We all love our hot styling tools, whether it\u2019s a hairdryer, curling iron or straightener. But with heat styling comes heat damaged hair: split ends, dry and dull strands and hair breakage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cExcessive heat over a prolonged period will cause irreversible heat damage,\u201d says Carys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She explains \u201cHair is made up of a protein called keratin. High temperatures can weaken and break down the protein bonds leading to permanent structural damage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She adds \u201cHeat damage is cumulative. Regularly using tools at high temperatures increases the changes to the protein bonds and moisture levels of each strand. Eventually, those bonds are broken and can\u2019t be fixed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fine and thin hair is generally more vulnerable to heat damage as it has less natural protection. But thick and coarse hair isn\u2019t immune, especially when subjected to high heat frequently or for extended periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The good news is you don\u2019t need to give up your styling tools entirely. Here are our five practical tips you can use to minimise heat damage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before using any heated tools (including a hair dryer), always<\/em><\/strong> apply a heat protectant product. This will create a protective barrier which seals in moisture and helps stop the hair shaft from drying out, keeping hair looking shiny and healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carys adds \u201cI particularly like Sensus heat sheild as its ultra-lightweight consistency is easy to distribute evenly through the hair, it\u2019s absorbed within seconds and doesn\u2019t leave a residue behind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n High quality heat styling tools often have a more even heat distribution, reducing the chances of \u2018hot spots\u2019 that can severely damage hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They usually have adjustable heat settings too, so you start with a low temperature and only increase if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carys cautions, \u201cAnd avoid using your tools on the same section of hair more than once because it can cause damage to your hair shafts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wet hair is more susceptible to heat damage as the cuticle (outer layer of your hair) is raised, exposing the inner structures of the hair to the intense heat. So always ensure your hair is 70-80% dry before using heat tools, advises Carys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heat damage is cumulative and continual heat styling will progressively weaken your hair. So it\u2019s important to try to incorporate heat-free days in your haircare routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Air drying your hair when you can and use dry shampoo once a week if possible. Plus you can explore alternative ways of styling like braids, updos or hair accessories that do not require heated tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Deep conditioning treatments restore essential moisture and nutrients to your hair, combating dryness and brittleness from heat styling. Regularly using hair masks or deep conditioners like Eufora moisture mask or Sensus repair\/discipline mask can significantly help restore and maintain hair health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even with these precautions, some degree of heat damage is almost inevitable. That\u2019s why it\u2019s crucial to get regular trims every 6-8 weeks to remove any damaged or split ends and keep your hair looking its best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As always, remember that everyone\u2019s hair is unique, so do ask your stylist for advice, tips and recommendations \u2013 we love to help.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We all love our hot styling tools, whether it\u2019s a hairdryer, curling iron or straightener. But with heat styling comes heat damaged hair: split ends, dry and dull strands and hair breakage. \u201cExcessive heat over a prolonged period will cause irreversible heat damage,\u201d says Carys. How heat damages hair She explains \u201cHair is made up of a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":779,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hair-tips-and-advice"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=778"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":789,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/778\/revisions\/789"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thestrandhull.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}#2. Invest in quality styling tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#3. Avoid styling wet hair<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#4. Give frazzled locks a break<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#5. Condition. Condition. Condition.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
#6. Book regular trims<\/h2>\n\n\n\n