Hair Tip #39: Overcoming Heat Damage

I have visited many different churches in my life. The one thing that I have seen that has destroyed many black women's hair is heat damage. I see it time and time again.. fried hair, dry and brittle, breaking and falling out by the strand. All because of heat damage.

How does heat damage occur?

When someone uses an excess about of heat at a high temperature on their hair. The cuticle opens and protein bonds are broken causing dry and frizzy hair. As a result the hair breaks. If the temperature is too high the hair can fry, singe and burn.

Why do so many black women suffer from heat damage?

The higher we turn up the heat, the straighter our hair gets. So there is always an obsession with finding the hottest flat iron, the hottest curling iron, the pressing comb that heats up the best. As a result, so many black women end up destroying their hair. 

Have you ever walked into a salon and smelled the awful smell of burning hair? Its not just a smell, they ARE burning your hair! 

Before I was in church, with seriously heat damaged hair!! 

So, what do most black women end up doing with their hair becomes damaged from heat?

They trim it or cut it. Hence why so many black women have such short hair. They damage it, it breaks. They cut it. Its  a vicious cycle...

To my Apostolic Pentecostal women:

It is time to take a stand against the excuse that you have to trim you our hair. We are not exempt from the standards of the church. We do not cut our hair or trim it according to the truth of Gods word about uncut hair. Your hair can grow just fine without trimming or cutting it... see :) Be encouraged you can grow your hair without cutting it!

"I couldn't grow long hair if I tried..." (excerpt from "Made" by Lisa McClendon) 

Black women

CAN

 GROW LONG HAIR! The problem is that if we continually damage it with heat, we will never retain the length! Trust me, your hair is growing or you would be bald. But you aren't retaining the length when it is constantly breaking off from damaging it.

Overcoming heat damage:

Here are some steps you can take to heal your hair from heat damage.

• Invest in a good deep conditioner! It doesn't have to be store bought. Here are some deep conditioners that I have used:




• BioInfusion deep conditioning treatment


• Greek yogurt 


• Honey and greek yogurt


• Banana mask




• Be gentle to your hair!




• Your  hair is in a very fragile state when it is heat damaged. Try to avoid tight hair styles (pony tails, braids, etc) Do lose styles, styles with your hair out, etc. 




• Do heat free styles. You can wear beautiful curls and get texture without straightening or blow drying your hair

So lets make a conscious decision to say protect our hair and grow it healthy and long!! If you are struggling with damaged hair, let me help. You don't have to live with damaged hair!