When it comes to natural hair, one of the scarriest things can be having our kinky, curly and coily hair straightened using heat. Or maybe that’s just me. I’m definitely fearful of experiencing what we’ve all come to know as heat damage. You straighten your hair just one more time, and then your curls are never the same. But what if I told you there’s no such thing as heat damage? Its all just some ignorant, YouTube hair guru talk – would you believe me?
This topic is one I’ve been wanting to bring to you all for a while now. I wanted to be sure I researched the topic by talking with several licensed cosmetologists before I spoke on it. ‘It’ being the concept of heat memory, and that possibly what many of us refer to as heat damage is not actually damage at all. Watch the video to hear more about this ‘heat memory’ concept and what the professionals have to say.
Hi, I’m Jonna. Welcome to naturally-glam.com where I share how I balance my life as a mother, wife, and influencer.
👋🏽 Hello,
Yes, there is a difference between heat damage and heat memory. The information is correct. Your hair acts as a memory board.
Let’s take a look at some terminology here.
Heat: the quality of being hot; high temperature
Damage: physical harm caused to something in such a way as to impair it’s value, usefulness, or normal function
Memory: the faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information.
When your hair experience damaged it usually cause some form of breakage.
Breakage is a physical harm and usually isn’t useful. Damaged Hair usually feel dry or altered causing a domino effect of noticeable effects that (look and feel)
unhealthy.
Heat Memory is caused by High temperature heat. This is not damaged… although it appear to look like it… it does not feel like it.
What happens here …there isn’t a proper analyzation of hair type and texture that many licensed stylist don’t consider before straightening. Most flat iron that has a controlled heat setting gives you instructions on what temperature range to use when straightening the hair, based off your hair type and texture . Most consumer or stylist isn’t reading this.
Every hair texture doesn’t require high heat and this is the issue with hair not reverting Back to its curl pattern.
It’s lack of knowledge with consumers and hairstylists. The plates on your flatiron even matter.
Ceramic irons are made for fine or thin hair.
Titanium irons are made for thicker coarse hair texture.
Tourmaline irons are made for damaged hair.
I’m a Basic Hair Care Educator and I provide education on product knowledge and tool knowledge. They both go hand and hand when applying straightening services.
This is definitely an interesting topic to elaborate more on in the beauty industry.