By Chinwe of Hair and Health
heat training Noun
the loosening of one’s natural curl pattern through the regular application of high heat. This process is usually gradual and subtle. (Loo’s definition.)
Heat training is essentially a form of heat damage, which is why I have been so against the technique for some years. However, my thoughts have changed recently since seeing a class of “healthy” heat-trained naturals arise. Here is one of these naturals sharing her views: Longhairdontcare2011.
“Healthy heat-trained hair” may seem like an oxymoron but I can argue the same with ”healthy hair”. Our strands face damage on a regular basis through sun exposure, styling, washing, detangling, and other forms of wear and tear. So where do we drawn the line between what is healthy hair and what is not? I think it reasonable to draw it between hair that is strong and supple (healthy) and that which is breaking and brittle (unhealthy). To me, hair that retains a reasonable level of strength and suppleness is hair that is healthy. That being said, there is such a thing as heat-trained hair that is strong, supple, … and thus healthy. However, this is only true for some ladies. Keep in mind that heat training can work well for some naturals and not so well for others. For the former group I answer the following question …
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE BENEFITS?
1. Easier Detangling …
comes with a loosening of the curl pattern. For some naturals, the mass of curls/coils/kinks makes detangling a very tedious task. Generally, I’d say, “suck it up”, but as my hair has gotten longer, I can truly understand how brutal such a task can be for some naturals. It can be brutal to the point of mechanical damage (e.g., breakage from impatient combing sessions).
2. Fewer SSKs …
will form if the hair is heat trained. What is a single-strand knot (SSK)? It is essentially a knot formed from a strand of hair that has wrapped around itself. What is an environment conducive to SSKs? A mass of coils and kinks. SSKs translate into more trims and sometimes breakage. Heat training or other hair care steps (read here) can mitigate this issue.
3. Length Retention …
comes with easier detangling and fewer SSKs. ”Proper” heat training can theoretically help some naturals achieve longer lengths. Will I ever heat train for length retention? In all honesty, I do not know yet.
4. Increased Versatility …
is another benefit of heat training. It becomes easier to achieve stretched or straight styles when desired. Additionally, these styles will last longer.
Ladies, would you consider heat training? In your mind, what are the benefits and disadvantages?
This convo is right on time for me. I transitioned for two years w no heat and no manipulation on my hair just buns. Not knowing my hair have at least 60% shrinkage! I finally flat ironed my
Hair and to my surprise I am BSL. I love the look and feel of mt
Semi straight hair but I also love love my curls. I was considering heat training so I can get that bone straight look. But the though of losing my curls saddens me. After putting my hair up in buns for so long I want to let it flow and enjoy it like ive done my curls… I was hoping I could have it
Both ways lol
Hi Venus! Check out SimplYounique YouTube channel. She’s not afraid of heat at all. She straightens often and do curly styles. So maybe you can get some tips and tweak it for your hair personal needs. She’s a great example of having the best of both worlds. Good Luck!
I dont believe in “heat-training”…I refer to it as long term heat damage.It doesnt matter how far apart you keep you straightening sessions after a while whats happening is you are unraveling the protein structure of your hair(which is what causes it to coil.)Eventually the strands will become completely straight which means you literally burned the protein.Heat kills protein.How can hair be healthy if you have killed a vital part of it? It might look good but that doesnt mean its healthy. And once a month isnt for everyone because I straightened my hair twice in two months and suffered light damage.So to each is its own. I think people with thick strands can get away with this easier than someone like myself with fine/medium strands. I protected my hair well, but my hair just doesnt like heat.It thrives in its natural state better.I have thick 4a hair with fine strands.This is not for everyone.
I for one “comb train” my hair. I know I should handle my hair the way it grows out of my scalp. But I have this pesky career and social life that doesn’t allow me to spend hours fingering combing through it. And I don’t think I’d look good with free form locs. Please do forgive me. I also “heat train”. You know blow outs during the winter. I even flat ironed a couple of times after three years of being “natural”. Clearly I’m doing something wrong though. Maybe it’s the heat protectants, or the deep conditioners, or the fact that I never use more heat than my hair can take. But my hair still shrinks 80%. No change in my curl pattern! But it’s only been 3 years and I’m sure–10 years from now my curls MAY loosen and I’ll no longer be natural. I would have effectively denied my love of black beauty and accepted our fair skinned counterparts as superior. I can not let this happen. From now on, I will stop doing the things I like with my hair, so that I can be accepted by the natural hair elite.
Lmao!! Sarcastic undertone is %100 effective In this comment.
Blowing out hair and heat training are two different things. If there is no change in your curl pattern – then its not heat training. Heat trainign is supposed to loosen the curl pattern.
Thank you. Why are people even bringing up blow drying? Blow drying your hair after washing is not a big deal. Heat training isn’t really either. The issue is damage. You have to realize that people will jump on bandwagons not really knowing the bad effects it will have on their hair.You may not have the kinda hair that can heat train. Do you really want to find that out too late. Just do your research and tread softly. Blow drying even on a cool setting leaves my hair and I suspect many others with severely dry brittle ends. I LOVE the convenience of blow drying after cause it speeds things up, but its not worth the breakage. It doesn’t make you less a natural if you chose to do something different than the “rules”. I don’t think there is anything wrong with giving naturals a warning and heads up about this stuff. There are not natural “rules” to follow but are guidelines to give folks a starting point. These things are not set in stone. Stop hearing a tone that isn’t there.
Thanks. People seem to think using any heat and heat training are the same thing!
I would like to try the low tension method of blowdrying while holding my hair in a stretched position. I agree completely. When I use heat my hair tends to start to break after a few sessions. Now I’ve researched heatless stretching techniques which have worked very well. I agree. No one is saying anything is wrong with heat training, but I don’t understand why a lot of heat training insist on being called natural and insist on going on about a ‘friend’ with waist length heat trained hair. So what?
Her hair is not your hair or anyone else’s! It is a form of controlled damage and not everyone can take it. Just because your mum and best friend heat trained for 10 years and now their hair touches the floor doesn’t mean that is an effective method for everyone. Also, if people don’t see you as natural so what! You do what is easier for you because you are the one stuck with you hair.
they probably “insist”, as you say, because by the understood implication of “natural” they have not used chemicals to alter their curl pattern. if someone wants to make it more complicated than that then that’s their prerogative, but there are other perspectives out there that may provide those who haven’t found much luck with more revered natural hair styling techniques some beacon of hope regarding length retention and reasonably healthy hair.
it’s an option for those whose strands can take it and at the end of the day, damage is a relative term.
Best. Comment. Ever.
LOL, love this!
ha ha ha this post was entertaining, do you boo! If it AIN’T BROKE WHY FIT IT?
I consider myself a heat trained natural as I blowdry and flat iron weekly. I think that many people fail to realize that not everyone goes “natural” with the intent of wearing “natural styles”. I decided to stop relaxing my hair because the chemicals were too harsh and caused breakage. Although I do have “heat damage” I can still wear wash and gos and other natural styles if I choose. However, I will always consider myself natural because when the humidity is high, my hair reverts and if my hair gets wet, it is not relaxer straight. I still do not understand the need to call it “heat damage”. Do we call people who relax, “relaxed damaged” because their natural curl pattern is altered? If people can have healthy and long relaxed hair, I dont understand how the same cannot apply to heat trained natural hair.
I agree completely!! I went natural 2 years ago today and I always keep my hair straight…my hair is long , shiny, soft and full of body! It grows fast and it not at all damaged by heat. I only flat iron my entire head about every 3weeks when I wash it. I keep it wrapped at night and my hair stays straight. Humidity in the summer time is a bit difficult to deal with but i just try different styles. I never went natural with the intention of wearing my hair curly all the time, I just wanted the thicknesses back in my hair and I got it.but if i wanted to wear it curly, it curls back up when i wash! I love my natural hair and wouldn’t change a thing about it!!
Wow….we are really splitting hairs (no pun intended) over this issue. We all know somebody, who knows somebody, who knows somebody who successfully applies heat to their hair. I thought that heat training meant that eventually you would lose your curl pattern. Sadly, some people think that the curl pattern is what makes you “natural.” We all manipulate our hair in some way. When you add that eco styler to define your curls…you are manipulating your hair to do something it does not naturally do or enhancing what it naturally does… Same with heat training. You are manipulating your hair to do something it does not naturally grow to do. It’s really not a big deal. I think the issue really comes from slight bitterness and jealousy. You sweat, suffer, and sob over detangling for hours, clipping those ends, and taking hours to manipulate your hair without heat (when you could speed up the process using heat) and then you turn to your sister who has hair beautiful shiny hair in half the time. SO WHAT! let people live. The real key is understanding what your hair can or cannot handle. I think most of us can admit that when we used that creamy crack…we did not pay the type of attention needed to grow our hair. THATS why it did not grow! THATS why it broke off. We relaxed it and failed to moisturize or relaxed it to stick it under weaves. EVERYONE BREATHE… we will ALL have beautiful hair if we stop looking at others and continue focusing on OUR hair. God Bless :)
OMG. I LOVE your comment! I could not have said it better. BRAVO!
Agreed
Amen amen!!!!!
I see the point you are making but comparing heat training to manipulating your hair with Ecostyler gel is like comparing apples to oranges. It is not even in the same category. Heat training your hair is when you regularly straighten your hair using LOW heat on your hair to increase managibility while enjoying wearing it out as straight hair. Using gel on your hair in its shrunken state just defines and takes away the frizz in your hair but LEAVES YOUR CURLS OR COILS EXTREMELY DEFINED WITHOUT FRIZZ. It is important to keep in mind Ecostyler gel cannot give you curly hair, if your hair lacks a curl pattern then the gel will not enhance or do anything for you. LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE GEL IS NOT A CHEMICAL IT DOES NOT ALTER OR REARRANGE THE PROTEIN BONDS IN YOUR HAIR LIKE STRAIGHTENING YOUR HAIR CAN, EVEN WITH HEAT TRAINING, OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME! THEREFORE YOUR HAIR IS STILL NATURAL AND UNALTERED WITH GEL IN YOUR HAIR. WITH HEAT TRAINING YOUR HAIR IS NATURAL BUT ALTERED BECAUSE APPLYING HEAT TO YOUR HAIR STILL DOES ALTER THE PROTEIN BONDS IN YOUR HAIR. AND PRESSED HAIR OR STRAIGHTEN NATURALLY CURLY/COILY HAIR IS ALTERED SIMPLY FOR THE FACT THAT THE HAIR DOES NOT NATURALLY GROW OUT OF THE SCALP STRAIGHT. SO IN ESSENCE COMPARING USING GEL ON YOUR ALREADY CURLY HAIR TO STRAIGHTENING YOUR CURLY HAIR BY ALTERING ITS TEXTURE WITH A BLOW DRYER OR FLAT IRON ARE LIKE COMPARING TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. THEY SIMPLY DO NOT GO TOGETHER PERIOD. IT IS LIKE COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES. That is it my rant is over. Both methods and techniques do not make you any LESS NATURAL, AND REMEMBER, ALWAYS FOLLOW A REGIMEN THAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU.
I think its fine as long as your not apply heat too often.. I considered myself natural I dont relax my hair… I personally think if you straighten your hair your still natural.. there no chemicals and you can alsways go back to twist/braid outs.. I would just say just do it like every thing else, in moderation.
Heat Training/Heat Damage same thing. I think saying heat training is sugar coating what is really going on. I have seen women who have claimed to be heat training and it just looks like heat damage to me. No shade to anyone who chooses to do it. I just feel like they should stop living in denial.
I only heat train my hair when I want to trim it. Last time I heat trained, my hair got damaged. I experienced alot of breakage and lost some of my curl pattern. I doubt I will be doing it anytime soon. I now feel like I wanna cut my hair and grow it out all over again.
TodayI wonder why I love to stalk this blog…as I’m relaxed…and then I realized…how much I like the DRAMA in the comments…ohhhhh, and the fact that even though I am relaxed, I pick up GREAT tips.
QML above mentioned that when she was relaxed she did not take care of her hair and did not pay attention to it which led to it breaking and not growing long, and that all of that changed once she embraced her natural texture.
I admire all the women that has gone natural, I just don’t see myself doing it any time soon, and it’s not because I have an inferiority complex or hate myself. It’s because I know what works for me and what I like. I personally feel that my hair is more manageable and versatile in it’s current state and I do pay attention to and take care of it and it is THRIVING, longer than it’s been in years. (Well, the scissor happy stylist being out of my life also helps, lol)
And thus I kind of can’t understand why women would criticize one another for their choices if it works for them. I love the natural look on other women, hell, maybe one day I’ll transition too, one never knows, but right now it’s not for me. At the same time I expect the same kind of respect from naturals regarding my relaxed tresses and accompanying healthy hair journey.
After all people, it’s just hair. None of us need validation from anyone except ourselves. I can even imagine that God doesn’t care whether or not one is natural, texturized, texlaxed, relaxed, permed, coloured, hennaed, bleached or bald. So why are so many so eager to jump on their high horses? Just wondering…
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My Mom, my sister,my daughter & I are all natural. My Mom, my sister and myself have a hard time reverting back to our natural texture after temporarily straightening with heat, so we’ve stopped using heat all together. My daughter’s hair however, doesn’t have that same problem. It bounces right back to her natural texture as soon as it gets saturated with water. She’s 12 and wants to start experimenting with styling her own hair, so I began blow drying it for her once a month to make it more manageable for her. Between blow drys, she mists it, puts on a leave in conditioner & braids it up nightly. In the morning, she styles her braid outs. Her hair is fairly long & I don’t want her to get frustrated with it and cause any breakage. This method works for her & she’s actually gaining length faster than the rest of us. Even though her hair is a more coiled texture. I dont consider her hair any less “natural” than ours because I do this for her. I say, do whatever works for your individual hair type.
I think that blowing my hair on low heat is the only option for me. Whenever I braid my hair wet and then let it dry naturally, I actually have more shedding and breakage. I normally do a hot oil treatment before I shampoo my hair on my scalp, then shampoo and condition. All of this is done while my hair is in maybe five cornrows. I comb it out with a big comb, then blow dry each section with a denman brush. I also find that as long as you use a conditioning shampoo, deep conditioner and leave in conditioner the products don’t really matter. My hair is about 16 to 18 inches long when straight. I agree that you have to do whatever works for your hair type and the bottom line is that if you see breakage, you are doing something wrong!
Funny you mention longhairdontcare2011 because in her videos she said she recently had to cut off 6 inches of her hair because of the damage heat has caused and she is going on no heat from now on to see how her hair can get back to full health
I’m BSL/MBL and I’ve been considering heat-training recently. The reason s are:
1. i want to see more of my length
2. i want to avoid more SSKs
3. I want easier manipulation
The reasons I am not going to heat-train are:
1. i think i look better with curly hair
2. i don’t want to risk damaging my hair beyond repair
3. I have had good length retention and don’t want to jeopardize that with heat.
I didn’t damage my hair at all and I get it done every 2 weeks at the dominicans. Maybe I’m lucky but I take very good care of my hair especially after I was wearing wigs for so long!
I don’t see the big deal.All races manipulate their hair in some way.
Why are we so obsessed about the following:
*perfect curl pattern
*wearing our hair in its un manipulated state
If I don’t manipulate my hair and do braids or stretch it after washing it I have breakgae and lots of knots now if that what natural means I am not interested! :/
I listen to my hair and style as I please, damage occurs all the time it’s called wear n tear I focuse on preserving my hair.
You can have healthy hair regardless of whether or not you “heat train” or relax, or you are natural. Using a flat iron every now and then wont bald you. Personally I have relaxed hair, which I wear “naturally”(no heat) 95% of the time. So yes I put chemicals in my hair every 3-6 months, and heres a shocker my hair curls up the second my hair gets wet. Neither Heat training or relaxing will completely rid you of your natural texture. I think as Black women we should be able to wear our hair in any style we please without being judged by our counterparts. Most importantly lets all remember its just hair :).
Now I’m not here to say one is better than the other, but let’s be honest with ourselves: What defines natural? It’s what your hair does -naturally- with no chemical processes. Technically, if you are using heat to permanently alter the pattern of your hair then it wouldn’t be your natural hair pattern. Just because it isnt as harsh as a relaxer or a texturizer doesnt mean that you’re still natural. It wouldnt be what your hair does naturally. Using gels or curl defining creams arent in the same category as permanently changing the pattern of your hair. When you wash your hair after using gel or what not, it goes back to its natural state. If you decide to heat train your hair with the hopes of -permanently- changing your hair pattern then you wouldn’t really be natural anymore. Heat, in the long term, is still a chemical process ladies. Basic chemistry.
Only a small percentage of women use no heat at all on their head. I made myself an oath not to use chemicals or heat for ten years. So when I’m 28 I will allow myself to blow dry. I have single strand knots but I would prefer those to split ends caused by heat any day. Straightening the hair once a year is something I may do after 10 years but I would only use a blow drier with a roller-set. No direct heat for me. I never knew what to do with bone straight hair. Sure it’s convenient but it’s also SO boring. I’ve embraced my texture and I have 4C hair. Thanks Zigzag for telling the truth about being natural. I see you get it.
I have to agree. I think heat is simply another way to manipulate our hair but. think the natural hair communitys divisive attitude comes from everyone unwillingness toaccept that ALL BLACK HAIR ISN’T THE SAME! No matter what type u have. I think it s a type of hateration. The socalled 4c who can’t flat iron without heat damage shuns the 3b who fl ats irons morning noon. & night!the 2b who cant put a drop of heat in her hair says the 4c can only use heat bc her hair is so much more coarse…that’s why this hair typing is a divisive tool!our hair doesn’t fit in any one check box. You do what works for your hair. Yes, I think technically heat training is simply a form of damage like creamy crack but again..some ppl have perms forever & their hair looks and feels great. Does it matter if their protein bonds r broken by creamy crack or heat as long as the hair performs well? And the person is happy? And since natural used to mean chemically altered, why is heat now the culprit? Its a form of styling manipulation that should be left up to the individual. Stop trying to do what mainstream white america has done to us for centuries which is define who we are and what makes us black.and in this case, what makes us natural! We would be more of a community if wed embrace the fact that our hair is as diverse as our heritage, skintones and all the other things that make usa ppl of color. You don’t get a badge for never using alternative methods on your hair. And the heat using natural doesn’t get thrown in hair rules jail bc she likes to lossen her curl pattern! If you like 75% shrinkage, good for you! It doesn’t make the next girl less than bc she doesn’t embrace it! No amt of straight hair will change who she is…never fear ,the world will always remind us! Staright,kinky, semi straight,bone straight…just relax!(pun intended)!