How to Prevent Heat From Damaging Your Hair: Essential Tips

Hair is one of the most precious features of a person's body. It can make someone feel confident and powerful. However, hair can also be damaged very easily.

In this blog post, you will learn some essential tips on how to prevent heat from damaging your hair. By following these simple tips, you can keep your hair healthy and looking great!

How heat damage happens

Hair is made up of keratin, a type of protein. When hair is exposed to heat, the keratin is damaged. This can cause the straight hair to become dry, brittle, and prone to breakage.

There are several ways that heat can damage hair. Heating tools such as flat or curling irons, straighteners, and hair dryers can cause heat damage. The sun can also damage hair, as can using too much heat styling product.

How to identify heat-damaged hair

Heat-damaged hair has a number of telltale symptoms. After too many blow-drying treatments, your hair may begin to exhibit the signs of overheated styling: It becomes more difficult to manage and doesn't hold its form as well when styled. Some signs that your hair has heat damage, include:

• split ends or ends that easily break off

• Extremely dry hair

• Hair breakage

• Rough hair texture

• Difficulty styling your hair or brushing them

• Grey nodules are commonly found on the tips of hair strands.

• hair that tangles and knots easily

Tips for how to prevent heat damage to hair

Following are tips to avoid heat damaged hair:

1. Limit Heat Use

Most beauty experts advocate that you should use the lowest possible heat setting on iron or blow-dryer to get your desired look. Most hairstylists say that going above 410°F is not a good idea since this high heat actually begins to melt the keratin in your hair.

Also, keep in mind that hot tools like hot iron should be used for a short period of time. When utilizing a curling iron, wrap your hair around it for no longer than 10 seconds at once to minimize damage.

2. Use a high-quality shampoo and conditioner

Using a good quality shampoo and conditioner is essential for keeping your hair healthy. Look for products that contain heat-protection ingredients, such as glycerin or panthenol. Professionals always recommend using a high-quality shampoo and conditioner that's free of sulfates, parabens, and other common ingredients that can strip hair, leaving it dry and brittle.

3. Air dry whenever possible

If you try air-drying your hair more than needed, the heat from a blow dryer is much more damaging than the heat from the sun. In addition, avoid using any type of hot tool on wet hair, as this will make the hair even more susceptible to heat damage

4. Use a heat protectant

Protect hair from heat damage by spraying it with a heat-protectant spray every time you need to apply direct heat. These hair-saving styling products prevent heat transmission from the device to your hair. Heat protectants, on the other hand, do not guarantee that your hair will be free of harm; thus, hot tools should be utilized cautiously.

5. No heat-styling on wet hair

When you apply hot tools like straighteners or curling or flat iron to damp hair, you're essentially frying your hair. Wet or even damp hair is far more delicate than dry hair. The heat from the tools transforms moisture into steam as it leaves, causing harm to the hair strand as it escapes. Only utilize these hot tools on completely dry hair to avoid damage.

6. Use hair masks regularly

You always need to replenish your hair's natural moisture after heat styling. Hair masks are a great way to nourish and protect your hair from heat damage. There are many different types of masks on the market, so you can find one that best suits your needs. Choose a hair mask that contains ingredients like shea butter, avocado oil, coconut oil or other natural oils to help repair hair damage.

7. Trim your hair Regularly

As you grow older, your hair goes through a natural process of thinning. This is because the hair follicles get smaller and produce shorter, finer strands of hair. To keep your hair looking its best, it's important to trim it regularly. Having a regular haircut will remove any damaged ends and help keep your hair healthy and strong.

8. Always moisturize and deep condition your hair beforehand 

When you're ready to use the hot tools on your hair, first wash it as usual and then deep-condition it, allowing it to rest for the amount of time stated on the bottle. This will help smooth and strengthen your hair while making it easier to straighten. After that, dry your hair as much as possible with a microfiber towel.

9. Try more heat-free styling techniques

Avoid heat altogether by using heat-free hair styling methods. Foam curlers are ideal for tight ringlets, while self-fastening hook-and-loop rollers work well for smooth waves. Updos and braids are also fantastic ways to style your hair.

10. Protect your hair from the sun

The sun can also be damaging to your hair, so it's important to use sunscreen on your hair when you're going to be outside for an extended period of time. Look for a sunscreen that contains UV filters and other ingredients that will help protect your hair against the sun's rays.

11. Take a break from hot tools

If you're noticing that your hair is becoming more and more damaged, it might be time to take a break from using heat style. Allow your hair to recover by using other methods of styling, like bobby pins, headbands, or gel. You can also try out different hairstyles that don't require the use of hot tools.

12. Eat a healthy diet

A balanced diet is essential for maintaining healthy hair. Make sure you're getting enough protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, and E to keep your locks looking their best. Foods that are high in antioxidants can also help protect your hair from damage.

Best hair protection techniques against heat  

1. Regular heating style for your hair is not a smart idea. Heat should be used only once or twice a month, and it's best to avoid using it too frequently.

2. Make sure the salon or stylists are aware of how to properly care for natural hair, especially when it comes to heat styling. Also, be sure you know what temperature setting is appropriate for your hair type.

3. Use adjustable temperature titanium or ceramic flat irons to style your hair. Adjustable temperature dials are superior for regulating heat compared to ordinary on-off or high-low switches.

4. Look for 1800-watt ionic hair dryers if you have medium to long hair. These speed up the drying process and prevent heat damage.

5. To prevent your hair from overheating, move your heat tools through it throughout the styling process.

6. Keeping your heat tools clean and in operating condition is crucial.

7. The best time to apply heat to your hair is when it's damp or wet. Towel-dry it first and then apply a heat protection serum or cream before using the hot tools.

8. Don’t brush your hair while it’s wet as this will cause more damage. Wait until it's at least partially dry before brushing it with a wide-tooth comb.

9. Finally, use a cold water rinse at the end of every shower to close the hair cuticles and lock in the moisture.

10. Consider using a deep conditioner at least once a week to keep your hair healthy and strong.

How to repair heat damaged hair

If you think your hair is heat-damaged, it's time to put down the curling iron and start repairing it.

1. Follow a cleansing regimen for damaged hair

Use a shampoo and conditioner that's been designed to cleanse and nourish your hair. Toppik Hair Building Shampoo and Conditioner includes keratin, the protein that makes up the hair. This additional keratin promotes the growth of strong hair while repairing damage on the outside of strands. These formulations also contain no drying sulfates.

2. Avoid hair colors

If your hair is damaged, you might want to skip the dye and chemical treatments. Heat-damaged hair can be damaged even more by hair dyes, in particular bleach. If you have to color your hair, seek advice from a hairstylist about less aggressive choices like ammonia-free dYES or semi-permanent formulations.

If you have damaged strands, your hairstylist can help you discover a color that works for you without causing further damage to your hair.

3. Use a leave-in conditioner

Leave-in conditioners are a fantastic way to give dry, split hair more moisture. Make your own leave-in conditioner by combining 1 cup of distilled water with 3 teaspoons of conditioner in a spray bottle and shaking well. Spray your DIY leave-in conditioner on damp hair to keep it hydrated while detangling.

4. Get a trim

If none of these procedures works, it's time to get a haircut. Damaged hair may be beyond help in some cases. To restore the bounce and appearance of your hair, get regular trims to remove damaged split ends. Try ViviscalTM hair growth supplements for increasing healthy hair development and strengthening strands for fuller, thicker hair.

5. Get hair treatment

If you've tried all of the above, it might be time to get a hair treatment. A hair treatment will help to deeply penetrate the hair shaft with nutrients and moisture, restoring it to its former glory. Try our Hair Restoration Treatment, which uses a blend of natural ingredients like argan oil, keratin, and lavender oil to help heal and protect your hair.