Will heat one time irreversibly damage hair?

[Prism]

Ok, I feel kind of silly asking this, but I'm wondering if just one time blow drying hair with a round brush or using a flat iron will irreversibly damage my hair. I recall there was somebody else on these boards who had said that they saw hot steam come off their hair once, and their hair got lots of splits and breaks up the hair shaft not long after. They said the moisture from the core of the hair was burned off (or something like that), and their hair was never the same again. I have seen steam when I used to blow dry, but I stopped using heat tools a year ago. Currently I have few splits and none of those white dots further up the hair shaft--something that used to happen when I used a blow dryer but not since.

I have photos coming up, and I really want to straighten my hair with a round brush or flat iron. I DO have TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray, but I don't know how well heat protection sprays actually work.

And which is kinder to hair--blow dryer or flat iron? When I use the flat iron, it's not for any layer but the top. When I blow dry, it's mostly the top layer, but all of the hair gets some heat to some extent.

Your thoughts, please. Thanks!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Anything you use that is too hot to hold against your skin is going to damage your hair, whether it's a blow drier or a flat iron. If you use a blow drier on warm or cool and hold it some inches away from your hair, it won't do any harm. As for the flat iron, it probably belongs somewhere where you will never find it :p

[Groovy Granny]

The blow dryer is fine ....if not extremely hot and your hand can stand the air stream.

I warm/cool blow dry my scalp with every shampoo and occasionally use my hot air curler brush for my tendrils, or to fix a wonky wave if I am wearing it down for a special occasion.

I do use heat protectant spray .....but to use a flat iron....IMHO that is too much direct heat :tmi:

[Rowdy]

I can use a flat iron fine but the blow dryer+round brush combo even just once will destroy my hair. I usually let my hair air dry for 12 - 24 hours before and I only use heat protectants that don't have water in them to minimize steam damage.

You could also test out both ways on a small section of hair to see what the damage is before you do your entire head.

[chomsky]

I'm a firm believer in enjoying your hair, for me that means straightening my hair, or even adding curls with a curler sometimes. I've never had irreversibly damage from doing twice a year (as I have done for the past 2 years) straightens. Never. I'm very much *not* on team "no heat tools".

If the quality of your hair is compromised to begin with (you're still growing out damage, it's dry, needing protein etc.) you'll be more prone to damage. Healthy hair not so much. So do some treatments first if you want.

Honestly irreversible heat damage is hard to get with just *one* heat application, imo. Obviously all hair is different. Mine took years and a bleaching to get to the point of no return. Just be careful and use a heat protectant. :o

Edit: I must say that after Nov 2015 I've done my hair (well I get my mum to, I've no idea how to do it myself) at home. It was done horribly by a hair dresser, using pomade, not a heat protectant. It didn't cause irreversible heat damage, my curls were still there, but I did cut a couple inches because she also cut it bad.

[HopelssRomantic]

I don't have a blow dryer anymore, but I do still like to flat iron my hair occasionally (maybe once every 6-8 weeks or so). While I don't see as much breakage as I used to when I was ironing my hair every other week, there's still some damage. Mostly it feels a bit dry after and tangles faster (probably because it's dry, lol). So no, I don't think you'll be able to get away without any damage, but at least cutting down to only doing it every once in a while will help keep away most of the damage.

[Arctic]

I've never seen steam from blow drying? How does that even happen with normal blowdryer? :ponder:

Gentle blow drying is better than irons. We have many threads about a comparison between the two, if you want to search. Also I know I have, and other have too, written in detail about how to blow dry your hair gently. Maybe search for those posts too.

[lapushka]

I would rough blow dry to about 80% (just blow the hair around, no brush). Then separate into sections and go section by section with a round brush, keep the temperature on warm (not hotter than your hand can stand), not hot. Then the few frizzies you still have you can get out here and there with a straightener.

[Prism]

Thank you all for your responses! It looks like most say that a blow dryer on warm won't cause *that* much damage, if it damages at all. Most of the length that would be blow dried under using a round brush is already damaged from coloring. I haven't colored for more than a year now, so hopefully the virgin hair will not be so prone to damage as the rest is. Thanks again!

[Dark40]

I blow-dry my hair three or more times a week, and I've been do so for many years. Ever since I was a teen in the mid 1980s, and I've never had any irreversibly damaged hair. Nowadays, I can also even use a flat-iron once or twice a week. Back in the mid 1980s I've also used curling-irons as well wihout any problems too.

You just have to be careful at how hot you put the temperature. Not too hot where your hand can stand it, and always use a heat protectant.

[Blue Mermaid]

Everyone's hair is different. For me; I straightened my hair for a wedding last october. Ever since, I've been S&D'ing every week, and the splits will not stop coming! I seriously wish I had just left my hair the hell alone. I used a redken heat protectant, but my hair still suffered. I'm going to be microtrimming for a while to get my hair back to where it was.

[Stray_mind]

I think it depends a lot on your hair type. Heat styling is a big No no for My hair, except a blowdrier on cool or low heat setting.

But for other hair types it seems to be ok doing it once or a few times.

I am with Suze on this-You should Enjoy your hair and if it means straightening/curling it once in a while-go for it!

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

Its been years since I have used the straightener all over.
The last time I did use it -- my hair had dye and bleach still in it, so yes.
I saw damage.
But now my hair is healthier, so I honestly dont know.

I have the idea that my hair is healthy now, and if one use might *might* MIGHT damage my hair, I wont take that chance.
No matter how little the chance might be. Not worth the risk! My hair straightener does touch my bangs every once in awhile.
But my bangs are really short so I cant really say if those strands got damaged at all either.

Its really dependent on both your hair type and HEALTH of your hair too.

[SpottedBackson]

I have seen smoke, not steam come off my hair when someone used a blow dryer on it but it didn't appear to cause any damage. I only have heat used on my hair when I go to the hairdresser (I think I leave with wet hair next time) but I have definitely noticed this happening. Maybe it is the heat protectant they use smoking/evaporating off? Or other products? If you don't use shampoo than the natural oils in your hair can smoke if you apply heat to it, at least that's what my hairdresser told me when I was a water-only washer but I still notice the smoking now that I use shampoo.

[MusicalSpoons]

Technically yes, the damage caused by straighteners/flat irons is irreversible, and they *will* cause damage. The question is whether you'll see that damage, and whether your hair can tolerate it. Same with damage caused by too hot or too rough blow-drying. Any damage (heat, chemical, mechanical) is irreversible, but there are ways to mitigate the consequences and help your hair 'cope' with it.

[lapushka]

Smoke coming off of hair is never good; it means her blow dryer is too hot! Next time (please don't leave with wet hair), ask her to please put the blow dryer on a lower heat setting. My mantra for blow dryers is this: if you can hold your hand in the airstream for a long time without it burning, the temperature is *fine* to be used on the hair, if you can't even for a second hold your hand in there, it's *too hot*. I'm actually surprised that if the steam was coming off the hair due to the blow dryer that your scalp could tolerate the heat. ?! That seems so odd to me.

[SpottedBackson]

I'm actually surprised that if the steam was coming off the hair due to the blow dryer that your scalp could tolerate the heat. ?! That seems so odd to me.

I know! I was surprised too and that's why I wasn't worried about the heat. Maybe she's really skilled at keeping it off my scalp?

[lapushka]

I know! I was surprised too and that's why I wasn't worried about the heat. Maybe she's really skilled at keeping it off my scalp?

Yeah, that could be it! :)

[Kalamazoo]

I wonder if having fine hair, medium, or coarse makes any difference? I suppose coarser hair could take slightly more before showing signs.

[Elizabeth E]

Everyone's hair is different of course but the last time I straightened my hair - at the start of 2018 - I got absolutely no growth for a few months. I didn't even have the straightener on a super high heat setting - I think it was 160 degrees. But do what works for you :)

[MidnightMoon]

Old thread, but I'm surprised people have never seen steam coming out of hair that's being blow dryed or straightened lol. I mean, obviously, if you have anything near wavy or curly hair you will need a hot tool to make it perfectly straight, and heat+water in your hair.. =steam.
Go to any hair salon for people with curly or afro hair who want stick straight hair and you will be amazed, I guess...

I have fine hair and can use a blow dryer or a straightener every now and then just fine. Hair is still at tailbone and I even dye it. A lot of people use heat tools. If using them were sooo horrible they would be bald by then. I will say from my own experience that sometimes your hair can be as healthy as possible but still look average-bad and nobody will appreciate it (not even you, when you see you look like a poodle with frizz, with a super boring hair colour and a protective style that doesn't suit your face) or your hair can be in medium or just decent condition but flatter your face, outfit, make you feel better, have a cool shade or bold style and actually look better or healthier than in its natural state. One can deceive oneself thinking "oh, but I *know* mine is actually healthy" but in reality nobody cares. Better enjoy your hair today because tomorrow you don't know.

[blackgothicdoll]

Old thread, but I'm surprised people have never seen steam coming out of hair that's being blow dryed or straightened lol. I mean, obviously, if you have anything near wavy or curly hair you will need a hot tool to make it perfectly straight, and heat+water in your hair.. =steam.
Go to any hair salon for people with curly or afro hair who want stick straight hair and you will be amazed, I guess...

I have fine hair and can use a blow dryer or a straightener every now and then just fine. Hair is still at tailbone and I even dye it. A lot of people use heat tools. If using them were sooo horrible they would be bald by then. I will say from my own experience that sometimes your hair can be as healthy as possible but still look average-bad and nobody will appreciate it (not even you, when you see you look like a poodle with frizz, with a super boring hair colour and a protective style that doesn't suit your face) or your hair can be in medium or just decent condition but flatter your face, outfit, make you feel better, have a cool shade or bold style and actually look better or healthier than in its natural state. One can deceive oneself thinking "oh, but I *know* mine is actually healthy" but in reality nobody cares. Better enjoy your hair today because tomorrow you don't know.

Just wanna say I appreciate this post. I hate when I feel upset and guilty for straightening my hair, even though I enjoy the results and getting to play with my length. Obviously I try not to get too crazy with it, but I think there is a balance or there's no point in growing my hair if I'll never get to enjoy it.