Hair relaxers and the fragile nature of black hair can make it especially vulnerable to heat from styling appliances like curling irons and blow dryers. Here are a few of the damaging effects that often surface if heating tools are overused.
Damaged Cuticle
The cuticle layer is the outer-most layer of the hair shaft. When it's left unprotected or exposed to excessive heat, the cuticle becomes irreversibly damaged and cannot be repaired.
Increased Porosity
Once the cuticle is damaged, the hair shaft becomes more porous. Increased porosity makes hair more prone to breakage and dryness.
Breakage
Breakage is common in all hair types, but when layers of black hair are damaged by excessive heat, hair loses elasticity and is much more likely to snap and break.
Dryness
Dryness occurs from increased porosity---the shaft loses moisture more easily, making hair dry and brittle.
Split Ends
When the cuticle is worn away at the end of a hair strand, the shaft's middle layer---called the cortex---begins to unravel and split. Split ends cannot be fixed and must be cut to prevent further splitting.
Prevention
Limit heat-tool usage and invest in tourmaline or ceramic-coated styling tools, since these appliances distribute heat more evenly than others.
Tags: black hair, excessive heat, hair shaft
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