With all the hair products on the market that the hair gurus seem to sell as “must-haves” and end up not serving what you expected, it’s understandable that you may think heat protectants are just another gimmick. Let us assure you that whatever your reservations are about trying new hair products, heat protectants are the one thing you shouldn’t worry about.
Heat damage is inevitable when using heat styling tools like hairdryers and straighteners, but heat protectant products can help to minimise this damage and keep your hair as healthy as possible. Now, they won’t be able to magically restore damaged hair, but in this article, you’ll find some of the best benefits of using protection.
How does heat protectant work?
Heat protectant works by covering your strands with a thin protective film that forms a barrier between your strands and the styling tool. Using low conductive ingredients, the heat protectant will smooth down the hair cuticle (outer protective layer) to seal in moisture, protect from heat exposure and tame the frizz.
How can using heat protectant sprays benefit your hair?
While the benefits might not be visible when you’re using sprays to protect your hair, they will be when you see the difference between people who use them and those who don’t. Using protection is always better than trying to cure damaged hair, but that’s not the only thing that heat protectant sprays can do for you:
- Helps to restore moisture
Dehydrated and damaged hair just never seems to have that smooth and shiny look to it. In order to achieve it, you’ve got to find a way to put some moisture back into your hair. Using heat protectant spray won’t completely revitalise your hair, but it does have the benefit of adding moisture and nutrients back into your strands to give you a healthy-looking finish. You’ll need to find a product that contains natural oils and fatty acids, which are key moisturising ingredients.
- Helps prevent moisture loss
As much as heat protectant spray works to put moisture into your strands, it works even harder to prevent it from leaving in the first place. When your hair is exposed to extreme temperatures, water inside the strands will evaporate almost instantly. By using a heat protectant spray, the minimally conductive ingredients coat and smooth the cuticle to lock moisture inside.
- Helps make it easier to style hair
Another wonderful benefit of using heat protectant spray is that it can actually help make it easier to style your hair. Some heat protectant sprays on the market contain ingredients that activate when they’re exposed to high temperatures. With your hair cuticles being smoothed down, your hair becomes more manageable, and it’ll seem like the heat styling tools can just globe over the sections.
What causes heat damage in your hair?
There’s more to heat damage than just the tools you’re using. Here are some things that contribute to heat damage when it comes to your hair:
Excessive styling
As much as we wish it didn’t, using your favourite heat styling tools on a regular basis is one of the biggest contributors to heat damage. This is why it’s essential to use a heat protectant spray every time you want to curl, straighten, or even blow dry your locks.
Exposure to the sun
We all know that the sun and its harmful UV rays can have dreadful, even fatal, effects on our skin, but did you know it can also damage your hair? Hair that is exposed to the sun for long periods of time can experience damage to the cuticle. Sun-damaged hair can look dry, brittle, frizzy and even have discolouration or premature greying. Fine and light-coloured hair is particularly vulnerable to heat damage caused by the sun.
Intense chemical treatments
Another reason why you might experience heat-damaged hair is if you go for frequent and intense chemical hair treatments. Yes, we know there’s an internal battle that goes on once you go blonde to fight the urge to go lighter every time or when you get a perm that you need to maintain. Going for these treatments on a regular basis can weaken your hair and make it susceptible to damage caused by heat.
3 Levels of Heat Damage
As we’ve mentioned, using heat-protectant sprays cannot cure damage, and if you have sustained some damage, understanding the extent of it can help you know how to treat it effectively. The levels of heat damage range from mild to severe, here’s what you need to know:
- Mild damage – it’s subtle and can be identified by hair that is slightly dry and has a few split ends
- Moderate damage – the split ends are more pronounced, and the hair has lost its shine and natural elasticity
- Severe damage – there is extensive breakage; it is very porous (can’t hold moisture well) and is extremely dry. This kind of damage will make your hair texture feel brittle
Final thoughts
We know you’ve probably been burnt before when it comes to products that give a lot of promises and don’t deliver, but using a good heat protectant spray is the best way to protect your hair, not only from your favourite heat styling tools but also from daily exposure to the sun.