I have given up the straightener!

[Maybe]

So, after having flat ironed my hair for pretty much 10 years straight, 6-7 days a week, I am at work today with my natural (braid wave abetted) waves today!!

I didn't think I could do it since my hair looks pretty good wavy after a wash and air dry (which takes HOURS) but awful after I sleep on and flatten the waves.

I braided it into french braid pigtails last night for bed and just took it out and finger combed it today. I did flat iron my bangs but I am Ok with that since they get cut regularly and don't have enough time to get dmaged IMO.

So far, everyone who has seen it has commented on how nice it looks! They are used to seeing me with stick straight hair.

Still can't get it into a professional looking updo (with the exception of a Gibson tuck) because of the thickness and the layers.

So it is still loose and "unprotected", but at least I am not frying it anymore. I just got back from vacation so today is Day 12 of no heat on the length. :)

Just sharing in case anyone else is having trouble giving up heat styling but wants to. If I can do it, anyone can!

[RubySlippers]

Well done!!! Hip hip... Hoorah!

That's the first baby step to being able to wear all your lovely hair toys confidently!

I'm two months, one week and five days without heat styling and have really seen a huge improvement! Welcome to the club!

[Maybe]

Well done!!! Hip hip... Hoorah!

That's the first baby step to being able to wear all your lovely hair toys confidently!

I'm two months, one week and five days without heat styling and have really seen a huge improvement! Welcome to the club!

So you are exactly 2 months ahead on me then, girlie!

Improvement in texture, general health of hair, gowth? What have you noticed :)

[Perididdle]

When I stopped straightening my hair daily (washed every 2nd or 3rd day, so that was a whole-head straightening, then daily mini-sessions to tidy it up), I also paired it with switching up shampoos and the like. Sooo, I can't tell exactly what was what, but I'm sure most of the change I saw came from no longer wrecking my hair with heat!

I noticed the change the most in a few different ways:

-- My hair had hunks of extremely rough areas and those definitely softened. I tried for ages to use conditioners and junk to try and fix it, but just not applying heat except the occasional blow-dry really helped smooth those out the best.
-- Ends stopped being quite so rough and dry. I could go longer than a week after a hair cut before things started feeling icky...to be honest, I haven't felt the grossness in my ends like I used to have since I stopped straightening.
-- When I did straighten for a formal event, my hair was silky smooth, shiny, and lovely. It was about a two-month break and it just felt...gorgeous!

Congrats on quitting the flatiron addiction. I still use it from time to time, but there's nothing wrong with it IMO as long as you're careful and keep up with it.

[Alvrodul]

Congratulations on ditching that flatiron! :flower:

[akilina]

Woo hoo! I have been forced to ditch mine. My boyfriend dropped my really nice expensive professional flat iron...it literally snapped in half!!! D: So sad. But it has been good. That was the only flat iron I have that I liked using, and now that it as gone I almost never straighten. I only straightened yesterday for my length shot. I am probably down to once a month :)

It feels nice knowing that you are no longer contributing to that type of damage doesnt it?

[hufflepug]

I literally threw out my flat iron and blow dryer last night. I rarely used them anyway, but I'd rather avoid them completely, especially since they're both cheap ones that are especially damaging. Quitting dye is going to be harder for me though.

[HylianGirl]

Congratulations! I know what it feels like, I had been straighting my hair since my early teens till last year (that's almost ten years xD). Also luckly my sister's blowfrier broke so I gave my old one to her (she still loves straightening her hair) so the temptation was gone! (Also the flat iron was hers and I used to borrow it xD). There is a sense of freedom of wearing your hais the way it is meant to be and not have to change it, and it's even better when you start liking it more than back when you straightened it ^-^ Nowadays most people straighten their hair, now you're original ^-^

[Simone_Fatale]

Good for you! I know it's very hard to break the habit. I'll be joining you as soon as I hit shoulder length, so probably in less than a year. Happy growing! :D

[MrsGuther]

Good for you! Its a hard habit to break, I should know! But it's totally worth it!! :)

[MrsGuther]

Lol I just saw the comment above me and mine is almost the same. Haha? Whoops. Guess I should read through all the comments before posting.

[kitcatsmeow]

Congrats! I gave up all heat almost 8 months ago and I'll never go back. My hair feels soooooo much better not to mention looks healthier! And I can straighten it even better by wrapping than with my 300 dollar flat iron!!! And I'm rocking my braid waves too today. : ) An easy go to style when I wanna wear my hair down and it's been more than 2-3 days since I washed...

[Krystall]

I'm also trying to reduce how often i straighten. Never did it before, but got rid of some damaged ends about four months ago, and the hairdresser gave me a super straight hemline- compared to my previous slightly wavy fairytale ends. It looked horrible when worn down in it's natural shape. I'm also a F/i, and as the ends were frizzy but the hair close to my head very sleek, it gave me an A-shaped mane. Not exactly what I was going for.

In the process of growing back my FT, I notice how much damage I get from the occasional straightening. I pbbly wont give it up completely, I like the way my hair looks when it's poker straight! But it is in so much better condition when untouched and babyed. :puppykisses:

[StephanieP3]

That's awesome! I haven't blow dried in over 5 months, haven't flat ironed in like a month. It really is fun to change those habits and be nice to our hair. :)

[AcornMystic]

The last time I used a straightener on my hair was my wedding reception back in early August of last year to recreate the hair I had for my wedding. So, it's been a little over a year. Before that was my actual wedding a month prior. Before then I honestly don't remember and I swore to my hair that my wedding would be the last time I'd make it endure a straightener. Curling it.. I don't remember that either. I've used a blow dryer on hot a couple of months ago, but I was in a serious hurry. Other than that it's been the occasional blow dry on cool, like wind through my hair. The condition of my hair has become more like threads of silk and I can feel it brushing like it on my upper back. Before, it felt rough... like the infamous velcro hair. One of THE best moves you can make for your hair, for sure. ^.^

[LuckyH]

Congrats!! you won't regret it! I'm on month 6ish of no heat styling and I like the way more hair looks now even more than when i used to do it all up everyday...plus there is no hair guilt!!

[Simone_Fatale]

Lol I just saw the comment above me and mine is almost the same. Haha? Whoops. Guess I should read through all the comments before posting.
Haha, our brains were on the same wavelenght at that precise minute I guess :D

[Maybe]

Does anyone think the flat iron ad that is frequently at the top of this page is kind of funny?

Percentage-wise, I don't think that a lot of people here use flat irons all that much.

I am not going back to the straighterner after 12 days without it, I am too stubborn, LOL!

I will try blowdrying it on low and then wrapping it over night if I really have a craving for straight hair I guess.

[akilina]

Does anyone think the flat iron ad that is frequently at the top of this page is kind of funny?

Percentage-wise, I don't think that a lot of people here use flat irons all that much.

I am not going back to the straighterner after 12 days without it, I am too stubborn, LOL!

I will try blowdrying it on low and then wrapping it over night if I really have a craving for straight hair I guess.
I think that a lot of people here do not use heat because it is nearly impossible to have long, healthy hair, and straighten every day. There are a few exceptions to people whos hair is not phased by this though. Lucky them!
Another thing I have noticed is that many people do not even know about the heat setting on their flat iron! You have people who already have stick straight hair, yet they are using full blast-o heat on their poor hair and wonder why their hair is so messed up.

Only a HAIR off topic---- it makes me absolutely cringe to see people (and some stylists) literally straighten the SAME STRAND of hair over, and over, and over, and over, and over again!!
Anyone else experience this??! You should never have to do this if you are using proper techniques...unless the hair is super tight coiled curls, or very coarse and resilient. >.<
I think even in the best case scenario of--doing small sections, using heat protectant, using low heat settings, and only doing one, clean perfect swipe of the straightener--you still can not have hair that is in its best health. Heat is simply something you need to cut out in most cases of wanting to grow out hair, or cut way back on and save for special occasions.

Editing in.... I really wish I was one of the people who did not care about their hairs health or heat styling their hair, and did not obsess over my hair, or know anything about special hair care routines sometimes. My life would be so much more simple just enjoying my hair and using the flat iron whenever, or experimenting with several different hair styles and colors :P I will never be that person again though sadly. I very much desire long hair to my bum.

[gillybeanxo3921]

After I stopped flat iron, it wasn't immediate, but a year later I can say for sure that my hair is one thousand bajillion times better than what it was. It's shinier, not as tangly, softer, and just all around better.

It's totally worth it!

[Oksana]

I used to have a twice a day, everyday straightening habit for 5 years. Ditching it was by far the best thing I ever did for my hair. Well done and keep it up!

[TheWhiteRabbit]

I am thankful that I was never able to start with heat products. It frys my hair immediately because of how fine it is and makes it look worse than when I started!

Good job kicking the habit!

[Maybe]

And the best part is, I got tons of hair compliments today and even *I* (Miss Picky) loved, loved, loved my hair today. Who would have thought sleeping in brauds would make such a difference!

[hermosamendoza]

Congrats! I know I like my hair better straightened but if I straighten I have to wash every day otherwise it looks limp.

[Maybe]

Congrats! I know I like my hair better straightened but if I straighten I have to wash every day otherwise it looks limp.

I do like my hair straight, it's so much shinier. But I really do not want to damage it by straightening it any more. The ends were definitely looking crispy.

Day 13 of no heat!

[RubySlippers]

I am thankful that I was never able to start with heat products. It frys my hair immediately because of how fine it is and makes it look worse than when I started!

Good job kicking the habit!

:spitting: snort! I really though i read "kicking the rabbit", which, on second thoughts, wouldn't be so funny IRL, but I did laugh!


I do like my hair straight, it's so much shinier. But I really do not want to damage it by straightening it any more. The ends were definitely looking crispy.

Day 13 of no heat!


Aha, but here's the beauty of it all, soon you will notice a natural shine that was trying to be there all along! I straightened for shine rather than straightness too, as I was a frizz head, and about a month in my mother commented that my hair was shiner than she had 'ever' seen it (and that's considering that she has seen it straightened many times!)

Keep on keeping on!

[BrownEyedBeauty]

Congratulations! It's a step in the right direction. Many people find giving up the straightener a painful thing to do but you seem to be managing well. Keep all of the benefits in mind and continue on your journey to healthy hair growth! I believe that there are alternatives to be found if you look for them.

[joflakes]

Well done! My flat iron (new in March!) broke last week so I'm off the heat wagon, too. I'll still occasionally blow dry but that's it! :)

[Chanie]

Well done! Congrats on your hairs new future :D