeed so see the remnants of the curl abuse I subjected my dear Lola to, but I wanted to share these pictures to show the risks of excessive heat. Most of my curls are fine yes and I’m so thankful for that, but I can’t clip all of the damaged pieces or else I’d be left with serious bald spots. So for now, they kind of get tucked in to my hair and hidden away only to emerge as a reminder to practice smart and safe haircare!
Have you ever experienced heat damage? What did you do about it? Lesson learned?
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I have experienced heat damage. I had a stylist who swore she knew what she was doing when she flat-ironed my hair. This was April 2010. I had to cut off a lot of my hair the following fall because of it. I said I would never straighten my hair again, but I have since found a stylist that I feel I can trust, but we shall see. Get well, Lola!
Yes ma’am I had major heat damage:( I had to cut it, but I still have little pieces that just won’t curl back up:( I am so afraid to straighten and its been two years. The most I will do is a light blow dry! There are days when I really want to straighten to see where I am, but I can’t risk it again!
I had severe heat damage on one side of my head, a section in the back of my head, and a section on the very top after getting it pressed by a natural hair care stylist. Needless to say – I cut it off, only after wearing kinky twists and even a weave to grow it out some before cutting it. I don’t blow dry, won’t even sit under a hair dryer – it scared me to death. Lol! No matter how long my hair gets, I won’t straighten it, EVER again!
Thanks for posting this! I am really anal about my curls and just started flat ironing again. But please not that before I apply any heat I do a serious protein treatment and or deep condition the heck out of my hair. I also let my hair air dry and only do a light blow to to ensure its completely dry. I also use argan oil shampoo, conditioner and oil to ensure moisture and protection from heat. Oh, and not to forget my Chi Thermal protectant.
I change my hair up a lot and been rocking wigs for a minute or just wearing my hair curly but I got bored! Lol. To my surprise my hair is half way down my back and I am trying to keep it that way.
I refuse to get a Dominican blowout because it uses excessive heat and just looks damaging.
I guess I have been in somewhat of a state of denial. I had my hair blown out and flat ironed so I could get my ends trimmed last month. The salon was a very posh natural salon. I had such a wonderful experience. But I too kept noticing a strange aroma from my hair after leaving the salon. I just chalked it up as the natural hair products she used. But its been about a month and it still has that smell when I wash it. And some of my curlies are no longer so curlie :( I really dont know what to do. I mean I dont wanna go back to that salon but this is the second salon I have been to since going natural a year ago.
I use a blowdryer from time to time to stretch my hair if I can’t afford the time to let it do so naturally. I have never experienced damage from this-it’s usually set to low or medium heat.
However, a couple of months ago I had my hair straightened for an event. The stylist actually wanted to blowdry AND flat-iron! My hair is thick but I have learned it doesn’t like alot of heat. I agreed to the blowdry only. When I washed it later, it kinked up as usual but there was that tell-tale smell….not good! I made up my mind to not go down that road again!
How hot is too hot? –read this article on the Natural Havenhttp://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/2009/05/straightening-factshow-hot-is-too-hot.html
And you shouldn’t use heat on wet hair, it leads to “Bubble hair” – http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/2010/11/heat-on-wet-hair-bubble-hair.html
I too, have fallen to heat damage. I had to cut off 11 INCHES of hair this summer from heat damage that occured last spring. Whew.
I didn’t have the luxury of doing a big chop, I’m an actress, and couldn’t afford new headshots. But what the growing out process taught me is patience. And the wisdom to accept the beauty of my hair, as it grows and changes.
Gosh, yes! I’ve been a victim of heat damaged. I went to a stylist to have my hair blown out and (bone) straightened. Biggest mistake ever. I curls never reverted back and it was either BC again or loc. I opted to loc and kept them for a good 5 years. I ended up BC’ing again (after an inpatient session of trying to take them down) and embraced the journey again.
I’ve learned to speak up next time, IF I find myself in the seat of a stylist so that he/she is 100% sure of what I do not want for my tresses.
SN: Wonderful blog! I’ve subscribed!! :0)