The Problem with Straightening Irons
The Problem with Straightening Irons – Although straightening irons have made it possible to have beautiful straight hair, there is a downside. Watch this video to learn about the common problems with straightening irons.
Expert: Michelle Hanjani, MD, FAAD Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons
Transcript
Flat irons help you have a straight, glossy ‘do, but your strands pay a price for that polished look. An iron’s heated tongs STRAIGHTEN hair by BREAKING and then REFORMING the hydrogen bonds in the cortex, which makes up the bulk of the inner part of the hair fiber. While the heat is bruising the CORTEX, it’s also DAMAGING the scales that line the hair shaft, known as the cuticle. The scales become raised and ragged, and that can cause hair BREAKAGE.
Heat damage also causes “bubble hair” – especially if you’re using an iron on DAMP strands. That sizzling sound you might hear while straightening means that the moisture within your strands is BOILING. This forms bubbles within your hair fibers, DRAMATICALLY increasing your chances of breakage. And once your hair starts breaking, you end up with a frizzy, shaggy appearance, which compels you to use the flat iron even MORE. So how do you stop this self-perpetuating cycle?
A lot of women think that they’re AVOIDING hair damage if they use a ceramic instead of a METAL flat iron. While these DO allow for faster straightening with less damage, their benefits are VOIDED if you set them on TOO HIGH a temperature. The max temperature setting is 410 degrees Fahrenheit. If you use the iron at 347 to 410 degrees for as little as five minutes, you ARE damaging hair.
So if you’re unable to give up using a straightening iron completely, follow these tips to minimize damage.
- Set the iron on a LOWER temperature. The finer your hair, the LOWER the temperature should be.
- Before you iron, make sure your hair is completely dry AND that you’ve applied a protective serum that contains ingredients like silicone or argan oil. DON’T apply it to your roots – just your hair strands.
- NEVER hold the iron over a section of hair for longer than a few seconds.
- GLIDE the tongs through instead of pulling with them.
- DON’T go over the same section more than a few times.
- And condition, condition, condition. Flat iron use makes that even more important. Use moisture-rich conditioner every time you shampoo.
For more hair care tips, watch other videos in this series!
Last Modified: 2012-11-17
