Can a Straightening Iron Permanently Damage Hair?
Hi, would just like to say firstly that I have found your site really helpful and informative, thanks! I’m an 18 year old female, currently straighten my fringe every day and I’m really concerned that this will cause permanent damage. I know that straightening can make hair brittle, causing it to fall out until a new one grows, but I read somewhere that heat from straightening irons can travel up the hair shaft and burn the follicle, meaning the hair will never grow back. Is it possible to damage the follicles like this? I have had a look through the site but can’t find a definite answer. Thanks.
Straightening your hair everyday will make the hair brittle, as you already know. However, it will not kill your hair follicles, which are below the skin and not impacted by hot irons and the like. On the other hand, chemical straighteners could kill the hair roots if used improperly.
When people using straightening irons, the pulling motion of the straightening iron causes the follicles considerable stress. The person who made the above enquiry is using her straightening iron everyday. Wouldn’t putting your hair through something like that cause long term damage to the follicles?
I only used starightening irons for a few days last month, and never more than two or thre times a week, but each time I did it, I was bothered by the way you can’t straighten your hair without there being some pull, and i t really made me wonder if it would cause long term damage to the follicles. I have stopped using the irons becauseI am not sure how healthy it is overall.