One of the most widespread tools that can be used to obtain polished waves or definite curls is the curling iron. It can work miracles with a hairstyle with little effort when applied in the right way. Nevertheless, most of the styling habits end up ruining hair, making it either dry or brittle, or susceptible to breaking. Knowing what goes wrong can be the only thing that saves you between the beautiful, shiny curls and the stressed and weakened strands.
Skipping Heat Protection
Curling of hair without heat protectant is one of the most harmful errors. The heat may cause the loss of natural moisture, and the cuticle layer (the layer of the hair that protects it) becomes weaker and opens up to the hair, thus exposing it to damage. At that, the additional protective layer would allow every swab of the curling iron to spell out the threat of the structural damage in the long run. A thin spray or cream that provides some resistance to heat is used to create a barrier protecting the skin to preserve shine and softness. This is a little step, but it will help to make the styling healthier every single time.
Using the Wrong Heat Setting
Hair does not necessarily require an equal amount of heat in order to be curled. Thin or delicate strands can be heated at very low temperatures compared to coarse and thick ones. Curling the iron on the highest level just because it will take a shorter time normally means stressing the hair shaft needlessly. Conversely, a setting that is too low may result in multiple repetitions of the same area, which, nevertheless, will be counted as heat damage. The most efficient is to select the lowest effective temperature that supports a curl, at which efficiency and protection are balanced.
Holding the Curl Too Long
It may be tempting to leave hair entwined around the iron longer so that you can have a tighter curl. Regrettably, having strands moulded continuously against strong heat may burn them and cause them to fail. It does not take the hair more than a few seconds in contact with the barrel to achieve shape, particularly when the iron is already heated to the appropriate temperature. To individuals with a problem of curls failing to stay put, a setting spray or light mousse will be much more beneficial than an hour in the sun.
Curling Damp or Wet Hair
This is possibly the worst error of all: wet hair. When the damp strands are subjected to heat, the moisture starts to warm rapidly, and this causes bubbles to develop within the shaft of hair. This makes the structure fragile internally, which breaks and splits. Although the damage may not be noticeable at the time, in the long run, the outcomes are frizz, roughness, and a lack of ability to maintain the style. Below is an easy but important tip that should be taken into consideration, which involves making sure that hair is completely dry before picking up the curling iron. A TYME straightener and curler in one may also be considered a good alternative by those who desire a tool that allows them to dry and style, but still need dry hair to avoid damage.
Disregard of the Quality of the Tool.
All curling irons are not made equal. Less expensive tools can either have uneven heating surfaces or fail to control temperature, exposing the hair to uneven or too much heat. In the long run, this imbalanced exposure makes certain parts of the hair weaken and thus harder to make smooth curls instead of frizzed. Risk can be reduced by investing in a tool that has ceramic or tourmaline plates and can be adjusted to different settings. A better quality curling iron is evenly distributed, and therefore, the possibility of having hotspots to burn or scald delicate strands is less. The benefits of hair health are far-reaching in the long run, although the initial cost can be expensive.
Conclusion
A curling iron may be a good accessory in hair styling, but when mishandled, it can covertly destroy the health of your hair. Omitting heat protection, using an improper temperature, having too long strands, bending moist hair, or using tools of low quality are all unnecessary damages. One error might not be big alone, but a combination of all of them slowly damages hair, resulting in dullness, split ends, and frizzy hair. With the help of such habits and correct potential variations, you can have a defined curl and have the remaining strands healthy and strong. Styling does not require a fix-up, but improvement of what is present with the right approach.