Heat Training - The Only Natural Relaxer

[Stella B.]

I'm slowly changing my view on using heat on my hair. I realize that controlled heat can be beneficial. It's when we overuse heat, (I've done this many, many times) or use irons that are too hot, the hair can become damaged. Monitoring the heat temp with temperature control irons can help the hair be more manageable. Think about it-whether we use heat or chemicals, we're using it to get a smoother, straighter texture of hair, and we usually focus on getting the roots straight. Hence we feel the need for relaxer retouches, flat ironing, or blowing out the roots. The degree of straightness is individual, but can be controlled by knowing how hot your irons are. We just have to learn what temp will straighten, without creating damage. Heat training is intriguing, and I will be incorporating it into my regimen once a month using a mini flat iron to blow out my roots only. I'll use a 1/2 inch iron, since my hair grows approx 1/2 inch a month. My hair won't be as pretty as Brittany's, but I'll admit she's done an awesome job on her hair!!!

 

[chicacanella]

When I was younger, my hair was heat trained and it got to BSL. I mean, I wasn't wearing a real bra then but it was BSL. My beautician actually used too much heat with no heat protectant, this was the early 90s and my hair still grew really fast. And that was with all the trimming many old school black beauticians love to do.

I think now that we know more about hair, the right shampoos/conditioners/heatprotectants that there is no reason a person's hair has to be short if they don't want it to be short.

 

[Embyra]

Straightening Hair - Relax or Heat?
This question comes from B, 'I think I remember you saying that you think relaxing the hair is more safe than using direct heat on it. Can you please tell me why? I have been thinking of relaxing my hair lately, but the thing that has stopped me, was that I didnt think my hair would be as healthy and that it would all fall out! I know its a bit extreme, but with the bad rep that relaxers get, I am terrified. Yes, I used to get relaxers before, but I knew nothing of hair blogs or hair forums with healthy hair tips.'

I did comment something to this effect on both BGLH and agrlcanmac. I do think that some natural hair really is not designed for repeated or high heat application. This applies to hair with kinks (random twisting of the hair) and to hair with very small curls.

If you wish to permanently wear hair straight then in my view using heat on a regular basis is not ideal. Why? If you refer to the How hot is too hot post, you will see that at a temperature as low as 160 celsius (320F), keratin, the protein that makes up hair begins to sustain permanent damage

For some hair, this temperature is not high enough to actually straighten hair which means that the flat irons, hair dryers etc will be turned up even higher.

Does this mean relaxing is a fail safe method?

Not at all, relaxing also carries its own risks including chemical damage to the hair breakage and alopecia. Sites like mine exist because of this very real risk. I personally experienced breakage due to relaxing.

So why the preference of relaxing over heat use?

It is about mathematics to me. Hair can be relaxed once every 2-3 months, 'stretching' relaxers is now quite popular with some people who get retouches 2 or 3 times a year.If you are heat straightening, then you will more than likely be flat ironing at least once every week. In reality probably more than once a week - we know that at the slightest sign of reversion, it is super easy to just pick up the irons again.

This means that hair sustains damage every single time the heat is applied. This damage is cumulative, meaning that if you start out with 5% damage today (arbitrary number), in one month assuming 4 heat sessions, you end up with 20% damage or more because it easy to redamage damaged hair (how many times can I say damage lol).

With a relaxer, you will damage the hair once and it will not (if you have a good stylist) be damaged again. So your 5% stays there. If you have relaxer reapplied to your already relaxed hair then you will have some problems. Yes people do straighten relaxed hair too, but this will not require as much heat or as many passes of the iron

Is there a fail safe method to straighten hair?

There is no fail safe method. I do think that if your hair has a larger more regular curl or is less kinky (ringlet forming or wavy hair) then the chances of serious damage from heat is low (because the heat needed to achieve the result is low). If heat is used very occassionally then this too is also safer (not safe).

Please note, I am NOT against straightening natural hair on occassion, the problem in my opinion arises if you regularly and repeatedly use high heat. Essentially natural hair works if you do not stray far from its default texture majority of the time.

 

[keelioness]

Have u guys seen the latest video? I dunno if its already been posted but Brittany's hair is so awesome..she actually shows her TWA on this video...YouTube - Wet Hair Lets Compare

 

[keelioness]

Here's her latest video..interesting way to "moisturize"...I wanna try it!YouTube - Moisturizing Straight Hair with No Reversion

 

[~~HoneyComb~~]

Very interesting thread

I just started flatironing my DD's hair once a month on a very low temperature (no higher than 300 degrees) and so far the results have been good.

Her hair texture is still the same, but washing and detangling have been so much easier since I've been flat ironing her HL hair.

During the month after I flat iron, I put her hair in a banded braided ponytail, and that's the style she wears until the following wash.

I detangle once a week with a comb to get the shed hair out, and each morning, I brush the frizzies down.

I am monitoring her hair to make sure that she doesn't get damage or lose length.

So far so good

 

[Ms Lala]

It definitely is working for her. I don't think my strands are thick enough to take that. Plus I like my kinks.

 

[dicapr]

I have been heat training for almost a month now. I did a quick start regimine of pressing with an electric comb for 3 weeks in a row. I only did this on clean, DC hair. I see a little loosening of my texture but nothing drastic. I now plan on pressing every two weeks. On the week I do not press I don't have any ideas about styling yet but I'll figure it out. On the off week I want to squeeze a couple of CW in to help boost the moisture in my hair before the heat week. I honest belive the issue with heat is moisture loss. I think if I can maintain my hair's moisture level I will retian length.

 

[Shinka]

I bought the FHI today after watching brittany videos all night ( this was before I found this thread). I have a lye relaxer and no lye ends ( last 2 inches). I have about an inche of new growth.

I am only heat training my new growth. My plan is to heat this current new growth once a week. I will shampoo, dc, airdry with heat protectant. Then Flat iron ends. I will use flexirod to set the rest of the hair, so I don't heat damage or further thing my relaxed ends. I still plan to was every three days. On the non-heat training wash, I will airdry and flexirod for curl.

after the new growth is at a desired manageability ( maybe after 3 or 4th session). I will airdry and flexirod.

I won't heat train again until I have about 1/2 inch to 1 inche or new growth.

I am using this method to transition without a BC. I like straight hair, so I don't plan to wear twist and braids. I see this a better alternative than my Lye realxers, which I love, but don't want to invest in having a beautican apply it every 3 months. I like doing my own hair, but my Self-relaxing hasn't been ideally how I like and I no long want to chance burning my scalp or smelling like relaxer.

 

[vtoodler]

Can you do heavy protein treatments (such as Dudley's DRC-28 or Aphogee 2-step) on heat trained hair?

Or would the heavy protein cause the heat-trained hair to revert?

 

[halee_J]

vtoodler the texture change than can occur from heat training is supposed to be permanent, like if you relaxed it. It shouldn't revert.