It takes time and effort to keep hair looking and feeling healthy when styling it in the way we like. Many people take great pride in their hair, but some treatments and styling techniques can leave your locks worse off than before.
We’re often told to avoid overusing styling tools like curling tongs, hairdryers and straighteners, but how does heat actually damage hair? Let’s take a look.
HOW DOES HEAT DAMAGE YOUR HAIR?
We all understand how disasters such as hair dye reactions can damage your tresses, but what about applying heat? Unfortunately, if you overuse styling equipment, it can cause hair damage. The risk is even higher if you use poor-quality tools that don’t allow you to control the temperature applied or have a high maximum limit.
When exposed to high heat, your hair’s protein strands can change shape, leading to weak and brittle hair that lose their elasticity while stripping away natural oils. This hair damage is often permanent until new strands grow through.
Signs of heat-damaged hair include dryness, roughness and hair breakages, not to mention split ends and tangles. In the worst cases, it can even result in hair snapping and hair loss.
IS AIR-DRYING HAIR ANY BETTER?
While avoiding thermal hair damage may involve ditching your dryer, is it really better to let things happen naturally? Air drying is better, but you should still be careful about how you treat wet hair. For example, sleeping on damp hair can damage its cuticles and outer layers, as wet hair is more vulnerable to friction against your pillow.
To prevent this issue, use nourishing hair masks, avoid rough towel drying and wrap your hair gently in a soft towel, letting it completely dry before bed.
HOW TO PREVENT HEAT-DAMAGED HAIR
To prevent heat-damaged hair, simple changes such as heat protection sprays and using equipment on a low-temperature setting can make a difference to hair health.
However, if your hair has already been damaged by thermal sources, the best thing to do is add moisture to your locks with products like leave-in conditioners and argan oil. Avoid using heat while your hair remains vulnerable to breakages. As new healthy hair grows through, visits to the salon for a trim will start removing the damaged sections.
HAS A HAIRDRESSER DAMAGED YOUR HAIR WITH HEAT?
Unfortunately, many people suffer hair damage thanks to the improper use of heated styling equipment at salons every year. Sometimes the damage is so severe that people decide to sue hairdressers, which is the right response if you have suffered a personal injuries, such as scalp blisters or overprocessed hair that’s falling out.
If you want to know your rights or find out how to sue a hair salon, get in touch with us at Hairdressing Claims and one of our qualified solicitor will be happy to discuss the next steps. You can read more about hair damage at the Trichological Society.
CONTACT HAIRDRESSING CLAIMS
Have you suffered hair damage after attending a salon? Call Hairdressing Claims today to discover if you can claim compensation.
To get started, phone our freephone line on 0800 141 3682 or 0333 202 6560 from a mobile, or send a message to enquiries@hairdressingclaims.co.uk.