The Hair-Raising Truth About Straighteners

Do you own a hair straightener? More importantly, do you use it every day? I naturally have curly hair, so a nice straight doo is nice once in awhile!

But here's the truth about straighteners... trichologists say that the damage caused by straighteners can actually make hair frizzier and curlier, setting up a ‘straightener addiction’ cycle that can, eventually, cause hair to appear thin and dull because the hair breaks off due to the heat.

According to a new survey, a third of all women — and one in five men — now owns a straightener! And more than a quarter refuse to leave the house without first ironing our hair.

The evolution of Straighteners...
The started out steel-plated and took 20 minutes to reach an effective temperature. Then in the 90's, Ceramic straighteners started a straight hair revolution and took less than one minute to reach more than 200c. It’s the new technology, however, that's creating the real damage. Hair is very tough, but any heat over 180c will damage the cuticle of the hair — the hard outer protective coating on each strand.

Repeated straightening causes a breakdown in the cuticle. The ‘slates’ start to lift and the rough, uneven surface exposes the cortex, allowing the fibres to unravel. This starts as split ends, but can reach all the way up the hair, causing it to break off.

Sallis says that straightener addiction starts when women use them regularly at a high heat. He explains: ‘Straighteners are easy to use, so women become reliant on them. But too much heat and inadequate protection makes hair dry and frizzy.