We can’t avoid heat styling no matter how hard we try. Heat tools are fantastic for creating beautiful hairstyles, from straightening to adding waves. But how damaging is heat styling to your hair? In short, damaged hair and excessive heat styling are inextricably linked. If you don’t protect your hair from the rigours of a heat tool, it could dry out or cause your hair colour to fade.

It’s not always possible to put down your heat tools for good, but it doesn’t have to be. You must take extra precautions if you want to continue using your curling irons, straighteners, and blow dryer. Here are a few hair-styling tips that everyone should know.

How to identify heat-damaged hair?

The early symptoms of heat-damaged hair are pretty obvious. You may start to see signs of over-styling after a few blow-dry sessions. It’s more challenging to manage and doesn’t hold its shape when styled.

The following are some signs that your hair has been heat-damaged:

• Split ends
• Hair shafts with white nodules at the end
• Overly dry hair
• Rough or stringy hair texture
• Having trouble styling or brushing your hair
• Hair that tangles and knots easily
• Hair breakage

How to treat heat-damaged hair?

Your hair’s type and degree of heat damage will determine which hair treatment is best for you.

• Curly hair

For natural curls, seal moisture back into your hair follicles. Hair masks and deep-conditioning treatments rich in moisturising ingredients, such as shea butter and argan oil, can help restore bouncyness to your hair and also support hair growth. Choose moisture-rich conditioners containing coconut oil, avocado, or aloe vera to assist your hair follicles.

• Straight hair

Straight hair can appear dry and brittle due to heat damage. It can also make split ends appear more prominent and make it more difficult for your hair to lie flat. To restore your hair’s gloss, concentrate on restoring natural proteins.

Leave-in protein hair treatment containing yoghurt, honey, and olive oil can help restore natural bonds in your hair, making damage less visible. Keratin-rich conditioning sprays can also help heal broken bonds in the hair follicles.

• Chemically treated hair

Colouring your hair with bleach or changing your hair’s shape with a perm can result in heat damage.  Your hair’s sheen can be restored with a hair mask or professional deep-conditioning treatment from a salon.

Hair Styling tips to avoid heat damage

Here are some tips every hair stylist should know.

1. Apply a heat protector

This may seem obvious, but when styling with a heat tool, you should always use a heat protectant. Consider applying a heat protectant, like sunscreen, before leaving the house. Hair protection products keep your hair healthy and prevent your hair from losing its colour.

2. Choose the correct temperature

You should style your hair at the appropriate temperature after spraying it with a heat protectant. Because thinner, more delicate hair is more prone to damage, styling your strands at a lower temperature is always preferable. Keep the temperature under 200 degrees Fahrenheit when curling or straightening your hair.

3. Be aware of the rule: one and done

When styling your hair with a heat tool, avoid running your tool over the same section of hair repeatedly. While it may appear that you are reinforcing the hairstyle or direction, you may actually be causing damage. One pass should be sufficient if your hot tool is set to the correct temperature.

4. Check your frequency

Determine how frequently you use hot tools on your hair. No matter how careful you are, your hair may become brittle and damaged if you use your irons too frequently. Try creating heatless hairstyles on days when you don’t want to use your curling iron.

5. Finish with a hair mask

After heat styling, you should always replenish your hair’s natural moisture. Use a hydrating hair mask once a week and request a protein hair treatment every time you visit the salon. By combining these two treatments, you can keep your hair healthy and strong. While going for a hair mask always go for a hair product that is organic. Organic hair products not only support hair growth but also add shine to it.

Try heatless hairstyles when you don’t want to use a curling iron or straightener to style your hair. Several beautiful and simple hairstyles don’t require a hot tool, whether it’s a sleek fishtail braid or a messy updo. Keep a few bobby pins and your favourite hairspray on hand for added hold.

Would you like to learn more about heat styling? Find out how to protect your hair from damage by talking to Perth’s best hair stylists at Chilli Couture. Without cutting your hair, Chilli Couture can help restore its shine and strength within a few weeks, depending on the severity of the damage.

What are you waiting for? Drop by Perth’s best Hair Indulgence Salon and experience the best organic hair salon in Perth.