Does straightening your hair damage it? How often should you straighten hair? And is there a straightener that doesn’t damage hair?
We hear these questions all the time.
So, we’re going to be real. Hair straighteners can damage your hair, especially if it’s already
dry or broken.
But this doesn’t mean you must break down and ghost your straightener this second.
So, want to know how not to damage your hair when straightening? Of course, you do!
Save yourself the heartbreak of withdrawal by following our tips on how to
prevent hair damagefrom straightening.
Do Hair Straighteners Damage Your Hair?
The truth is that hair straighteners can damage your hair if you don’t take important steps to protect your locks first. From finding a good temperature for straightening hair to finding ways to straighten hair without heat, there are several things you can do to find out how not to damage your hair when straightening.
Do you hear a sizzle? If this is a familiar noise when straightening your hair, it means your hair is too wet. By extension, if you are wondering, “can we use a straightener on wet hair” the answer is simple – absolutely not!
Straightening wet hair causes the moisture in your strands to boil and blister the hair’s cuticle (ouch!). This leads to damaged hair after straightening, which shows as breakage and
split ends.
Sometimes the damage isn’t super extreme or obvious, like breakage. It can be more subtle, like your hair looking dull or frizz that slowly starts to get worse and worse. Either way, this is enough reason not to use a straightener on wet hair.
The high heat from a straightener can also damage hair because it dries out the hair’s cuticle.
If you start noticing and staying on top of it, your hair could be fine.
But if you notice and ignore it (cos who wants to give up their straightener, right?), it could lead to damaging the inner layer of the hair, called the
cortex, which means your hair will find it harder to cope with
breakage, colouring, or heat styling in the future. See why it is crucial to find a good temperature for straightening hair?
Can We Use Straighteners on Wet Hair?
Let’s look at this more closely as we think about ways not to damage your hair when straightening. It saves time and fuss, but can we use straighteners on wet hair?
Well, yes, if you insist. It will give you dry, straight hair, but at what cost?
By squashing your hair between super-hot plates that dry and shape your hair, you are likely doing levels of damage that will take a considerable amount of TLC to fix.
To prevent frying your cuticles and stripping all the moisture from your locks, think about straightening your hair by blow-drying.
Pile on the heat protectant and gradually work your way through sections of your hair with a heated appliance that is a safe distance from your precious cuticles.
While this isn’t the same as using straighteners on wet hair, it will undoubtedly provide a straightened look, all while maintaining the condition of your hair in the process.
How to Not Damage Your Hair When Straightening
Now that we have dispensed with the flat iron-wet hair conundrum, let’s look at ways to learn how not to damage your hair when straightening. Here are a few simple steps to keep you on the right track:
Avoid the dreaded sizzle and ensure your
hair is properly drybefore using hot tools like
hair straightenersAfter blow-drying or letting your hair dry naturally without heat, apply a
heat protectantto ward off damage from high temperatures
Lastly, add a hair care product, such as a thick creamy hair mask, like Kérastase Résistance Thérapiste Masque, to nourish the hair and help prevent further damage
When you follow these three steps, you can be sure to enjoy long-lasting, lush, straightened locks.
What is a Good Temperature for Straightening Hair?
Part of knowing how to not damage your hair when straightening is understanding your hair texture and finding the right heat level for you.
That said, finding a good temperature for straightening hair can be tricky. Most experts agree that the ideal range is between 250 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit ( or 120 to 190 degrees Celsius), naturally depending on the thickness of one’s hair.
Those with finer hair should drop to lower temperatures, whereas higher temps may be required for coarser textures.
Again, using a heat protectant is essential when experimenting to find a good temperature for straightening hair, as it helps create a look you love without unnecessary damage.
Remember, there are ways to straighten hair without heat, from leaving it to dry naturally to using cool settings on your blow-dryer.
View this post on Instagram
See AlsoFrom Flat Irons to Hair Straighteners, Here’s the Difference Between Your Favourite Hot ToolsBest straighteners from Dyson to ghd to gift this Christmas for each hair typeThe 9 best straighteners for thick hair in 2024 for lasting sleek and frizz-free resultsT3 SinglePass Smooth X straightener review
How Often Should You Straighten Hair?
We always get asked, ‘Do hair straighteners damage your hair?’ or ‘is there a straightener that doesn’t damage hair?’. The inevitable follow-up question is, ‘How often can I straighten my hair without damaging it?’
We’re gonna tell it to you straight. Unless you won the genetic lottery and have damage-proof hair, excessive straightening always results in some form of damaged hair after straightening. So, simply put – does straightening your hair damage it? Yes.
If, like many people, you tend to over-wash your hair, you have to straighten your locks every morning.
This cycle of dependency is something to avoid. If you’re wondering, ‘How often can I straighten my hair without damaging it?’, we have a few thoughts to keep in mind.
Regarding how often you should straighten your hair, ideally, you’d be washing and straightening your hair every other day. Try to give your hair some days off from the shampoo and straightener.
If that sounds like a nightmare for you, instead of washing your hair, freshen your strands with a
dry shampooto see you through. After all, knowing how to not damage your hair when straightening becomes a lot easier when you take the straightening out of the equation!
If you simply *cannot* skip a day of straightening, ensure you do so no more than once per day. And never use other heated stylers on the same day. (We’ll give you a pass if you’re rocking the red carpet!)
A key tip on not damaging your hair when straightening is to straighten small sections of hair at a time. It can be tempting to try big sections at a time to straighten your hair faster, particularly if you are time-poor and often straighten your hair, but it’s inefficient as the iron can’t get to all your strands.
We know this sounds like a minor tip, but using small sections ensures that you swipe each strand only once with your flat iron, reducing potential damage. If you are wondering how often you should straighten your hair because you need to go over your hair many times, there’s an issue. It could be that:
● the hair straightener isn’t suitable for your hair type
● you’re applying too little heat
● the sections of hair are too large
After putting so much effort into your cute coif, it’s essential to preserve your style. Resist the urge to put your hair in a ponytail or bun overnight (think bumps and creases).
Instead, opt for a silk scarf to cover and protect your straightened tresses. We're in love with the Silke London Hair Wrap - The Sofia Champagne
Best Heat Protectant to Avoid Hair Damage
Lastly, want to know the best way not to damage your hair when straightening? Invest in a quality heat protectant! Your hair saviour is an excellent thermal protectant, which builds a barrier between your hair and the straightener. A
heat protectantis a must—like a sunscreen for your hair.
You wouldn’t face the scorching sun without sunscreen, right?
The heat even activates some protectants from your straightener to infuse your hair with moisture. So, these products are a great option for not damaging your natural hair when straightening.
How to Not Damage Your Hair When Straightening with a Cult Classic
A thermal protectant to not damage your hair when straightening can sound fancy, but it’s a simple way to protect your hair while styling. Ideal for normal to fine hair, ghd Straight & Smooth Spray contains ghd's unique heat protection system. This lightweight spray helps eliminate frizz during blow drying. How to prevent hair damage from straightening: just pray on damp or dry hair from roots to tips before the hot tools come out to play. Comb or brush through to distribute evenly along your locks and start styling! This great all-rounder can give you flowing, shiny hair like you’ve never seen.
A Heat Protectant Foam
KEVIN.MURPHY Heated Defense 150ml
$39.05$45.95
4.1of12 reviews
KEVIN.MURPHY Heated Defense is another great option when you’re dying to know how to prevent hair damage from straightening. This weightless foam offers protection up to 230°C from heat-styling tools plus a little nurturing from Jojoba and Castor oils which moisturise strands that may become dry from your straightener addiction (shh, we promise not to tell anyone!)
Christophe Robin Regenerating serum with prickly pear oil
$68.00
4.7of23 reviews
Have you been a bit rough with your hair lately? We all go through phases of trying new styles, different colours or a complete reinvention, but it can result in your looks feeling damaged or over-processed. If your hair needs some extra nourishment, Christophe Robin Regenerating Serum with Prickly Pear Oil is perfect for you. Bonus: this vegan and cruelty-free hair serum contains 94% natural-origin ingredients. How to avoid heat damage when straightening natural hair? Pump a little bit into your palms to warm them up. Then, smooth the serum through your mid-lengths and ends. This is easily one of the best ways to not damage your hair when straightening.
A Defensive Spray
Kerastase Genesis Anti-Hairfall Heat Protectant Spray 150ml
$49.60$62.00
4.5of40 reviews
The Kérastase Genesis Défense Thermique is an ideal heat protectant spray for those who have hair weakened by heat damage. This lightweight, hydrating formula protects hair from temperatures of up to 220°C. Edelweiss Native Cells and Ginger Root fortify and strengthen the hair with their protective properties. Create beautiful hairstyles with this enhancing spray that leaves hair soft and smooth. This blow dry spray also helps to protect the hair from further damage.
The Best Straighteners to Prevent Hair Damage
You can choose from many different straighteners these days, it can feel like a never-ending scroll fest.
But how do you know which ones will caress your locks instead of scorching them? Opt for a hot iron that offers an adjustable heat setting to prevent hair damage from straightening.
This lets you control the heat and work your way up the thermostat if needed. So, check out the contenders to help you not damage your hair when straightening.
Here Are Some of Our Fave Straighteners...
High-tech Hair Straightener
There’s always that one friend that needs the best and newest products (you won’t think twice about nabbing this straightener if that's you). With the Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener, you get intelligent heat control. This beauty has three precise heat settings: 165°C, 185°C, and 210°C. Pick the lowest temperature to suit your hair type and texture, and you’ll avoid the effects of overheating. The Dyson Corrale also features innovative, flexible plates that shape to gather hair, so you can style with less heat and time (we told you that you would love it!).
Create Smooth Styles
GHD Max Wide-Plate Hair Straightener
$296.00$370.00
4.9of8 reviews
The ghd max hair straightener features dual-zone technology for consistent heat regulation - two heat sensors instead of one to control the heat from root to tips - perfect for the control freaks who want to be on-point with their heat. The best non-damaging hair straightener, this one features extra wide contoured floating plates. It also has a 30s heat-up time, so you can get straight to it, making it easy not to damage your hair when straightening.
A Sleek Design
CLOUD NINE The Original Iron
$349.00
4.7of250 reviews
A great pick when straightening natural hair, the Cloud Nine The Original Iron has three heat settings and an LED panel to show you the temperature. We think it’s the best non-damaging hair straightener because its Ceramic-coated plates minimise drag and friction on the hair to help prevent breakage. Plus, this True-Blue tool is Australian-made and cruelty-free. How to avoid heat damage when straightening natural hair? Avoid overusing heat by choosing the lowest option first. Work your way up only if needed.
Travel Friendly Styler
GHD Unplugged Black Cordless Travel Hair Straightener
$400.00$500.00
4.5of3 reviews
Looking for ways to learn how not to damage your hair when straightening on the go? Your search is at an end! The ghd unplugged hair straightener - Matte Black is a cordless straightener you can take absolutely everywhere. With a 45-second heat-up time, this straightener can last 20 minutes off the charger so that you can style on the go with added flexibility. Its lightweight, compact design makes it perfect for travel and ideal for more fine hair types. For those with thicker hair, this styler is best for touch-ups.
You likely started this read wondering, ‘Do hair straighteners damage your hair?’ Well, I hope we’ve cleared things up for you!
The takeaways for how to not damage your hair when straightening:
● Straighteners are amazing tools, but you must use them correctly to keep your hair safe.
● Always use a thermal protector on your luscious locks to stop them from being singed.
● Use the lowest temperature possible.
● Give your hair some days off to recuperate from all the styling.
● For an added bonus, pop on a hydrating mask every weekend. Your hair will thank you for it!
Brand and product inclusions are at the sole discretion of Adore Beauty. We do not seek or accept payment from brands or individuals listed in our guides.
Want more of the best treatments for damaged hair? Check out these helpful guides from our Adore Beauty staff...
Kérastase Hair Care Routine for Bleached and Damaged Hair
Fixing Damaged Hair: Is Keratin Right for You?
Best Damaged Hair Treatments
Best Split End Treatments
Best Conditioners for Frizzy Hair