Follicular degeneration from using heat...

dlove said:

I was just reading a small tid bit of informaion on line about how excessive direct heat from using hot combs, flat irons, and blow dryers can cause follicular degeneration (FD). Something that can not be remedied and causes baldness from the crown then spreads to the entire head.

As a natural that recently decided to wear my hair straight 90% of the time, I found this information to be disturbing beacuse I have to hot comb and flat iron to get my hair straight. Granted I only pass with one swipe with the hot comb and one swipe with flat iron, I 'm still considering the consequences over time. I hot comb first because flat ironing does not get my ends straight. The reason for the flat iron is because of the ceramic properties of the silky feel afterwards and for a "bumb" on the ends.

I hardly ever feel intense heat on my scalp when using my hot comb and flat iron. I wonder if feeling the sensation of high high on the scalp have a connection with self inflicting the start of FD.

The only time I blow dry is when I'm in a hurry. Otherwise, I air dry over night.

Ok LHCF, what are we going to do to combat this issue?

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Muse said:

Do you have a link to the info?

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Luxurious12 said:

Do you feel that using a hot comb is less destructive on your hair then using a blow dryer?
Yes because I never feel the heat of the pressing hot comb on my scalp unless unintentionally for a split 2 seconds I put the comb too close to my scalp. With the blow dryer you really cant control the air thats coming out. I can control the comb. The closer you get it to the scalp, the more heat you feel on the scalp.
This question is a little bit of the topic but I'm just wondering because I have tried air drying my hair and then flat ironing it out and it was disasterous, but I have never tried hotcombing it. Do you see a difference in the end for how straight it turns out?
Most def! Take it from someone who has tried the flat iron ( I have a Solia ceramic) several times and have cried several nights because the ends were puffy. After reading the hot comb and flat iron debate, I decided to invest in a hot comb. Best decision ever. My ends come out straight as a relaxer after one pass. Now my press comes out awesomely straight when I blow dry, however, when I have the time I try and avoid it because that is just way too much heat. BTW, just recently my hair came out just as nice as when I blow dry when I allowed my hair to air dry.



Back on topic! This is very interesting, but it seems like it is if someone is not really taking care of their hair.

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How sustained traction causes permanent alopecia is not known for sure, but the zones of alopecia at first conform precisely to where rollers have been placed and between plaits. We think that the continuous pull on hairs sends follicles into catagen in a fashion somewhat analogous to the change that follows plucking of hairs. Because matrical cells of the follicular bulb are programmed genetically for capability to cycle a limited number of times, the continued use of rollers and the practice of plaiting for years exhaust the possibility for division of these cells, and at one juncture they cease producing hair altogether.

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Although the "follicular degeneration syndrome" does not exist as a specific condition that results from premature "degeneration" or "disintegration" of the inner sheath, patients who are described in articles devoted to that subject clearly exhibit a distinctive type of alopecia. We have been fortunate to study, clinically and histopathologically, more than 200 patients with what has been called hot comb alopecia or follicular degeneration syndrome.* It became apparent to us that the cause of hot comb alopecia/follicular degeneration syndrome is traction—and traction alone. The patients, virtually all of whom were African-American women, either used rollers under tension in their hair or plaited their hair. Many admitted that hot combs had been applied to their hair by attentive mothers when they were still young girls. These procedures affected numerous foci on the scalp, from the frontotemporal to the nape, in repeatable patterns. The alopecia began in those particular foci, but in time—that is, over many years—extended slowly from those sites to involve the crown in confluence and at other times nearly the entire scalp. The hairs at the periphery of the scalp are spared

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Some dermatologists theorize that the following factors may play a role in the cause or CCCA:

* Genetics
* Hot combing (microscopic droplets of hot hair oil drip onto and damage the hair follicles)
* Chemical relaxing (the severe tingling and burning that occurs when the application directions are not followed may produce inflammation and destruction of the hair follicles)
* Tight rollers or curlers used to set the hair (the chronic pulling or traction of the hair may produce inflammation and destruction of the follicles)
* Braids with extensions or weaves to style the hair (the chronic pulling or traction of the hair may produce inflammation and destruction of the follicles)
* Blow drying (excessive heat applied to the scalp and hot oil droplets may destroy the follicles)
* "Oiling or greasing the scalp" (may block the follicles and cause inflammation in the follicles)

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gymfreak336 said:

They also call it centerfuge alopecia.

Part of it also comes from using lots of oils that when heated, hit the scalp and cause damage. You see it alot in people that have hot combed for years with oil, mainly in the crown section.

IMO excess anything can be bad but the degree of what excess is to you is relative to your regime. If you never wash your hair, always scratching it and your scalp is always sore or what not, you already have low-high level scalp damage. A scalp that is already damaged is going to respond differently than a healthy hair and scalp.

Properly washing and conditioning, keeping your scalp healthy and clean, using proper heat protectant agents and quality heat styling tools...I don't see you having a major problem.

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texasqt said:

Also keep in mind that something as simple as a burn can damage the follicle and cause scarring which may inhibit hair growth. Think about when you accidently hit your forehead or your ear - it scabs, turns black over time, and leaves a scar. Just because you can't see it on your scalp doesn't mean it isn't there. So, if you or your stylist continually burns your scalp when using the flat iron or hot comb then you may have a lot of scarred sections and therefore no hair growth.

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gymfreak336 said:

They also call it centerfuge alopecia.

Part of it also comes from using lots of oils that when heated, hit the scalp and cause damage. You see it alot in people that have hot combed for years with oil, mainly in the crown section.

IMO excess anything can be bad but the degree of what excess is to you is relative to your regime. If you never wash your hair, always scratching it and your scalp is always sore or what not, you already have low-high level scalp damage. A scalp that is already damaged is going to respond differently than a healthy hair and scalp.

Properly washing and conditioning, keeping your scalp healthy and clean, using proper heat protectant agents and quality heat styling tools...I don't see you having a major problem.

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BlackHairDiva said:

I agree!!!!!

I blow dry and flat iron my hair once a week up. Maximum twice a week. The heat tools I use are all Ionic which is supposed to be better on the hair.I have a titanium ionic flat iron. I also use a lot of natural products. Now since I'm using a natural product that loosens my curls like crazy I don't have to use much heat on my hair. I put my iron on low to medium heat, pass on a section once and its done. I used to put my flat irons on maximum heat and pass it on one section over 4 times just to get it manageable...now its not even necessary. Sometimes low is even enough.

Of course, I also use heat protectant whenever I blow dry and flat iron. So I think I'm pretty safe and I shouldn't worry.

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