Heat styling tools like curling irons, flat irons, thermal brushes and hair crimpers can help your hair look fabulous. There is a big downside to using heat styling tools however, it can damage your hair. Heat breaks down the cuticle, which can make your hair look dry or frizzy. Here is some insight on how using a heat protectant can help your hair keep looking healthy.
How Does Heat Styling Damage Your Hair?
Your hair is made up of an outer protective layer, the cuticle, and the inner layer, the cortex. Some thicker hair types can have an additional layer, the medulla. Moisture is stored in the cortex, which is made up primarily of keratin proteins. When hair is heated to 266°F - 280°F via heat styling tools, the moisture in your hair can turn to steam. This steam finds weka points in the hair cuticle from which to escape. Remember, the cuticle is made up of small scales, and when they lay flat, your hair is healthy, and moisture is held in the hair shaft. There are other direct effects of applying heat to your hair via styling tools.
When the scales are blown open, moisture can escape or travel in and out, which can mean loss of elasticity and damaged hair.
Pigment is also stored in the cortex, so when you dye or color your hair, heat can damage the cuticle, meaning you’ll lose that color more quickly.
The keratin proteins in the cortex can also be permanently altered by prolonged exposure to heat. 79% of your hair is keratin, and this protein give your hair it’s shine and elasticity. When the keratin is altered, your hair will not retain moisture as easily, damaging your hair due to increased dehydration.
The cuticle can fray, causing split ends, which can travel up the hair shaft, further damaging your hair.
Heat protectant is designed to buffer the heat from thermal styling tools and protect your hair from damage.
What Is a Heat Protectant?
A heat protectant is often a product applied to your hair before thermal styling to help reduce heat damage to your hair. The protectant can be spray, cream, or serum – these are often leave-in products. The protectant usually applied shortly before using heat styling or treatment. The chemical structure of the protectant slows down the heat conduction and helps distribute the thermal energy evenly across the hair shaft.
How Does Heat Protectant Work?
Heat protectants form a film on top of the hair that slows the heat conduction, meaning the hair heats up slowly instead of suddenly, lessening the shock to the hair shaft. Silicones and copolymers are often used as ingredients in the protectants, for their efficacy. Protectants may also contain humectants (for retaining moisture), amino acids (for strengthening hair), and natural oils (to protect the cuticle).
Benefits of Using Hair Protectant
Hair protectants help shield hair from heat damage and moisture loss, helping your hair stay shiny and voluminous. When you use hot tools on your hair, it can cause damage, making hair dry and brittle.
There are many benefits to using hair protectants, including:
Preventing Moisture Loss
Using hot styling tools evaporate the moisture in the hair strand, leaving it looking dry and brittle. Using a protectant helps insulate the hair shaft from heat damage. Many protectants also contain hydrating components, giving your hair a healthy boost, making them look rich and glossy.
Reduce Frizz
The hair cuticle is made up of overlapping scales, when they lay flat, your hair is smooth and sleek. When the hair is in this state, moisture is retained, and the hair is healthy. Heat damage raises the cuticle scales, causing moisture loss, making hair look dry and frizzy. Heat protectants insulate the hair from heat tools, reducing damage to cuticles, helping your hair stay luxurious.
Makes Hair Easier to Manage
Your hair’s elasticity is tied to your cuticle health and keratin in your cortex, so using a heat protectant will help prevent hair damage. This makes your hair easier to manage.
Preserving Hair Color
Heat can damage the cuticle and the pigment in the cortex, making coloring and dyes fade faster. Heat protectants help diffuse the heat, helping extend the color retention.
How To Find the Best Heat Protectant?
1. Know Your Hair Type
Hair protectants come in different forms for different hair types. Sprays work good for people with fine hair, creams work much better for people with thicker hair. A hair serum is good for many different types of hair, because they are light but also very nourishing and hydrating.
2. Analyze the Ingredients
Heat protectants with natural oils and extracts are more nourishing for your hair. If they have aloe vera, vitamin E, coconut oil, or avocado oil, they can be very nourishing for your hair.
3. Can You Make it Part of Your Routine?
Some heat protectants also function as a leave-in conditioner, shine-enhancer, and/or styling agent.
Can You Repair Heat Damaged Hair?
While heat protectant doesn’t completely prevent hair damage from heat tools, it greatly diminishes the effects of heat styling. But what about repairing heat damaged hair?
Damaged hair can be repaired with deep conditioning, hair masks, and thoughtful care of your hair. Trimming out split ends, getting enough nutrients and vitamins, avoiding harsh styling procedures, coloring, and heat styling can all help repair your hair over time. For chemically damaged hair, use products that restore moisture and protect color-treated hair.
A once-a-week deep conditioning regimen or leave-in hair masks can help repair and strengthen the cuticles.
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