Youtuber Cuts Apl Hair To Twa Due To “heat Damage”

[kxlot79]

So I had a couple thoughts while watching this video and wondered if the LHCF ladies would discuss.
1) Idk why but I finding watching others cut their hair (or wash their hair) so cathartic, satisfying and relaxing lol
Anyone else?
2) I kinda hoped this would be the video BEFORE her cut so she’d have time to try some Hail Mary Methods before resigning to cut off all of her “heat damage.”
3) What have other ladies’ experiences of heat damage been like?

 

[kxlot79]

In all honesty, I wouldn’t definitely say she had permanent heat damage. Idk what her process was to try to make her hair revert. I wish she had shared.
I have seen hair look like hers for 3-7 washes before returning to a normal range of the original curl pattern. Especially if multiple/generous amounts of silicone based heat protectants are used.
I’ve never had real heat damage. I’ve had my hair take several washes to revert. I’ve also had my curl pattern take a month to completely return to normal.
I think it’s hard to diagnose heat damage by sight alone. Real heat damage, meaning permanent to a great degree in the appearance, texture, and integrity of the hair strand, is unaffected by treatments and time based on my personal and professional experiences.
She’s rockin a TWA now though, and a pretty girl too, long or short hair.
I have had long hair for so long, I think cutting it above APL would be quite traumatic for me, no matter how damaged.

 

[Evolving78]

I had heat damage back in 2008 and I cut my hair into a fade. I usually just start over when stuff like that happens.

 

[kxlot79]

I usually just start over when stuff like that happens.

Girl you good. Couldn’t be me.

 

[Evolving78]

Girl you good. Couldn’t be me.

I am not my hair! Lol I will cut it in a heartbeat.

 

[frizzy]

I've done all the BCs I'm gonna do. I would be a straight haired natural and a twist out queen if that happens to me in the future.

OTOH, no big deal, I would cut gradually at this point. But I do like short hair styles and if I wanted one, I'd do it.

 

[LushLox]

Wow I winced watching that, it seemed drastic to me. But like she said, it's just hair, it'll grow back and that is one hard mistake she won't make again.

 

[Nightingale]

This is why I don't mess with heat. I'd have anxiety trying to determine how much heat is safe, what protectants would help, and will my hair revert. No thank you.

But if I did use heat and thought I may have heat damage, I'd give my hair several weeks of care and protein before deciding if the damage was permanent. If it was permanent, I'd gradually cut off the straight parts and wear stretched styles until all gone.

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

This is why I don't mess with heat. I'd have anxiety trying to determine how much heat is safe, what protectants would help, and will my hair revert. No thank you.

But if I did use heat and thought I may have heat damage, I'd give my hair several weeks of care and protein before deciding if the damage was permament. If it was permanent, I'd gradually cut off the straight parts and wear stretched styles until all gone.

Every.Single.Word
I gave up heat after my long term transition was over. Straight hair for me is just a roller set away. I've worked too hard to jeopardize the health of my hair over a temporary style.

I'm sure the youtuber will grow her hair back even longer and stronger now. She has a fresh start.

 

[Pat Mahurr]

Her damage probably wouldn’t be noticed by most non-hair enthusiasts. If I were her, “Heat Damaged” would be my signature style until I grew it out. I am a hair needer and retaining length isn’t easy for me.

 

[kxlot79]

I've done all the BCs I'm gonna do. I would be a straight haired natural and a twist out queen if that happens to me in the future.

OTOH, no big deal, I would cut gradually at this point. But I do like short hair styles and if I wanted one, I'd do it.

I could've written this!!!
I’ve worn my hair all sorts of ways. BC’d, transitioned, colored, relaxed... heck, even shaved my head. I am not my hair. But, I like my hair long. I really do. It’s not the end of the world, but I wouldn’t be cavalier about a big cut either.

 

[kxlot79]

Actually she straigtens her hair once a year as part of her “length checks” and even in the video, she’s planning to continue straightening once a year.
I dislike that people think heat damage can’t happen in the future just because it didn’t happen in the past, or that just because a stylist gave her heat damage, DIY will prevent heat damage.
Hair changes, and your heat styling has to change with your hair. Doing it the same way every single time doesn’t even guarantee against heat damage.
Oh well.

that is one hard mistake she won't make again.

 

[Misseyl]

Oh wow! I wouldn't have cut it. I would wet and wash it a couple of times before deciding.

 

[Royalq]

thats why I do my hair myself. Im so done with stylists. But im not one to be quick to cut my hair. I would have babied it and slowly trimmed of the damage. Im currently dealing with stylist induced damage but im just slowly trimming it off and my hair is fine. But Im very attached to my hair so I hate drastic cuts.

 

[Lymegreen]

I’ve gotten over trying to have perfect hair.

That heat damage was fixable.

You can get damage from any number of things btw.

If she no longer liked the effect of heat all she had to do is stop applying it to her hair!?

I avoid heat btw and I’m relaxed. I normally only get direct heat at the salon and even then I don’t like it.

But no way would I cut that head of hair. Goodness. She could have bun or twist out or flexirod or something dag

 

[LushLox]

Actually she straigtens her hair once a year as part of her “length checks” and even in the video, she’s planning to continue straightening once a year.
I dislike that people think heat damage can’t happen in the future just because it didn’t happen in the past, or that just because a stylist gave her heat damage, DIY will prevent heat damage.
Hair changes, and your heat styling has to change with your hair. Doing it the same way every single time doesn’t even guarantee against heat damage.
Oh well.

It doesn't have to happen if you decide to cut heat out completely, which many naturals have opted to do, particularly because of setbacks.

I didn't watch the whole video so didn't see her talking about her continuing to straighten. If she only straightens her hair once a year and has that sort of damage as result then perhaps she should really think about that for the future. Unless the stylist used super hot marcel irons in her hair, I dunno.

I’ve gotten over trying to have perfect hair.

That heat damage was fixable.

You can get damage from any number of things btw.

If she no longer liked the effect of heat all she had to do is stop applying it to her hair!?

I avoid heat btw and I’m relaxed. I normally only get direct heat at the salon and even then I don’t like it.

But no way would I cut that head of hair. Goodness. She could have bun or twist out or flexirod or something dag

Same, I love heat but my hair really flourishes without it. So for me it's pick your poison

 

[faithVA]

I had heat damage and it wasn't reversible. I had my strands tested and the protein in the strands was destroyed. I big chopped then but I probably wouldn't big chopped based on what I know now. The saying, it's just hair it will grow back is true but there are some caveats. I would have been much further along just dusting 1/2" every 4 to 6 weeks than I am letting it grow back from a twa.

I still use heat for my length checks but I've taken the time to learn about heat and my hair. I'm also use protein more and learning more about maintaining the moisture levels in my hair.

I don't understand when ladies just straighten their hair for a length check, why they use heat at a level to try to make it silky. I don't need heat at 450 or 400, if I'm just going to dust my ends and see how long it is. I can do that at 300 or 315.

The thing about my hair when it was heat damaged you couldn't physically tell because my hair is so coily and has such shrinkage. So it looked like my hair was fine. But after several months no matter what I did, it just continued to break so much it looked like it wasn't growing.

If it were to ever occur again the big chop would be a last resort. And even then I probably would just put it away and trim the ends every time I redid my protective style.

I'm over big chops if I can help it.

 

[kxlot79]

I honestly think the heat tools have a different effect of heat. For example, when I would get my hair hot combed, it would stay straight for 30+ days and revert without issues. Pressing cremes and oils the old school way. I’ve never gotten more than 2 weeks with a flat iron. Less with just a blow out or rollersets.
That being said, the prep is where I see the best final results. I’ve seen women do no DC, use no silicones then use a flat iron on 350 get heat damage; but women who use silicones use a flat iron on 450 and not get heat damage.
It’s the hair type, the prep products, and the kind of heat combined. And that doesn’t even include technique. The combination is really where I see the difference.
I’m not skilled enough to use Marcels on myself. And wouldn’t want to use them on most potential clients. But I’ve had very skilled stylists who could use them on me.

If she only straightens her hair once a year and has that sort of damage as result then perhaps she should really think about that for the future. Unless the stylist used super hot marcel irons in her hair, I dunno.

 

[kxlot79]

Wow! I’ve seen a lot of different kinds of heat damage but that kind is on the uncommon side. Few people (stylists included) would properly diagnose it as heat damage. Very similar to when women color their hair and it seems fine but their growth is stunted for 2+ years. It’s really just gradually breaking off.
Do you remember the details of your heat damage? Temp? Tool? DIY or stylist? Prep for the style?

The thing about my hair when it was heat damaged you couldn't physically tell because my hair is so coily and has such shrinkage. So it looked like my hair was fine. But after several months no matter what I did, it just continued to break so much it looked like it wasn't growing.

 

[faithVA]

Wow! I’ve seen a lot of different kinds of heat damage but that kind is on the uncommon side. Few people (stylists included) would properly diagnose it as heat damage. Very similar to when women color their hair and it seems fine but their growth is stunted for 2+ years. It’s really just gradually breaking off.
Do you remember the details of your heat damage? Temp? Tool? DIY or stylist? Prep for the style?

The only way I found out is by sending my hair to the trichologists.

Unfortunately I remember too many of the details. It was all self-inflicted.

I was using a pressing comb and some old school pressing creme. I'm not sure how I prepped. I'm pretty sure I shampooed and deep conditioned for a couple of hours. I used to deep condition with 1 conditioner 1 day and then the next day deep condition with something else. I'm not sure if I used a leave-in but I dried in braids.

I pressed my hair and my hair was straight but it didn't get straight like it did when I was a kid. So my mom helped me and added more heat which got it straight like it was when I was a kid. I probably had heat damage when I was a kid and didn't know it

It looked fine. I probably wore it for a week. I shampooed the next week and it looked the same as it did before. I went about 6 months like that. I'm not sure what the damage was when I pressed it. But the second round with the higher heat definitely put it over the top.

I just didn't know enough about my hair then to make the right choices. I have no idea what the pressing comb temperature was.

 

[IronButterfly]

What a mentally healthy choice. She has fast growing hair and she is still very young. She's got nothing to worry about.

 

[Colocha]

I wear my hair stretched most of the time so I wouldn't have cut it. I would have tried Olaplex and all those new hair treatment things but unless it was breaking I would have left it alone.

I have learned y hair hates heat from blow driers and it's too dense to blow dry on cool. I am still stubbornly blow drying, trying to find the sweet spot where I don't get mid shaft splits. Tension is next on the list to try. Whenever I straighten or blow dry my hair, without fail, at least 2 inches come off but I just refuse to learn.

If I can consistently get roller-set-straight I'll give up on my bad ways.

 

[Saludable84]

Sorry. That video gave me anxiety. She had a really good attitude though. I feel like she was ready for that change.

 

[metro_qt]

If she really wanted to keep her hair, damage or not, she would have worked it out.

She wanted a fresh start.
I feel her, I just cut my waist length hair into a twa in Sept. -no heat damage, just lots of split ends and thinning

 

[Saga]

I've learned that it takes a looooot of heat over a looooong period of time for me to get heat damage.
That being said, I still prefer indirect heat because too much direct heat is so unhealthy. I would probably try olaplex and if that didn't work I'd transition because I've BC'ed 3 times and I am NOT doing it again. My hair grows very slow (1/4 in a month).

 

[FoxxyLocs]

I probably wouldn't have cut. Maybe a trim and then braid outs until it grew back.

 

[kxlot79]

I just thought of something: there’s a lot of women who only straighten their hair for length checks. But when they go to a stylist for “straight” hair idk if most stylists understand anything between curly and silky straight. Like, non-silky straight wouldn’t be “done” or a “style” worth the $45+ it cost.
I feel the higher the temp, the straighter the hair, the higher the chance for heat damage. Wear your hair curly 99% of the year and then risk a total reset BC for a once-a-year straightening session? Seems kooky to me but to each her own.

 

[mzteaze]

Knowing what I know now, I would have given my hair time to recover FIRST. Her hair didn't look so bad. I think a few henna or cassia treatments might have recovered it nicely.

That being said, I don't do drastic cuts on a whim.

ETA: IMHO she basically says she's wanted to go back to a TWA for awhile, so it makes me think she needed an "excuse" to cut her hair.

 

[Soaring Eagle]

If it's possible to have "healthy" relaxed hair, then it's possible to have "healthy" heat trained (damaged) hair. If I had hair that long, I would become a straight haired natural, relax it or continue to grow my hair with those ends like it never happened (LOL). I didn't spend all that time growing out my hair to start over. But that's just me.

 

[Chicoro]

What a lovely girl! She's naturally beautiful.