Does more heat really help "train" your hair and loosen the curl pattern?

[Silver]

My belief based on my hair (4ab natural) is that intense heat DC over time does infuse the hair with moisturizing properties thereby making it heavier, ergo, looser pattern. I don't have damaged hair. I have been sitting under a hot dryer, weekly for as long back as almost a year. My cuticles do not show damage. In the last couple of months I have started to DC for 2 hours a week and boy is my hair different in a even better way. My hair loves heat/dc combo.

As far as flat ironing is concerned, I do think that when I flat iron my intensily moisturized hair it pushes that moisture further into the hair cuticle, again making it looser even when wet. I do not flat iron often at all.

I also am a big fan of washing with baking soda and have found that it too loosens and softens hair.

I'm going to attach an article web link that does back up what you're saying with the heat and conditioner stuff. Also deep conditioning my hair has improved my texture/curl. But flat ironing the hair or blow drying all the time will damage hair. I'm not against heat at all, I don't wear my hair curly, so I use it. I do not think heat is bad, because I'm a guilty user of flatirons and hand held blow dryers. To the OP just make sure you recognize the signs of damage if they come, I hope your hair does well like your sister's , heat works for some people.

http://thebeautybrains.com/2008/04/29/how-to-protect-your-hair-from-heat-damage/

 

[Ms Lala]

thanks for this thread Ms lala!

no prob! IHIH

 

[CenteredGirl]

I'm going to attach an article web link that does back up what you're saying with the heat and conditioner stuff. Also deep conditioning my hair has improved my texture/curl. But flat ironing the hair or blow drying all the time will damage hair. I'm not against heat at all, I don't wear my hair curly, so I use it. I do not think heat is bad, because I'm a guilty user of flatirons and hand held blow dryers. To the OP just make sure you recognize the signs of damage if they come, I hope your hair does well like your sister's , heat works for some people.

http://thebeautybrains.com/2008/04/29/how-to-protect-your-hair-from-heat-damage/

Thanks for the article! ITA about heat and handhelds (bolded above)

 

[dlove]

After reading all of this....I think I have damage my hair! I pressed my hair on 450 and noticed a small section in the front has a very loose pattern. My 4b thick very shrunken afro has gotton large and the curls are looser- like I have 3 something hair. Uh Oh... I used Sabino and they said I could turn it up to 450.

I sure dont want to cut off all my hair again...any suggestions? Anyone been in my shoes?

 

[Starr1]

In response to the original question: can the hair be "trained" to have a looser pattern? The answer plain and simple is no- it can't. The term training implies that the hair can be taught to become looser, however as the hair is not living, it does not learn and can not be taught to become straighter. It can however be mechanically burned into losing it's natural pattern. Is it a form of damage? Yes, because the hair will never return to its original shape- it will instead have to grow out and be cut off.

Can hair still be relatively healthy after being heat "trained"? Yes, as there are varying forms and levels of damage. But damage is damage non-the-less, be it mechanical or chemical. Just because it's not visible to the naked eye doesn't mean it's not there.

 

[jamaraa]

Things can be altered w/o being damaged...it's the effect of the change and whether the desired result is reached that determines whether something is damaged. LOL....it's not so black and white literal.