Heat-Damaged Hair: What Heat Changes and How to Adjust Your Routine

Heat is part of many hair routines.

A silk press.

A blowout.

A curling iron.

A hot comb.

Heat styling itself isn’t automatically “bad.”

The issue is how much heat the hair experiences, how frequently, and what condition the strand is in before and after styling.

Heat can affect the fiber

Hair is made of keratin.

Repeated high temperatures can alter the way the fiber behaves.

Customers may notice:

• increased dryness;
• reduced elasticity;
• increased breakage;
• rougher-feeling ends;
• loss of curl definition; or
• hair that responds differently to water.

More passes mean more exposure

Repeatedly running a hot tool over the same section increases total heat exposure.

Work in controlled sections and avoid unnecessary repeat passes.

Temperature matters

Higher is not automatically better.

Use the lowest effective temperature appropriate for your hair and desired style.

Chemically processed, fine, or already-fragile hair may require particular caution.

Preparation matters

Start with properly cleansed and conditioned hair.

Avoid using high heat as a substitute for detangling.

Recovery is not overnight

If hair has been significantly affected by heat, one mask will not instantly reverse every change.

Focus on:

• conditioning;
• reduced heat frequency;
• gentle manipulation; and
• gradually trimming ends that are no longer manageable when appropriate.