No heat really is the key to heat damaged hair - doh!

[loveisdivine]

So its taken me a couple of months to wake up and realise this but, I can now say that cutting out all heat really is the only way to recover from heat damaged hair.

Sure I'd stopped using my straightners, and I was only using the blow fryer on cool. My hair looked pretty. But dull and still damaged at the ends.

Well its now been a mere 2 weeks without heat all together and I can already see a massive difference. I still have a few splits and white dots, but boy does my hair look and feel better. It has great shine and is regaining the volume it once had when I was younger.

This is the best pic I could get at the minute cos I'm in work but I think it shows some of the shine I'm referring too.

I know some people might not agree, but I would urge anyone suffering with heat damage, to bite the bullet and just put all those tools down :)

http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o369/loveisdivine_photos/D8694D33-CD2B-4598-B93F-793FAD1DE069-18996-000012B3A346C1BB.jpg

Wow apologies for the crazy eye! Ha I look possesed or something!

[CurlySasha]

Wow, your hair looks beautiful and shiny! I love the colour too :applause:

[loveisdivine]

Thanks! I know it doesnt quite have the amazing shine that a lot of people here have. But for me its pretty shiny.

I feel like now I just have to wait for it to grow.

[spidermom]

You are right. I had to do the same.
(Blow-drying on cool does not count as heat.)

[Kaelee]

It does look beautiful!!! :D

I haven't used heat tools in years! With the exception of my stylist using a blowdryer about twice a year when I get a trim.

I'm a little surprised about the blowdryer on cool setting since most of them literally blow *cool* air. Although it may be mechanical damage from the air that you're seeing (I think car windows down have something to do with my damaged left side of my hair as well!)

[loveisdivine]

Well maybe the dryer on cool wasnt damaging it per se. But it definitely seems shinier seems I stopped all together.
In fairness whilst it was cool, I still had it on a fairly speedy setting, so maybe it was just the physical damage from the air speed???

I just thought while it still has damage from the heat, I should just quit it all together, cool or hot.

[Perididdle]

I straightened my hair pretty much day from freshman year of high school through freshman year of college. I didn't use any protectors for most of it and had a so-so straightener for most of it, too, that I used on the highest heat setting for my coarse and once-curly hair (after a while of that, it turned into just...hair). Hair was just fried, no doubt about it. Last summer I just stopped using my straightener and tried to be better to my hair overall.

After a couple months of nothing but maybe some blow drying, I straightened my hair for the first time. It was like silk! It's amazing how much damage could occur without paying any mind to it. It was so healthy and happy it took to the straightener like a pro. Good for you for cutting out heat tools, they really can wreak havoc when excessively used.

[gillybeanxo3921]

I did the same :D

My hair definitely seems a lot better now, but I still have a long way to go before I've gotten rid of all the leftover damage. Hopefully by the end of this year!

[spirals]

Ten years ago I was living in southern California during the tail-end of the Friends straight hair era, as I like to call it. I flat-ironed every day. I had clerical jobs back then and thought it looked more professional. It was fried. The ends broke off as I brushed--1-inch pieces! It was a waste because it never stayed straight anyway.

[OrganicJewel]

absolutely. I've slowly learned this, too. Your hair is really pretty, I love the colour!

[loveisdivine]

Spirals - I was going for the Aniston straight hair too. I'm actually a little ashamed to say I straightened my hair virtually every day for 10 years. I remember first getting then just before my 16th birthday, and I've only put them down a couple of months after my 25th birthday. It's a wonder I still have hair left.

[RubySlippers]

Beautiful shine!

I was going to say how cute your top was and then I thought "doesnt matter where it's from, I won't be able to get it, she's in the states" and then I saw your location!

Hi neighbour!

(or are you Dublin, Ohio?)

[vanillabones]

My hair was so damaged heat styling wasn't really an option! I agree just say no haha, put them down. Your hair looks long to me, it's very pretty.

[einna]

I wrecked my hair as a teenager, learned the hard way that flat irons are not for my hair. Air drying was one of the few good things I did for my hair pre LHC.

[Tia2010]

Your hair looks very shiny. :)

Whenever my friends ask how I get my hair long ( well not long by LHC standards) and healthy..I say "lay off the flat iron" .. I get a Horrified look and the Conversations over :p Oh well..I tried. LOL

[bettylibertine]

Looks lovely! :flower:

[loveisdivine]

Beautiful shine!

I was going to say how cute your top was and then I thought "doesnt matter where it's from, I won't be able to get it, she's in the states" and then I saw your location!

Hi neighbour!

(or are you Dublin, Ohio?)

Aw thanks! Yep I'm Dublin, Ireland, well Swords to be precise. And the tops from River Island. Its from their Chelsea Girl range.

[RubySlippers]

Yay! I'm not alone in my long hair aspirations.

Although I keep seeing girls with well past WL hair, who obviously abuse it, but somehow it's still long and beautiful. They seem to be everywhere in Dublin, at least in the city centre. Or is it just my imagination?!

It only makes me want even more to have longer hair, in better condition!

[CurlyCurves]

Heat free since 5th July here! It's hard, but worth it :)

[katfemme89]

@ loveisdivine your hair is really pretty, it looks so silky. Congrats on going heat-free!

[Alexblue]

I think your hair looks so pretty.

And I completely agree, between the heat and mechanical damage, blowdryers are very damaging. I have been "minimizing" heat over the years: trying not to blowdry very often, or on a cooler setting, or just partly drying. That helped. But when I gave up cold turkey then I noticed the shine return to my hair.

Thanks for sharing your experience!