Hair damage from a bonfire?

[xoxophelia]

I was wondering if anybody could confirm if this can actually happen (ETA my ends are basically destroyed) or if it was only in my head or from the weather. A few days ago some friends had a bonfire and I wore my hair down. It is also a bit dry and cold here. Anyways, when I got back home of course my hair smelled like smoke but it also felt very dry, crunchy, and fly away from static. I shampooed it to get the smell out and conditioned.

But yesterday, the ends felt unusually tangly and when I looked at my ends I suddenly saw quite a few small split ends which I am fairly sure were not there before. I'm going to try to clarify but I have resolved that I will need to cut off about half an inch of the 2" I can trim this year (that is the goal anyways).

Has anybody else ever noticed damage to their hair from a bonfire?

[milagro]

Smoke smell is to be expected :) and is easy to get rid of.
I think in theory standing close to bonfire can damage hair- it is heat. Yet I never noticed any significant extra damage myself though we have frequent sort of barbeque thing with open fire in summertime, and I stand by and turn quite a lot. I normally put my hair up though.
Be careful next time :flower:

[ddiana1979]

I would try an SMT. If that doesn't help, I guess a Search & Destroy mission for splits is your only option. :( Sorry. :(

[Darkhorse1]

Before any trimming, also try olive oil. You've singed the ends of your hair, which is why it's feeling...fried. Diana is right though, a mini micro trim just to remove the singed ends should help.

Try getting a melted marshmallow out of long golden blond hair of a pre-teen ;) And a collie. Ugh---bone fires are great, but the aftermath, not so much :D

[xoxophelia]

Thank you for the help ladies. I followed the suggestions.. I did a mini S&D session and I did a mixture of olive oil/honey/and VO5 on my ends. When I was done showering, I did an ACV rinse on the ends as well. Thank goodness all of this actually helped. I am not sure which was the most helpful between the oil or the ACV but my ends are no longer a tangled mess that won't come undone.

After all was said and done I still trimmed half an inch off the longest parts and then trimmed up the rest to make things slightly more even. I will just trim another half inch in April instead of an inch and then all will be as planned.

I'm happy the ends are acting like hair again!

[lyria]

I guess it depends on how close you were to the fire. On the other hand, I never blow dry and often have my wet hair drying while lying in front of the fire and reading and have never suffered adverse effects.

[Panth]

Depends how close you were. My mum loves doing bonfires after gardening or whatever and she ALWAYS comes back with singed eyelashes and eyebrows - and that's just from being close enough to tend the fire over a few hours.

[xoxophelia]

Depends how close you were. My mum loves doing bonfires after gardening or whatever and she ALWAYS comes back with singed eyelashes and eyebrows - and that's just from being close enough to tend the fire over a few hours.

I was also tending the fire and I noticed it was mostly my ends in the front that got the slit ends. I know they didn't catch on fire but perhaps the really dry heat did it in. The smoke also left some residue on my hair I am pretty sure but it was removed yesterday when I did the hair treatments. I will just remember to stick my hair up next time.

[little_cherry]

You may have major build up from the smoke (yes, smoke can build up...it's crazy..) Do try to clarify and then a deep moisture treatment and oiling....if there are splits, then it is S&D time.

[teela1978]

I have bonfires a lot during the summer... I keep my hair up because I like stoking the fire and adding logs... plus we often use wood that isn't completely dry and I'd rather not have a spark fly into my loose hair and have to jump into the bay to put out my head! I've never noticed damage from bonfires though :shrug:

[marzipanthecat]

Yes. I did this to my own hair a few years ago at a massive bonfire up in Great Torrington (it's a big public event that takes place every 5 years or so) and the heat was incredibly intense - even though it is fenced so no one can get too close, I found my hair actually got a bit frizzled in places! A lot of people around me noticed it happening to them too. I stress, it was HOT.

(It was the burning of a life-size replica of the ship The Victory - it really was the biggest bonfire I've ever seen.)