Hair styling heat tools are life savers when it comes to creating or improving a hair look. After all, who doesn’t love some curling irons, soft waves, flat irons, silky straight effects, or a beautiful bouncy hairstyle created by a blow dryer?
However, the use of these tools without precautions can cause severe dryness and hair damage. This article will teach you how to use hair styling heat tools in a safe way, keeping your hair healthy and avoiding damage!
Main hair styling heat tools and its differences
Blow dryer
The blow dryer is the most essential heat tool due to its versatility. As its own name explains, it produces a blow that dries the hair (and it is much quicker than just waiting for the hair to dry naturally). Besides its main function, blow dryers can offer many different hairstyles.
Depending on the way you style your hair with a blow dryer, it can have a bouncy and voluminous effect, or then a super sleek and straight look. The blow dryer doesn’t heat as much as other tools and doesn’t directly touch the strands, so it can be used with more frequency than other tools.
Curling iron
The most traditional curling iron has the shape of a wand. This wand heats and you twist your hair locks around it and hold it for a few seconds to create natural waves. Besides, another curling iron type that is getting really popular is the automatic curler. This one has a kind of chamber that “swallows” the hair locks and creates the curls inside it.
Flat iron
Flat irons have two heating ceramic or metal plates. These plates press the hair between them and as a result, you get straighter strands. Just like a curling iron, this tool also touches the hair directly.
How to avoid damage caused by hair styling heat tools
Overuse and the inadequate use of heat tools results in damaged hair, but you don’t need to quit styling your hair for good. You can still use your hair styling tools and keep your hair healthy if you create some habits, such as:
Always use a heat protector
Before using any type of heat tool, apply a leave-in with heat protection on hair. There are many types of it: creamy, sprays, oils… this product is extremely necessary and will protect your hair from getting burnt.
Never use a curling iron or flat iron on wet hair
Before styling your hair, always check if it is completely dry. You must never use a flat or curling iron on wet or even damp hair; otherwise you will totally burn your strands. When it comes to blow dryers, it is ok to use it on wet or damp hair since it is made for drying it out. But try to always take the excess water with a towel first.
Give your hair a break
Since most of these styling tools achieve extreme temperatures, try not to expose your hair to it very often. It is true that excessive heat causes terrible consequences for hair. Because of it, try to use a flat or curling iron once a week at most.
Since blow dryers don’t heat as much as the irons and don’t touch the hair locks directly, you can use this specific tool more than once a week. But still take good care of your strands and never forget to use a thermal protector leave-in first.
Be picky when purchasing your hair styling heat tools
When choosing a flat or curling iron, prefer the ones with ceramic or porcelain plates instead of the completely metallic plates. Ceramic and porcelain allow the heat to be conducted more evenly, which is safer for hair’s health.
Plus, also look for irons that have the option of adjusting temperatures. This way you can make sure that you are not overheating your hair: just find the lowest temperature that still gets you an efficacious styling.
Contrary to what many people think, you don’t have to choose between using heat styling tools or keeping healthy hair. You can have both by following all the precautions taught in this article.
If you are looking for the best hair products and heat tools, take a look at Metro Brazil’s website!
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