One of our most popular articles is Natural Hair Gone Wrong: Heat Damage from Straightening and judging by the comments, heat damage is something that many naturals have experienced along their journey.
This article is not geared to sway you towards or against heat training but to lay out a few facts that will shed some light on a very convoluted and muddy topic. Let’s draw a line in the sand; heat training on one side and heat styling on the other and let’s take a look see.
What is heat training?
Heating training natural hair is when a flat iron, pressing comb, blow dryer, marcel curling irons or any heating appliance is used for the sole purpose of changing, loosening or altering your natural curl pattern. The result is a looser texture throughout the strands of your hair; however, as your hair grows from your scalpit will be your natural curl pattern. The hair slowly loses elasticity, the hydrogen and disulfide bonds are altered slowly but surely and the hair shrinks and coils less. Heat training can be thought of as a slow and methodical process with no visible damage, i.e. breakage, excessive dryness, split ends, etc.
What is heat damage?
Heat damaged natural hair is a result of using heating appliances at too high of a temperature for your hair and/or using the heating appliances too frequently. Let me repeat that, too high of temperatures or too frequent for your hair. As a result of heat damage, the hair becomes excessively dry and brittle, experiences breakage, split ends, etc.
Am I against using heat appliances? Of course not; I transitioned from relaxed hair to natural hair by flat ironing my hair. Read my natural hair story here.
According to the definition above, I heat trained my natural hair but I used my flat irons on the lowest setting possible and my purpose was to blend my textures to avoid breakage, not to make my natural texture bone straight to match my relaxed ends.
What’s my advice?
If you plan to use heating appliances and you want to preserve your natural texture as much as possible, reduce how often you use heat and reduce the temperature of the appliance.
If you plan to use heat, always use a heat protectant, not oil.
If you plan to use heat, always use appliances that have more than an on and off switch. Look for appliances with adjustable heating settings. You need to have the option of turning the temperate down when desired. If your heating appliance has a different temperature control other than Celsius or Fahrenheit, call the manufacture, your hair will depend on it.
If you decide to wear a straight wig or weave, get a full wig or weave and not a partial. This way you do not have to constantly apply heat to your hair to make the textures and curl patterns match. You also have the option of wearing curly styles instead.
Did you know that once the hair no longer returns to it’s natural state of curliness, you have to start over with a big chop or transition to have the curls and coils back that you once had? I think it is too much of a gamble because you don’t know when too much is too much and where that fine line will be drawn and when your hair will not revert back.
Are they the same?
Essentially, I think heat training and heat damage are the same. Although the damage is more gradual to the composition of the hair strand, it is still damaged even if it is not immediately visible.
What are your thoughts on heat training and heat damage?
About Jael Byrd
I personally don’t plan on using heat on my hair ever again. Part of the reason I went natural is because I got tired of smelling my hair burning when I got it done every 2 weeks. But if I have to use it..perhaps to stretch my fro when it gets long enough, I will definitely keep it to a minimum and use protectant! Thanks for the info!
There are definitely alternatives to stretch your afro. You can use a twists (which is what I use), Bantu knots, the banding method, and flat twist to name a few. Also each of those will yield a different lolok, so it depends on what you want. You are most welcome .
I’ve been on a year long journey of transitioning from heat damage. It’s been frustrating at times, but most of my styles blend the two textures together anyway. I’ve done some major chops over the year and am almost completely transitioned. Over the year I flat-ironed about 8 times. Using low heat and heat protectants. Deep conditioning and protein treatments also helped. My hair was never breaking and splitting due to damage so I didn’t big chop. I created my YT channel and blog to show women that they didn’t have to BC, but gave them the warnings to recognize when they should.
It’s all a preference but I’ll continue to flat-iron sporadically. As long as I’m comfortable with my hair and it looks well-preserved, I don’t worry.
Peace & Blessings,
KG
Hi @KG – I agree, heat damage can be extremely frustrating and it’s great that you have found styles that compliment your lifestyle. I totally agree that it’s a personal preference to both flat iron and/or to big chop and it’s great that you were able to find what personally works for you.
Keep up the good work on your journey and good luck on ANNM!
Funny thing about that..the only heating appliance I own is a blow dryer. And I can count on one hand the times I’ve used it. I’ve never really learned how to use a curling iron or pressing comb as it was never my thing. But now as these questions/issues keep coming up, I’m thinking I’m glad my fetish is playing with hair products and trying to make my own!
You guys are so informative..thanks again!
Hi Danielle,
I am/was like you, I never really got the hang of using a flat irons either. I learned to flat irons others hair but did master how to do my own. So because of that, I had to learn how to do other styles that didn’t require heat appliances.
You are welcome and as always, we are happy that we are able to help in anyway possible!
Thanks for your comment,
Jael
I am making the transition from a relaxer. My natural hair has a wavy pattern but because I have not had a perm for close to a year, it is thick and tends to look like I stuck my hand in an electric socket. My hair is shoulder length or a little little and my stylist told me I still have another 6 months to go before I am fully naturual.
To make matters worse, I sweat heavily going through the change & living in a hot climate. I have to blow dry, flat iron, and/or curl my hair everyday or it looks like a lions mane. I am currently wearing a ponytail because that is the only way I can go to work looking presentable. My stylist told me a Brazilian Blowout would be a benefit as i transition. Because of the moisture products and the fact that you can go from curly to straight, I am considreing a Wave Nouvea once my relaxer is all all gone. Any suggestions? I need help!
Hi hm,
Congrats on your transitioning journey and one thing to keep in mind about most natural hair, it grows out before it grows down. So I definitely understand your analogy about the socket.
Just know that if you cut the relaxer ends, you will be fully natural but it seems like the stylist is trimming the relaxer ends on a schedule as you transition. Which is a great way to work on the mental transition of going natural.
I would question why you are growing out your relaxer because it seems like you are trading in the relaxer for other chemicals. Just on the surface, I would definitely suggest staying away from straight styles as curly, rod set type styles are more friendly when transitioning and when working out/sweating.
Thank your for your comment and I would definitely suggest reading: Mental Transition and Natural Hair 101
http://www.naturalhaircommunity.com/the-mental-transition
http://www.naturalhaircommunity.com/natural-hair-101