Heat Damage and Hair Loss

While most of us know that heat can be extremely damaging to the hair, a lot of us don’t know why, how much heat is damaging and how it can contribute to women’s hair loss. Hair can be exposed to heat a number of times during the day even if you aren’t using heat-producing styling appliances. Taking a hot shower, for example, exposes your hair to heat and we can also encounter days where the sun is shining brightly and we find ourselves subjecting our hair to extreme heat due to weather conditions.

If you are using a curling iron, straightener, blow dryer or hot rollers on your hair, you are exposing your hair to a lot of heat. Many people end up with damaged hair as a result. There are even YouTube videos appearing on the Internet showing people curling their hair with a curling iron that was set too high and burning the hair right off. That is certainly an extreme situation of hair loss due to heat! We will explain how to avoid damaging heat situations and let you know how much heat can actually lead to women’s hair loss.

Heat Advice from a Hair Loss Clinic in Toronto

Your hair is made up of 3 different layers including the macula, the cortex and the cuticle. The outer layer is called the cuticle and comprises many cells. When viewed under a microscope, the cells look a lot like scales.

Most people have strong hair that can withstand quite a bit of heat and won’t be affected by low amounts of heat that would be provided by sunlight or a hot shower. Others, on the other hand, have hair that is more delicate and should avoid heat as much as possible. If a person has strong hair it is able to withstand a temperature that reaches 450°F. In order to play it safe, however, our hair loss clinic in Toronto specialists advise using a lower heat. If you must use a curling iron, make sure that it is cooler than 400°F.

If your hair is already damaged then try to avoid using any hair appliances at all. If you must, make sure that they are set lower than 300°F. If you find that you have to use a blow dryer every morning to make sure that your hair is dry before work, keep the dryer as far away from your hair as possible. The heat can build up very quickly when you are trying to dry your hair fast and are holding the dryer very close to your hair.

It’s important to use heat protectant hair products but keep in mind that these may not offer the protection you would expect. In order to offer full protection from the heat, every strand would need to be covered with this product. This is a difficult outcome to achieve.

How to Tell If Your Hair Has Suffered from Heat Damage

Experts at a hair loss clinic in Toronto say that it’s easier for the average person to spot damage by looking at the ends of the hair. This is the hair that has been around the longest and it is also the most fragile. Some of the signs to look for that often indicate heat damage include the following:

• Brittle, crunchy hair
• Split ends
• Hair seems to be a lighter shade

You can also give your hair a test at home by holding a strand about 4 inches from the end and then waving and shaking it side-to-side. Watch to see if the strand of hair bounces. If it does, this is an indication that it is healthy. If it remains straight and stiff, you’re dealing with damaged hair. You can also do the same type of test near the roots of your hair to compare the difference between the reaction at the bottom versus the top of the hair. As well, you can feel along the strand of the entire strand of hair to see if you notice any differences in texture.

Keep Your Hair Protected from Heat Damage

Keep your hair protected from heat damage and ultimately women’s hair loss by using a heat protectant spray or cream before using any heat on your hair. While this won’t provide all the protection you need, it will help. These creams and sprays provide a protective barrier that is comprised of water-soluble silicone. Some products also contain fatty acids, vitamins and essential oils that can provide more strength to the hair.

If you’re going to be showering with extra hot water, it’s a good idea to follow up with cooler water. Simply run the cool water over your head as a final rinse after you have rinsed out the shampoo and conditioner. Make sure that you are using a high quality line of hair products that are designed for your hair type. This will help keep your hair as healthy as possible and help prevent hair loss at the same time.

Another way to prevent your hair from breaking or falling out is to ensure that you are eating plenty of protein every day. A lot of protein can be found in hair strands and if you don’t get enough, it can make your hair brittle. You may also need to get a protein treatment if your hair is lacking protein.

Permanent Heat Damage

It’s always best to prevent heat damage before it takes place. Once the damage has been done, it is permanent. The only thing you can really do once your hair falls prey to heat damage is to cut off the affected areas. There are products you can use to help with the damage but they aren’t a cure-all and only provide limited results.

Hair Loss Toronto

Hair loss Toronto can be due to a number of different causes. In some cases, the hair is falling out with the root attached, which indicates that there may be a number of different reasons why the hair is falling. The best thing to do is to visit a hair loss Toronto clinic in order to find out what the cause may be and how to address it. If the hair is simply breaking off without the root, you may have experienced heat damage. We can help with that as well by offering helpful tips that can help you further manage your hair to prevent more breakage from occurring. Visit our site now at antechhair.com to schedule a free consultation.

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