Does Heat Protection Help Hair?

[westNDNbeauty]

http://thebeautybrains.com/2008/11/21/beauty-q-a-does-heat-protection-help-hair/

Hair Heat Protection?

Can heat activated/heat protectant products really help? First, you have to understand that these terms don’t mean the same thing. Heat activated is more of a marketing term that doesn’t really mean much. It just means that the ingredients in the formula do “something” different when exposed to heat. Fragrance, for example, can be encapsulated so that it releases when exposed to heat. Styling products can be heat activated because certain polymers they contain melt and spread better when heat is applied. So, just because a product is heat activated doesn’t mean it offers heat protection.


Heat protection, on the other hand, is a “real claim” or at least as real as a hair care claim can be. Heat protection products work by coating the hair and lubricating it during heat styling. This conditioning effect reduces the amount of damage caused by blowdryers, curling irons and flat. The good news is that any product that conditions your hair during heat styling will help protect it. You don’t necessarily have to buy a special product.

What are your thoughts?

 

[ceebee3]

I don't think there are any special products that will specifically protect your hair from heat damage.

I do agree that you should always use products that will always keep your hair in good condition no matter what - deep conditioners, protein treatments, hair masks, serums.

I have a John Frieda heat protectant but I've only used it once and that was because it smells good.

 

[westNDNbeauty]

I don't think there are any special products that will specifically protect your hair from heat damage.

ITA........

 

[BlkOnyx488]

I guess heat protection is like a condom
it's not 100% but it's better than nothing
but Abstintence (sp) (from heat) is the only true garantee of protection

 

[lovenharmony]

I couldn't agree more BlkOnyx! I know when I had to blowdry my hair "naked" during the BKT process, I was frightened cause I wasn't using "protection"! Thank goodness I only did it once and nothing happened to my hair in the process

 

[mEmYSELFaNDj]

I never even heard of heat protectant until I came onto the hair boards last summer. A damn shame huh. And im nearly 24years old. Im still looking for a good one. I've tried the beyond the zone one but I think it fried my hair instead of protecting it. Any other suggestions?

(Sorry not trying to hi-jack your thread OP)

 

[My Friend]

I guess heat protection is like a condom
it's not 100% but it's better than nothing
but Abstence (from heat) is the only true garantee of protection

 

[mzsophisticated26]

I never even heard of heat protectant until I came onto the hair boards last summer. A damn shame huh. And im 24years old. Im still looking for a good one. I've tried the beyond the zone one but I think it fried my hair instead of protecting it. Any other suggestions?

(Sorry not trying to hi-jack your thread OP)

me either, I was like what is heat protectant I use it out of habit now just have a little something on it but I also DC my hair before any direct heat. I like the Silk Element olive oil heat protectant because it does not weigh down my fine strands.

 

[Eritreladiee]

I guess heat protection is like a condom
it's not 100% but it's better than nothing
but Abstence (from heat) is the only true garantee of protection

i love the analogy...but i don't use protection

 

[Dominican09]

NICE THREAD!!!

 

[NikStarrr]

I don't really believe heat protectants can fully protect your hair from heat. It's just and extra measure developed for ppl's peace of mind, IMO. There is no way a little liquid is going to withstand the affects of a piece of metal at 350 degrees. I don't think using them hurts anything though.

 

[sharifeh]

I thought it could protect your hair. I thought the cone, cyclomethicone/cyclopentosiloxane (sp?) coats your hair and could withstand heat more than 450 degrees. hmm don't take my word on that, I would have to look it up.

ETA: Ya, so cyclomethicone and dimethicone are the two major ingredients in many heat protectants, and the temperature at which these compounds degrade is much higher than our flat irons.

But if your hair is not healthy to begin with, your hair may be ruined by heat.

 

[BlkOnyx488]

i love the analogy...but i don't use protection

uh oh somebody needs an after school special about the importance of using protection.

 

[Dommo]

I'm also confused on this issue. I never used heat protection before I came on this board. I use it though now,just because....My hair definitely feels more moisturized without it though. I remember when I used to get domincan blow-outs every single week. They use no protection at all and my hair was down my back. Now that I'm almost natural; i try to use heat protection all the time for my "curls" but my hair doesn't feel as good as when i don't use it.

 

[Salsarisma]

me either, I was like what is heat protectant I use it out of habit now just have a little something on it but I also DC my hair before any direct heat. I like the Silk Element olive oil heat protectant because it does not weigh down my fine strands.

I use the Silk Elements with Olive Oil too. I love it. Not too greasy!

 

[exoticmommie]

For me, when I use a heat protector for blow drying it is almost as though I am using nothing, my hair still gets fried. I notice it protecting more when flat ironing and hot curling.

Completely agree with Blkonyx btw.

 

[DeenIsFirst]

I use heat protection now and low heat but still get splits. Sometimes I think my ends did better when I was using grease and wax to flat iron. I know how bad that sounds!

 

[shtow]

I used to think it didn't make a difference until I went a good 6 months without using one. I had spits galore. Once I did a cut and went back to using it, my hair thrived.

 

[Griengrass]

I was wondering the same, if it would help or not. I have two in my cabinet, one from Chi and another that I think is a generic Sally's brand. I tried the Chi but I had issues trying to spray and not get the already straightened hair wet again.

 

[Nonie]

My thoughts are that heat protectants are the shizzle! If you haven't seen my posts, me gushing about how wonderful my flat iron experience was because of heat protectants, then let me tell you....

First you must know that as scared of heat as I have always been, therefore using it only once in a blue moon, I have never had problems with reversion. Still at the back of my mind, there's always that nagging feeling that it takes only ONE mistake to ruin everything. So heat and I were always a bit distrusting of each other.

Enter heat protectants and all that changed. First of all, for the first time in all my life (and I'm not young so that was a major event) I had a press without a hint of burning protein. Now if you've been around hair being flat ironed or pressed, you know the smell I'm talking about. Well, that smell was non-existent during the flat ironing. It wasn't there after the flat ironing. And you know how scarves you wear get that smell on them? NADA! Secondly, when I wet my hair to wash it, again not a single whiff of that smell on my hair! All I smelled was the shampoo and conditioner! If I hadn't witnessed that myself, I would never have believed it's possible. And last but not least, the minute shampoo got on my hair, I had immediate and total reversion!

And you know what, I am no longer afraid of heat. I can flat iron my hair in a heartbeat. And I believe this is confidence came about because of the wonderful way heat protectants protected my hair. I got the straight results I wanted without the risk. LOVE 'EM!

 

[MarieB]

Has anyone tried Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray yet? I bought some last week, and it smells yummy! I can't wait to wash my hair!

 

[LisaLisa1908]

I am a big fan of Chi Iron Guard and the Beyond The Zone heat protectants. As I use heat every other week, they make a huge difference, and like Nonie, I do NOT have that burnt smell either.

 

[blackbarbie986]

@ Nonie, which one do you use?

 

[NikkiGirl]

I don't think it really helps. I also feel like when I don't use heavy protectives my hair feels better when I use heat.

 

[Solitude]

I think it's extremely well known that silicones create a protective barrier that can withstand HIGH, HIGH heat, hence why your little plastic tongs that don't burn are made of silicone.

If cones can withstand the high heat of frying oil, etc., then I believe products with cones can create a barrier that protects my hair from heat styling.

I didn't know much about heat protectant before the board, but long before joining LHCF, I was using Oscar Blandi Jasmine Oil Serum for heat protection, as recommended by a lady at Sephora. When it comes to hair care, Sephora has never let me down.

I use Nexxus heat protexx and aveda smooth infusion on wet hair before drying, and a serum on dry hair before using the flat iron.

 

[Nonie]

@ Nonie, which one do you use?

I used two kinds. Because I usually press wet-to-dry with just water on my first press, this time I did it using a protectant and coated my hair completely after it was already stretched and dry. (I stretched with Curlformers but braids could've have worked.) So after stretching, I took a small section and drenched it wet with a John Frieda Frizz Ease Heat Defeat. I made sure my strands were completed covered in this. Then after I pressed once with that and all sections of my hair had been worked on; I had a look of blow dried hair.

Next I sectioned out narrow sections and applied my second heat protectant John Frieda Frizz Ease Serum Thermal Protection on a section at a time just making sure my hair was covered well. I'm not saying use a lot; just enough so no inch is left exposed. A pass of the flat iron with that gave me a smooth finish. My hair had been shampooed clean with Garnier Fructis and conditioned with CHI Infra Treatment Thermal Protection. I mention the conditioner I used coz I don't know if it also contributed the awesome experience I had. I just knew that I wanted to take any precautions I could think of and since I saw CHI had a conditioner for thermal protection, I figured I could start from there just to be safe.

This was my first time using heat protectants and I cannot stress enough just how safe they made me feel and what a joy it was to experience a press without any smell of burning hair. And the proof of no damage was in how well my hair reverted...again without the usual smell I am used to sensing on wetting straightened hair.

 

[FocusLady]

Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray sucks...lol. I poured that stuff out this morning. I brought a new flat iron (Maxiglide) and flat ironed my hair. Tresemme made my hair so sticky. My hair is light but just sticky. I don't like it. I'm buying Silk Elements next; heard good things about it.

 

[KinkyGenius]

I never even heard of heat protectant until I came onto the hair boards last summer. A damn shame huh. And im nearly 24years old. Im still looking for a good one. I've tried the beyond the zone one but I think it fried my hair instead of protecting it. Any other suggestions?

(Sorry not trying to hi-jack your thread OP)

Nioxin Bliss Thermal Heat Protectant

 

[westNDNbeauty]

Ok. With many responses leading to cones protecting against the use of high heat....

My next question is, what does heat damage look like to you?

I am not too sure if just because a product is silicone based it can prevent my natural hair from becoming permanently straight due to use of heat (i.e.-heat damage). So is it really 'heat protection'?

 

[mw138]

I have a John Frieda heat protectant but I've only used it once and that was because it smells good.

I just bought that the other day and plan on trying it Friday (wash day).