I Quit Flat Ironing My Hair

[mellycurls]

Hi everyone! A quick history of my hair : I have medium length (few inches past my collar bone) brown, wavy/curly hair. I've been wanting to grow my hair out for several years but have never commited to it. I am desperate to have long hair so i've decided to quit styling my hair with heat products. BIG CHANGE FOR ME! I have always styled my hair every single day, and I think that's why it hasn't been growing. I was wondering if any one else has done this? If so, how much has it helped the growth of your hair? Also, did anyone feel very self concious at first? I feel like everyone is looking at me like, "Giiirl you need to do something with your hair." I need some encouragement : ) : ) thanks and happy growing!

[swivelhop]

Ditching the flatiron will definately improve your hair's condition. There are tons of styles w/o heat here for 3a/b hair. When you're no longer a 'new member' you can browse the albums and get so many ideas. (The gibson-tuck looks amazing on 3/4 hair) Someone out there is thinking, "Giiirl you're your hair is so flat and straight, why don't you curl it!"

[LittleOrca]

I know what you mean by having an invisible audience! (Feeling as though everyone is watching you and you need to please them all by fixing yourself up or doing one thing or another.) I have the same feeling when I wear my hair down and my ends decide to clump together one way or the other and make my hair look like it needs a foot cut from it.

Just remember that it does not matter what they think about your hair, but rather what you think. It will be hard to stay positive about hair that is in transition from damaged to healthy, another thing I know about, but this is the perfect place for encouragement and help along your journey.

While I never flat ironed my hair and then had to grow out all the damage, I have been the victim of hair dye for years and I gave it up almost 2 years ago. Since then my hair that has grown back in is like 100% better than my golden ends (strange how chocolate brown hair dye faded into gold.)

I hope someone here can give you information about how they went through their hair process after giving up the flat iron. Good luck and happy growing!

[TinaDenali]

Yay for you! It's a huge leap in the right direction and your hair will thank you.

In the future, I'd suggest not using such tiny font! Perhaps I'm getting old, but I found it really hard to read! :)

[julia941]

I had my hair flat-ironed a couple of times but the steam coming off it frightened me.
I had wavy/curly hair while my hair was growing back in, but now that it has reached its full thickness any hint of curl has been pulled out. I loved "plopping" my hair and forming ringlets around my fingers to help shape the curls and then letting them dry naturally. I got many compliments and comments from people who had tried to perm their hair to the same effect. It might take some getting used to, but try and embrace your curls and remember that everybody with straight hair is jealous! :)

[julia941]

I had my hair flat-ironed a couple of times but the steam coming off it frightened me.
I had wavy/curly hair while my hair was growing back in, but now that it has reached its full thickness any hint of curl has been pulled out. I loved "plopping" my hair and forming ringlets around my fingers to help shape the curls and then letting them dry naturally. I got many compliments and comments from people who had tried to perm their hair to the same effect. It might take some getting used to, but try and embrace your curls and remember that everybody with straight hair is jealous! :)

[JenniferNoel]

Welcome to LHC! :waving:
Quitting the iron is a great step in the right direction for improving the "quality" of your hair. Keep in mind, however, that once hair is damaged, it is damaged, and no product (even if it claims so) can literally repair your hair, but there are many things you can do to keep it looking healthy, curling properly, and generally boosting it's overall appearance.
You may want to look in to the curly girl method.
And there are a massive number of great treatments to help soften, condition, and shine up previously damaged hair.
Work around and find what your hair likes best, you can find recipes, articles, up-do instructions (for all lengths!) and much much more, right here on this site. Enjoy, and happy growing!

PS. You may find this article helpful, it may be a little elementary but it covers the grounds quite well. http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=39

[helwa]

I did the same thing recently and I know exactly what you mean, for years I hardly even left the house without straightened hair! I think it was about 1.5 months since i threw out my hair straightener, but I'm already starting to feel better about it. I've also started developing new ways of controlling my sometimes quite crazy hair. After washing I let it dry in braids, bun(s) or fasten the front part of my hair behind my ears with duck clips, that way it will stay smooth on top of my head when it dries. It works great even though it doesn't include any heat or styling products what so ever. :)

[KittyLost]

Congratulations for giving up heat-styling! I haven't done that fully yet, I only straighten my bangs.

There's loads of things you can do to keep away the ironing buzz! You can try wrapping for straighter hair (or looser curls in your case) or plopping and braidwaves for enhancing your curls or just experiment with lots of updo's. Then if you think people are staring you know it is because of your awesome updo's.

[alwayssmiling]

Embrace your natural texture! My hair started to grow once I stopped all the heat. In the past it has been in my mind that having poker straight hair is the most socially acceptable style. I have now come to the conclusion that I don't want to look like everyone else anymore - I want to take my natural hair and learn how to make it look good. I've had so many compliments on my hair when I scrunch my waves/curls, it just took me awhile to be educated on how to care for my hair in order for it to look good.

You may want to look into the curly girl method - there is also a good website with a forum called naturallycurly.

[Juneii]

your hair is going to look HORRIBLE a few days after you stop flat ironing, but as you baby your hair and treat it well it will look better than it did before :) glad to see you making your first steps to improving your hair.
Happy growing!

[JulietCapulet]

I only flat iron my bangs. The rest I just blow dry if I have to.

[RachieBaby]

Ahhhhh congrats! I quit flat ironing mine a few months ago! I know what you mean by everyone staring but after a week or 2 using oils etc on my hair it looked better than it ever has before! :) Plus mine seems as though its growing a lot faster :D

[MPringle]

i threw away my flat iron a couple months ago (if it wasn't GONE, i wouldn't be able to stop). at fist i hated the way my hair looked. kinda frizzy and poofy and ugly, but just in the couple months i see a HUGE difference in how healthy it is.. i just put a little tiny bit of coconut oil in it to smooth it out and it looks better than it did when i ironed it. and it's growing so much faster now! just stick it out for a while and you will likely get used to your natural hair and as it improves you will feel less self conscious and possibly even more beautiful than you did before!

[Kathie]

I agree with MPringle, give it a month or two and you'll be wondering why you use to straighten every day.
I really think its a vicious cycle- the straightener damages your hair so in order for it to look good i.e., no frizz etc, you need to keep using it !!

[christine1989]

Way to go! I gave up heat at the beginning of high school because it was making my ends look awful and I felt really self conscious at first. Sometimes even today when I am around people with perfectly styled hair I feel akward but I know that every day I take good care of my hair is another day closer to my goal of long hair. :)

[aenflex]

I have a love/hate relationship with my flat iron. When I keep my hair very short, in a wedge-like bob, I rely on my Chi to make the shape that I want. I love it :( But once I decide grow my hair and it gets past my ears/chin maybe, I have to stop using it. It really is just not conducive to growing for me. Then when I'm noticing other people's hair, I can tell the folks that straighten with irons because the ends of the hair end up so ruined. I hope you are able to keep away from yours for a while :)

[templeofvenus]

I just quit the flat iron about a month ago and the hairdryer too its been literally pretty hair raising for me to do this lol :rolleyes:I occasionally flat iron the fringe only now as that gets regular trims. It is wierd getting used to myself with my own hair just air dried! my hair is getting wavy, it kinks all over the place! I allow myself to blow dry once in a while for special occasions:) I do hope this will help my hair grow in much better condition! it is tough to give all of it up but embrace your natural hair and I am sure it will be better in the long run:)

[Jenn of Pence]

Yes, vicious cycle! You need the flat iron to fix damage, but it causes more damage, which needs even more heat to tame...yep, done that! Tough it out for a few weeks and your hair will calm down and be happier. A low ponytail was my friend for a few weeks. ;) Yes, you'll deal with the hair being permanently "different" from the new growth at the top until it eventually all gets trimmed off. But it can improve a lot!
I'm not as curly as you, but I do know you will find lots of tips and support from folks with similar hair type, and you can probably grow to love your curls, especially if they are healthy!

[TrudieCat]

Ditto to pretty much everything that's already been said here. Give it time, etc.

One thing I noticed is that I don't care as much what people think about my hair, the longer I've been going natural. I'm out of the habit of answering to that invisible audience. It's a good feeling!

[Jezerellica]

Welcome welcome!! I totally understand the feeling of missing the flat iron! I love my hair straight and ironed. I have not thrown my iron away, but I have not used it in months. Just ONE careless experience with a flat iron can ruin months of taking special care of your hair. To me, that is just not worth it. No way. No more blow-frying for me either. My hair is too thin and fine to gamble with.

Good luck! Remember when you need encouragement, to come to your supportive friends here at LHC!! It helps me so much! I am back to curls with no heat and likeing them so much!!!

[Chestershire]

I'm glad I've never ironed my hair. I wanted to own one, but then I'd just throw away an entire year of healthy growing
I do still use the blow dryer twice a week, because my hair dries very slowly, and I don't want to go the school with a wet head. I've bought a heat care spray today from hennaplus, and it smells lovely! It has no cones, If anyone is interested.