Does Heat Styling Damage Hair?

If you are a regular user of flat irons and curling tongs, you may be curious to know if hair damage is possible and if so, what steps you can take to protect your hair.

Heated hair tools such as hair straighteners, curling irons, and hair dryers offer time-saving versatility in styling, from sleek and straight to voluminous curls and waves in minutes, whilst coming with the added benefit of longer lasting styles.

Temperature and frequency of heated hair styling tools

However, the high temperature of heated hair tools can contribute to hair damage through the opening up of hair cuticles leading to a loss of moisture and proteins from the strands affected¹. In addition, repeated and regular use can cause the hair to become dry and dull, which some seek to remedy by further increasing the temperature used, to achieve the same effect when first starting to use the tool.

Signs of hair damage caused by heated tools

Using excessively high temperatures can also cause hair to become brittle, leading to breakage, split ends, and frizz. In severe cases, excessive heat styling can even lead to hair loss and thinning regardless of age or original strength and vitality of the hair before commencing hot tool usage.

Use a lower temperature setting

Use the lowest temperature setting possible on your hot tool that will still effectively style your hair and avoid any harsh pulling and tugging movements with the tool, particularly when you are feeling rushed. Avoid styling your hair with the highest temperature setting available as this can cause the most damage and may even be permanent, resulting in longer term hair problems such as loss of hair, thinning and low porosity.

Limit frequency of use

Try to limit your heat styling habits to no more than once or twice a week and opting for hairstyles that don't require heated tools. Many traditional methods of heatless hair styling are the perfect way to go, such as plaits or a low ponytail. By allowing your hair to be free of the regular onslaught of heat, the natural oils produced by your sebaceous glands are also able to naturally soften strands and reduce frizz effectively.

Use heat protectant products

The use of heat protectant products can go someway to help shield your hair from excessive heat exposure. They come in all manner of applications including sprays, oils and serums. Apply these liberally to all sections of your hair ahead of styling with heat to minimise damage to the cuticle of the hair shaft in particular.

Selecting your heated hair styling tool

It's important to select high-quality, well-maintained styling tools that offer an adjustable temperature option to suit your hair type. Finer and more delicate strands will benefit greatly from the lowest temperature setting whilst those with thicker, coarser hair can endure higher temperatures. Selecting a controllable temperature heated tool based on your hair type and texture will allow you to reduce the level of heat applied to the absolute minimum to achieve your desired style, contributing to the health and quality of your hair over the longer term.

Minimising hair damage

With proper care and caution, you can enjoy the benefits of heat styling without causing significant damage to your hair. As the entire Phoenix Crown range is created from pure Virgin human strands, the same cautious approach should be utilised for hot tool application to responsibly protect your luxury clip in Virgin human hair extensions from unnecessary damage.

Phoenix Crown Virgin human hair extensions do not produce their own natural oils, thereby lengthening the time in between washes. In addition, as they are not worn overnight, any style achieved by applying heat is easily maintained. The Phoenix Crown HairPod^® is the perfect solution to store your hair extensions overnight or when not in use, intelligently minimising the risk of damage to further increase the longevity and health of your Virgin human hair extensions.

For Reference:

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30861299/