One third of Women own and use a hair iron and 1 in 5 men too, own one as well.
Even though most people see their hair strengtheners as their “hair best friend”, but we seem to think it’s the opposite. The convenience and easy use of a hair straightener has made society lazy when it comes to hair styling (rarely blow drying properly). But do you know the extent of damage you are doing to your hair?
Here are some eye opening facts about your soon-to-be “Ex best friend”.
Breakage: Constant hair straightening (3 – 7 times a week) causes damage to your hair cuticle resulting in brittle, split ends and frequent hair breakage. How? Repeated straightening causes a breakdown in the cuticle. The ‘slates’ start to lift and the rough, uneven surface exposes the cortex, allowing the fibres to unravel. This starts as split ends, but can reach all the way up the hair, causing it to break off. Think of your hair as if it was your skin, how would your skin look after a weeks worth of 180 degree + heat applied to it?
Porosity: Straightening causes cuticle damage and therefore, increases your hair level of porosity (your hairs ability to retain moisture). Individuals who have a high level of porosity suffer from constant dryness, breakage, “fluffy” ends, more susceptible to chemical damage during the colour penetration process and have trouble retaining semi, demi and permanent hair colour.
Pre-mature Aging: Straightener’s as we can see promote brittle, dry, breaking and porous hair. This means the quality and integrity of your hair is very, very poor. Straightener’s bring on the onset of pre-mature aging of the hair shaft. The hair is no longer healthy, it’s struggling to hold on and stay intact.
Increased Frizz: The more you straighten, the more Frizz you will eventually create. Women control this new “frizz” by straightening the hair even more, which dries and damages it further, causing yet more frizzing, which requires more straightening and so on. It’s a vicious cycle isn’t it?
The Addiction: Its easy, its convenient and it’s far more cheaper than going to a salon, but the “looks” it provide are addictive and deadly for your hair…
Growth Issues: Combine all the issues above and you’ve got some serious hair problems. Even though your hair is growing from the roots, you will rarely notice any gain in length due to the damage you have causes to the mid shaft and ends from previous straightening. Noticeable hair growth will be unlikely. The only think you will notice is how thin your hair is getting…
Appearance: Your hair will look singed, thin, and ratty. No ones ideal hair ☹
Wait, there is hope and you still may get to use your “friend”… sometimes.
Our 5 top tips on how you can manage this issue:
– Straighten your hair MAX once a week (weekends?)
- Always use thermal protection on your hair before straightening such as our La Biosthétique “Heat Protector” which protects your hair up to 220 degrees!
- Blow dry your hair properly first and be sure to put in moisturises such as La Biosthétique “Therm-O-Flat” or “Hydrating Spa Fluid Cream”, then spray your “Heat Protectant” and straighten on low heat (180 degrees). Section your hair into quadrants to make the process easier. Using a fine tooth comb, take a thin section of one of the quadrants, place the straightener in front and straighten down the section slowly. Avoid going over the same section more than twice (even that’s pushing it). Repeat until whole head is complete.
- Keratin Straightening Relaxing Treatment – If you naturally have curly or frizzy hair it may be time to consider Keratin Straightening such as our Alfaparf Keratin Hair Treatment (suitable for Blondes and Brunettes). Keratin will not straighten out your curl; instead it will “relax” the curl and enabling you to maintain a sleeker and smoother hairstyle. It can last up to 4 months*
- Purchase a straightener with an adjustable thermal gage like our CloudNine Irons. This will allow you to choose your desired heat range. The most effective and less damaging* setting is 180 degrees. For finer hair types and areas such as the hair line or back on the nape try using less than 180 degrees.
- Leave it to the professionals at Radical Hair; we’ll get your sleek look without the straightener and tong it properly prepping with the right products!
