Does Curling Your Hair Hurt It?
Does Curling Your Hair Hurt It?
How to Care for Frizzy Hair While Minimizing Heat Damage
Healthy hair is shiny, strong, and free of breakage because of a protein that our bodies naturally produce: keratin. However, keratin sometimes isn’t enough to prevent dryness or frizzy hair. When our hair is dry, floofy, or frizzes up all over the place, it can feel simpler and cuter to make the fluffy mess sleek and shiny by curling or flat ironing it.
However, applying heat to one’s hair has been found to damage it. In a study undertaken at Yonsei University in Wonju, Korea, researchers found that the surface of hair became progressively more damaged as temperatures of hair dryers increased, except when the hair dryer was held about 15 cm away from the head. Heat causes the denaturation of the keratin protein, which makes hair even more 
brittle, dry, and cracked.
I’ve noticed this complaint in my friends. It’s easy to get used to sleek and straightened hair, and you’ve got to love the smooth, neat curls the iron can give you. However, it becomes a bit of a negative cycle when daily heating damages hair and leaves it frizzier than ever.
Heat damage doesn’t necessarily occur overnight. Hair gets damaged when heat is applied over time and with regularity. Applying heat to your hair occasionally shouldn’t cause lasting harm.
When you do use heat-based hairstyling tools, it’s best to use them at lower temperatures- the higher the temp, the faster the hair’s outer layers can get broken down. It’s important to remove extra oil buildup and avoid over-dryness by washing hair regularly and not infrequently.
If you curl or apply heat to your hair more regularly, then it’s worthwhile investing in a thermal protectant for your hair. These sprays/creams coat the hair gently, allowing another layer to get between your precious strands and the heat that shapes them.
There are several ways to tame frizz without resorting to heat straight up. Argan oil, coconut oil, and other natural oils can make hair sleeker without heat.
When it comes to curls, there are a myriad of heat-free curling strategies. Leave-in conditioners can develop natural curls; just be sure your conditioner of 
choice doesn’t contain any unpleasant or harsh chemicals. Before my senior prom, last school year, my mom and I tried a variety of heat-free hair curling methods, several of which worked quite well. I don’t know where I’m looking in this photo, but there it is. Those curls were heatless, using the bathrobe strap over the head and double-plaited method. They lasted pretty much the whole night without any additional leave-in conditioner.
I find that between applying oils and wearing my hair up, my frizzy hair stays pretty tame. My bamboo hairbrush also helps. But if you find any better, lasting solutions to taming frizzy hair and avoiding heat damage, send them my way! (emails to editorjaanu@thehappyherald.org!)
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