Dry ends when flatironing--How to prevent it?

[tiffers]

Every time I flatiron, my ends end up super dry. I use a heat protectat and don't use the highest heat setting. And I co wash every day, so my hair's really moisturized...... What do you all do to keep your ends moisturized when flatironing?

I'm straightening my hair on July 4th, so I need lots of suggestions!

(I'm gonna keep on bumping this thread till I get lots of answers, so ya'll might as well tell me now, to shut me up )

 

[AVE One]

What type of thermal heat protectant are you using? Make sure it has some cones in it like CHI silk infusion or FHI Hot Sauce. Are your ends dry as in "need to put some moisturizer on them and they will be fine" or are they frizzy/dry? I had a problem with my ends being frizzy/dry and come to find they were a little fried. A little heat damage from when I wasn't using a good heat protectant. This damage can also occur when there is other product on your hair such as an oil that burns under the heat of a flat iron.

 

[stormy07]

it could be time for a trim? or try a little bit of elasta qp mango butter on your ends...that works for me..

 

[Bint Yusef]

Do you chase with a comb? I had that problem too until I used an iron with teeth, no amount of changing product would make it go away and I was clipping thinking my ends were busted.

 

[SunnyDelight]

(I'm gonna keep on bumping this thread till I get lots of answers, so ya'll might as well tell me now, to shut me up )

I LIKE YOUR STYLE - keep on bumping cause I want to know too.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

Deep conditioning and Steam treatements seems to do the trick for infused moisture in the strands.....
good luck!

eta: If you can - air drying can also help retain the moisture.

 

[SunnyDelight]

it could be time for a trim? .

I though the same thing so I trimmed my ends but it doesn't/didn't help.

 

[Neala21]

*deleted message*

 

[Soliel185]

I always add a tiny bit extra of my heat protectant to the ends, but I think the comb chasing method is the best. My ends would look tangled and dry b/c it was basically a flattened knot, the comb keeps them smooth and detangled, so when the flat iron passes over them they stay smooth and come out more moisturized.

 

[chebaby]

i use chi silk infusion before i flat iron and then afterwards i add a little coconut oil to my ends. after that its moisturized for a long while and the oil doesnt weigh the hair down. if im gonna wrap my hair after i flat iron it i add some keracare creme hairdress and the humidity block oil sheen and wrap and when i un wrap the hair is .

 

[RubyWoo]

Are you using a leave-in conditioner? If not, I suggest you use one. I also suggest deep conditioning before flat ironing. It could also mean you need a trim.

 

[loulou82]

I had my hair flat ironed this morning and the stylist DC'd with both protein and moisture and used a steamer. I had a trim too which helped but my ends came out great. She used little product for the actual flat ironing.

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm going to try the chi silk infusion and coconut oil to maintain the ends now.

 

[Keshieshimmer]

I had my hair flat ironed this morning and the stylist DC'd with both protein and moisture and used a steamer. I had a trim too which helped but my ends came out great. She used little product for the actual flat ironing.

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm going to try the chi silk infusion and coconut oil to maintain the ends now.

Just so you know the Chi silk infusion is NOT a heat protectant. I thought it was for the longest time, but read the instructions no where does it say "heat protectant"

 

[loulou82]

^^^Thanks. I didn't use it as one during the process but if it helps my ends out while I maintain the press then I'm happy.

 

[Neroli]

How often are you flatironing?

 

[tiffers]

What type of thermal heat protectant are you using? Make sure it has some cones in it like CHI silk infusion or FHI Hot Sauce. Are your ends dry as in "need to put some moisturizer on them and they will be fine" or are they frizzy/dry? I had a problem with my ends being frizzy/dry and come to find they were a little fried. A little heat damage from when I wasn't using a good heat protectant. This damage can also occur when there is other product on your hair such as an oil that burns under the heat of a flat iron.

Nope, my ends don't get frizzy or anything. They stay smooth like the rest of my hair, they just feel really dry.

I've used CHI SI, FHI Hot Sauce, Fantasia IC Heat Protecting Serum and John Freida Thermal Protecting Serum. My ends keep ending up dry! I don't use oil or anything. Just a little leave-in topped with serum

 

[tiffers]

it could be time for a trim? or try a little bit of elasta qp mango butter on your ends...that works for me..

Nope, I just trimmed not too long ago. My ends aren't split, and they don't snag or anything. Any other time my ends are smooth and soft.... Except for when I flatiron

Do you put a moisturizer on AFTER you've flatironed?

 

[tiffers]

Do you chase with a comb? I had that problem too until I used an iron with teeth, no amount of changing product would make it go away and I was clipping thinking my ends were busted.

I'm gonna try that! But, I'm slow.... When you say "chase" the iron with a comb, the comb is behind the iron, right? So while the flatiron is moving down, the comb is right behind it?

 

[tiffers]

Are you using a leave-in conditioner? If not, I suggest you use one. I also suggest deep conditioning before flat ironing. It could also mean you need a trim.

I dc twice a week, and always dc before flatironing. I also use a leave-in, and don't need a trim...... I don't know what's wrong with these ends!!

 

[tiffers]

How often are you flatironing?

Only 3-4 times a year erplexed

 

[coripixie]

I'm gonna try that! But, I'm slow.... When you say "chase" the iron with a comb, the comb is behind the iron, right? So while the flatiron is moving down, the comb is right behind it?

i think when you use the chase method the comb should go in front of the flat iron, not behind. this way the flat iron is only touching hair that has been detangled by the comb.
this is the method that i use and it has made a world of a difference! the first time i flat ironed my natural hair, i had the same problem you are describing. a combination of more moisture before flat ironing, a better heat protectant (i use sabino moisture block now), and the chase method has made my ends nice and smooth.

 

[joyandfaith]

Do you chase with a comb? I had that problem too until I used an iron with teeth, no amount of changing product would make it go away and I was clipping thinking my ends were busted.

When you do this do you put the comb in front of the flat iron or behind it?

 

[Soliel185]

comb goes in front of the flat iron, so it holds the hair taut and detangled for the flat iron to straighten.

After I straighten I sometimes veeeeeeeeery lightly spritz my hair with my moisture mix (glycerine, aloe, SAA, honeyquat) with a fine mist bottle. It's not enough wetness to cause my hair to revert, but it's very moisturizing and locking it in with a bit of oil really does the trick.

 

[joyandfaith]

comb goes in front of the flat iron, so it holds the hair taut and detangled for the flat iron to straighten.

After I straighten I sometimes veeeeeeeeery lightly spritz my hair with my moisture mix (glycerine, aloe, SAA, honeyquat) with a fine mist bottle. It's not enough wetness to cause my hair to revert, but it's very moisturizing and locking it in with a bit of oil really does the trick.

Thanks for explaining this technique I might have to leave the spritz alone though...my hair would revert if I even held the bottle in my hand

 

[nicey]

Thanks for explaining this technique I might have to leave the spritz alone though...my hair would revert if I even held the bottle in my hand

True that!

 

[MuslimahTresses]

Just so you know the Chi silk infusion is NOT a heat protectant. I thought it was for the longest time, but read the instructions no where does it say "heat protectant"

Well what is the CHI Silk Infusion good for then

 

[bbdgirl]

Well what is the CHI Silk Infusion good for then

I wanna know too!

 

[secretdiamond]

Do you chase with a comb? I had that problem too until I used an iron with teeth, no amount of changing product would make it go away and I was clipping thinking my ends were busted.

I have the same problem. I have the maxi and thought it was the flat iron so I bought a sedu-- same thing. I also used Fantasia heat protectant and bought the CHI infusion-- nothing but dry ends. Then I figured it was the teeth! Too bad I threw out the plates when I first got the maxi! I had the right one all along and wasted all my damn money.

Now I'm trying to find a way to get the plates again without buying yet another flat iron.

ETA: but the steamer is shot on it. Darn!

 

[justNikki]

Very helpful thread. I would probably straighten more often (I've only done it 3 times in 2-1/2 yrs) if I could get the ends to stop being so dry. I get exactly what you're saying OP. My hair isn't dry when it's in a natural state. My ends aren't split (I get trims), but my ends would feel dry. I'm going to try the silk infusion and coconut oil AFTER I straighten with the comb in from of the CHI and see how that helps. Of course, I have to wait until it cools off, but I'll definitely keep this in mind.

 

[shan8756]

Every time I flatiron, my ends end up super dry. I use a heat protectat and don't use the highest heat setting. And I co wash every day, so my hair's really moisturized...... What do you all do to keep your ends moisturized when flatironing?

I'm straightening my hair on July 4th, so I need lots of suggestions!

(I'm gonna keep on bumping this thread till I get lots of answers, so ya'll might as well tell me now, to shut me up )

Hey tiffers,
I recommend you use a silicone base heat protectant, like chi silk infusion or keracare silk-n-seal (dime size) while its wet then dry under the dryer (recommended) or airdry. I am a huge fan of keracare products and I flat iron bi-weekly with my chi iron and my ends are fine. Hope this helps.