brownsugarflyygirl said:
Okay...so I know cones and silk proteins are good for protecting hair when using heat.
But I remember someone saying that using oil was bad because it causes some part of the hair shaft to boil or something scientific like that. Can Navs, Sistaslik, anyone explain to me why using straight oil is bad?
Anybody ever use sweet almond oil or any other natural oil alone consistently over time with good results?
Just curious...since I am in Bootcamp...I have nothing better to do than PONDER heat regimens, regiments, regimes
Pretty much@the bolded. No one should EVER be using oil to flat iron their hair. The reason why heat gets such a bad rap is because so many people don't use it correctly. With all the new technology and science for flat irons today, people should just NOT be getting heat damage. But even if you have the most advanced technology in the world, if you misuse heat then your hair will get damaged in some way. One way to misuse it is by using oils. Another way is to use the wrong source of heat. I don't care how well someone's $19.99 Gold N Hot flat iron straightens their hair, not all heat is the same. Ceramic emits constant, even far infrared heat that is supposed to help lock in moisture (far infrared heat produces water molecule resonance and in turn resonance of atoms) and also eliminates bacteria/detoxifies the hair. These are the same types of infrared ions that can be used in cancer patients on a daily basis to kill cancer cells (while not damaging healthy ones even with all the exposure). If they can be used safely on cells that are much more sensitive (like tissues inside the body pelted by nerves), then they should NOT be damaging your hair (tissues that are already dead and therefore a lot less sensitive). Infrared heat is a type of radiant heat that heats through conversion (and changing the conformation of the atoms around the bonds without touching the air in between). Come on, scientists know what they are doing. It's not their fault that the rest of the world doesn't.
The bonds in oils break very very easily. The purpose of heat protectants is to have compounds that are strong enough to withstand heat without the bonds in them breaking, and thus, prevent all the heat from getting directly on the strand. If you are using an oil, then it cannot protect your hair strands because the heat is going to burst through them and get straight to your hair. Oil also pops and "fries" when it comes into contact with a heat source. So essentially, it's not really just the heat of the flat iron, it's the heat of the flat iorn PLUS the hot oil that you just created on your strands. We all know what happens when we get accidentally popped by hot oil. Your hair may be looking real glossy and "fly," but it's probably ready to slap you in the face for burning it. Even though the purpose of new infrared technology is to basically eliminate possibility of heat damage on its own, you can add one or more factors that cancel this out (by using oil or a temperature way too high for instance or going over a section 25 times).
Also, other miscellaneous tips on flat ironing to test if you are doing something wrong:
1. Your hair is sizzling. YOUR HAIR SHOULD NOT BE SIZZLING. If you hear a sizzle, package your flat iron up and send it back before you do some damage. If you see or smell smoke, whether product, the iron, or the hair, then you've done something wrong (ie the temperature is way too high).
2. You should not go over a piece more than once. Seriously, one time oughta do the job. I know that far infrared heat is safer and you can spend more time exposed to it than conventional heat but regardless of this, act like you didn't just read what I said and just go over it once.
3. You should always use a heat protectant. Always always. Better to be safe than sorry.
4. I know this may sound arcane to some but when you flat iron a piece of your hair it should NOT, I repeat, NOT, be feeling hot to the touch right after the iron has passed over an area. You should be able to flat iron and the second it leaves a spot, touch it and feel the hair straight but cool. As I have said many times before, heat should only be changing the positions of the atoms in space around their molecular bonds so the hair is straight; it should not be damaging or weakening the bonds and if it is, YOU are doing something wrong, not the flat iron. Also, ceramic/tourmaline/ionic heat dissipates very quickly, regular heat does not.
. I had my hair hot combed for the first time in years (professionally) yesterday and I must say I thought the stylist was wierd for not using any oil or cream in my hair before flat ironing. But then again, she did go over my hair multiple times with a hot comb then flat iron 
... so I guess the good balances out the bad?? (don't answer that 
)
