Is Your Hair Healthy Enough For A Flat Iron? Here's How To Find Out

Professional flat irons are an amazing tool for any busy woman. With just a little time and effort, you can get a killer hairstyle, every day. However, as they're a heated styling tool, they can play havoc with your hair. Is your hair healthy enough to stand up to your hair straightener? Here's how to find out.

Damaged Hair And Flat Irons

When your hair is healthy, it can stand up to the damage it could take from your flat irons. When it's damaged though, it's a different story. Flat irons can make a situation even worse. If your hair is burned or damaged, it can compound that damage, making it harder to fix. It can even create more damage.

If your hair is frizzy, or extra porous, then it can be harder to get a flat iron to work on your hair. You could spend longer trying to get it straight, so you'll be spending longer styling it each morning. Of course, that extra time with the irons means that your hair's in danger of becoming more damaged.

As you can see, it's vital that your hair is in good health if you're going to use professional flat irons.

How To Know Your Hair Is Healthy

So, before you buy that set of flat irons, you need to know that your hair is healthy enough to use them. Here are some of the best ways to check the health of your hair before you make that purchase:

• The water test: Place some of your hair in a bowl of water. Healthy hair should float to the top, while damaged hair will sink to the bottom. This is because damaged hair is porous, so it will take on water and sink to the bottom of the bowl.

• Check your hair loss: We all lose hair every day, but how much you lose will show how healthy your hair is. The 'healthy' amount to lose every day is around 80 strands of hair. You could lose this in the shower, through brushing, or on your pillow at night. Keep an eye out. If you're not losing more than a handful of hair, you're ok.

• The moisture test: When it's humid out, how does your hair react? If it goes frizzy, it could be damaged. That's because it's extra porous, so the water in the air makes it take on its actual texture.

• Soft locks: Is your hair soft to the touch? If it is, it's healthy. If it feels brittle, or your fingers get caught if you run them through it, then it could be a sign of damage.

• The tug test: Lightly tug on your hair. If it's healthy, it'll go back to its natural shape quickly, with minimal breakage. If it breaks or frays though, your hair has experienced damage.

• Shiny hair: If your hair's shiny, that means that your hair cuticles are lying flat like they should. You'll have shinier hair as light can bounce off the strands. If your hair is damaged, there's going to be much less shine as the cuticles are broken.

How To Fix The Damage

Has your hair failed the tests above? Then there's no need to panic. You can help your hair get back to the way it is.

The first thing to remember is that no damage is permanent. Eventually, the damaged parts will grow out, and you'll be able to cut them off. Once they're gone you'll have a healthy head of hair again.

You can also help the condition of your hair by using oils such as argan oil. These can add moisture to your hair and help it get back into shape.

Avoid Heat Damage

If you want to use flat irons for hair, then you can do so without damaging your hair further. Here are some tips to ensure you keep your hair healthy:

• Take a break: Try not to use your flat irons every day. Doing so can speed up damage to your hair.

• Use a good heat protectant: This is crucial if you ever use heated styling tools. Get a heat protectant, and use it before you start styling. This creates a barrier between the tool and your hair, absorbing the damage from it.

• Section your hair: Section out your hair before you start styling. This stops you from going over sections more than once and lets you see exactly where you've already styled.

There you have it. it's easy to see if your hair is healthy enough for hair straighteners. Even if you've taken damage, it won't be long until you can have those super straight locks again! Take care of your hair, and it'll take care of you.