How Much Heat Is Right For My Hair – or How Much Heat Can My Hair Take
When it comes to styling hair, it’s easy to want to reach for the curling iron and crank it up to full heat. If you use heat tools like this, you could be doing a lot more harm than good. The extreme heat of some styling tools can break off strands and even burn them. It’s important to learn how to use heat to prevent damaging your hair and still create great styles. So here are our pro tips for figuring out how to best use heat on your hair.
Learn More About Your Hair
Everyone’s hair is different, and further understanding your hair will determine how you use heat to style it.
If you have naturally thick hair, your individual hair strands will have a protective outer layer. This protects the core of your hair strands from outside damage, including heat. If you have thin hair, there are fewer layers to protect the strands, so you should be using less heat when styling.
The health and condition of your hair also play a part in how much heat you can use. Scalps that naturally produce more oil create a protective barrier against heat throughout the hair. So, if you have a little bit more oil build-up, you can use higher heat settings on your styling tools. On the other hand, those with genetically dry hair will benefit from using a lower heat setting to prevent damage. Whenever you use heat on your hair, follow the “one and done” rule: One pass over a section of hair, and move on to the next!
Protect Your Hair
No matter what type of hair you have, everyone should use a heat protectant before going in with a styling tool. A high-quality heat protectant will create a physical protective barrier around your hair strands. Protectants will also add and seal in moisture to your strands, creating further protection for your hair. If you’re on the hunt for a great heat protectant, we can’t get enough of the Oribe Heat Styling Shield here at Elan. Our stylists use it daily to protect our clients’ hair whenever we use heat styling tools.
Take A Break From The Heat
This may seem like an obvious tip, but it’s easy to want to grab the straightener to tame unruly hair every day. Make sure you take a break from heat styling your hair every once in a while to let it rest and recover. When you need to grab the iron again, make sure to use a low setting. It’s good practice to keep your styling tools set between 200 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep it on the lower side for thin hair and bump it up a little for those thick curls.
No matter what style you’re going for, these tips are sure to help you keep your hair healthy. If you’re not sure how to best use heat on your hair, feel free to book a session with one of our stylists! We’ll help you find the right products and styles to keep you and your hair looking great.