Heat to seal ends and prevent splits?

[Hay_jules]

I stumbled across this local salon that does this Thermocut, where they heat the scissors and it "seals" the ends and supposedly prevents split ends. They also do a split end treatment by twisting the hair and burning the ends sticking out (presumably mostly splits) with a candle flame.

Im not considering going there but found it interesting and was curious to see what people's thoughts are on this. Has anyone heard of or seen anything like it? Any scientific merrit to it?

http://www.strandsvancouver.com/gastown-hair-and-skin/strands-services/hair-works-women-men-children/cut-works/

[pili]

Someone posted a thread a while ago of a barber burning hair as a form of hair straightening (I think?). Personally, I would think it would cause more damage than just a good sharp pair of scissor.

[draysmir]

I've heard of the candle flame method, and while I don't have any scientific proof of this, I feel like it would not work the way they say it does at all. Putting a flame on your hair does NOT sound very healthy to me. Heat tools damage your hair because of the temperature, how would a candle flame be any different? Even if that method does work, I would never try it because it just sounds terrifying haha. If anyone wants to argue my opinion, feel free :)

[Hay_jules]

I can't see how that wouldn't be damaging. The heated scissors I can see the logic behind, theoretically it could cauterize the end. But the open candle flame idea makes me cringe.

[pili]

I can't see how that wouldn't be damaging. The heated scissors I can see the logic behind, theoretically it could cauterize the end. But the open candle flame idea makes me cringe.

Wouldn't that create a hard end, like the end of a burnt paracord. I'd think that would be more prone to damage

[Hay_jules]

Wouldn't that create a hard end, like the end of a burnt paracord. I'd think that would be more prone to damage

Yeah perhaps, I can see that too lol. It would be great of someone who had a microscope could test it out on shed hairs.

[Hay_jules]

I've heard of the candle flame method, and while I don't have any scientific proof of this, I feel like it would not work the way they say it does at all. Putting a flame on your hair does NOT sound very healthy to me. Heat tools damage your hair because of the temperature, how would a candle flame be any different? Even if that method does work, I would never try it because it just sounds terrifying haha. If anyone wants to argue my opinion, feel free :)

Yes exactly. And anyone who's used a lighter to stop the end of a rope or string from fraying knows how it gets that melted, bulbous end...i picture that happening to the hair.

[pili]

Yes exactly. And anyone who's used a lighter to stop the end of a rope or string from fraying knows how it gets that melted, bulbous end...i picture that happening to the hair.

Maybe that's why the link says it makes thin hair feel thicker?

Also, I love how the stylist recommends redoing it every 6 to 8 weeks. Look, an extra two weeks of hair growth before you have to treat it for splits again again....

[mira-chan]

Yeah perhaps, I can see that too lol. It would be great of someone who had a microscope could test it out on shed hairs.
I'll see what I can do on that. I have access to a microscope and shed hairs. I just don't have the time to do this for the next couple weeks. I will try it when I can.

[youngtundra]

Yes exactly. And anyone who's used a lighter to stop the end of a rope or string from fraying knows how it gets that melted, bulbous end...i picture that happening to the hair.

That's exactly what I pictured!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

But hair isn't flesh that can be cauterised - not does it contain anything meltable like some ropes or string, surely the heat would just cause the hair to burn away and crumble into ash, not seal or cauterise. No way is anyone going to do that to my hair!

[mira-chan]

But hair isn't flesh that can be cauterised - not does it contain anything meltable like some ropes or string, surely the heat would just cause the hair to burn away and crumble into ash, not seal or cauterise. No way is anyone going to do that to my hair!

Hair is made of protein. When exposed to heat, protein changes shape. It won't turn to ash if the heat is lower or moisture is involved. Think of how egg changes as it cooks. That is from protiens changing shape.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Hair is made of protein. When exposed to heat, protein changes shape. It won't turn to ash if the heat is lower or moisture is involved. Think of how egg changes as it cooks. That is from protiens changing shape.

Ah - thank you, mira-chan. But a candle flame would be pretty hot *shudder* and whatever it does to the ends, it's not for me. Ewww....

[mira-chan]

Ah - thank you, mira-chan. But a candle flame would be pretty hot *shudder* and whatever it does to the ends, it's not for me. Ewww....
Yes if note careful, especially on dry hair, it would make the hair ball up and melt a bit in a way that would make those chunks just fall off or feel unpleasant.

Hot scissors on damp hair I think wouldn't have a bad effect. Not a huge difference though. I think, either.

[MoonRabbit]

In the commentary for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory, the actor who played Veruca Salt said the hairstylist on set cut her hair with a candle flame. You can see the progression of shortness and damage throughout the film.

[_fred_]

Weirdly enough, I came across this yesterday: http://www.vintagevictorian.com/costume_1890_hair.html

It's an article from 1894, and the writer talks about burning vs cutting the hair: 'After the hair has been smoothly combed or brushed, clip all split ends. Clipping is more beneficial than singeing, and is less dangerous when a woman takes care of her own hair.'

I just thought it was interesting that people are still using/reviving old techniques or putting a new twist on them. Personally, I'd be very wary of it (especially singing splits!), it sounds like something that would cause more damage - I'm intrigued by the pictures on the salon's website for the thermocut though, but I'd want to see some proof by way of a peer-reviewed paper before trusting it.

[Aphra]

I'd just like to point out that anyone who comes near my head with an open flame is being doused in a bucket of water for their own good...

[-Fern]

I will do some digging to see if I can find it again... Someone once posted microscope photos of hair that had been singed vs. cut vs. razor-cut. The singed hair, as mentioned above, had a bulbous, melted look to it, but it was also fragile. TL;DR - in the short term, it will look fine, but in the long term, it is damaging.

ETA: I couldn't find what I was looking for, but these are cool microscope pics (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=47891&page=3&p=1112056&viewfull=1#post1112056) nonetheless! :cool:

ETA: Google helped, though: Hair ends (http://images.slideplayer.com/12/3450040/slides/slide_18.jpg) and less dramatic singed hair (http://www.labworld.co.uk/user/products/large/3b-human-hair-and-scalp-microscope-slides-5[2].jpg)

[Aredhel]

I've burned hair before on lighters, cigarettes and soldering irons and there's nothing good about how that smells/sounds... my instincts tell me that hair should not be burned.