Living with Heat Damage

Heloo Lovelies,

Glorious heat style

I am currently writing this sitting in a hot bus, the heat in Cape Town is unbearable some days. And the make up on my face is literally sliding off(this is the number one reason why I don’t wear make-up in summer). Enough of my rant, how are you doing?

Great I hope. I may have mentioned briefly in one of my previous posts and on my Instagram account that I had some heat damage. This happened towards the end of 2017. You’ll find that most people cut off their hair when they have had heat damage but I have decided not to and live through it. I noticed that it was not so bad that I need to cut my hair off.

How did I end up here? I have straightened my hair before and blow dried it numerous times, one would think I am a pro by now. I had a shortage of products and was trying to attempt the most straight look I could get(that was my mistake). I had a list of products to purchase in my head and when the time neared I did not buy them thinking that I am going to hoard products that I am going to use once a year so I might as well work with what I have at home, oh boy! I even bought a product that alcohol denat in it's ingredients but I did not use it.

Kair spray has alcohol in it which dries out air
but this was my stash for straightening hair lol

That being said, I am not touching heat this year by the help of God(lol). I will be trying my hardest not to use heat this year. Immediately after I noticed that I had heat damage I bought a protein treatment, because my hair was breaking bad especially at the crown and towards the front. I was rather impressed with the Hask Keratin sachet, I saw results after first use. I plan to do protein treatments every other week or every two weeks depending on how my hair feels.

My hair has slowly been reverting back to it’s texture but my texture is a lot looser on areas I got the heat damage(I am not complaining). Those areas have better hold when I do twist outs and comb out easily when I am detangling. If anything I have realised how much hard work 4C hair really is.

almost straight and glossy

What is my verdict? If you have sustained heat damage, assess how bad the damage is. I realised that my hair took a while to revert back, had I acted hastily I would have chopped off my glorious length(to me). Secondly wait it out, try a couple of protein treatments within reasonable time and if there is no change at all, then you can consider cutting your hair. Don’t be like me and do this without products that will protect your hair from the heat and help you achieve your desired look, or simply got to a salon that knows how to do your hair.

I have concluded with myself that I won’t be trying to have a straight look, my hair is not straight, I might as well accept it as is and work with it as it is. That is my challenge this year. Of course I will use heatless stretching for styling and avoiding matting and all the other advantages that comes with stretching 4C hair. Let us know if you have suffered from heat damage and how did you move past it, and how have you avoided it.

Until next post, God bless...