How to Protect Hair from Heat

Using heat on your hair is a great way to get it to take the shape you want. Unfortunately, blow-drying, flat ironing, and curling can all wreak havoc on your hair, unless you take some steps to do it right. By heat styling your hair correctly and taking some additional steps to keep your hair healthy, you can achieve the style you want with minimal damage to your hair.

1 Choose a high-quality straightening or curling iron. The material your iron is made of can have a major effect on your hair. Inexpensive irons are often made with metals that fail to heat evenly. These irons can actually burn your hair.^[1] Select a higher-quality straightening or curling iron made from one of the following materials:
- Ceramic
- Tourmaline
- Titanium
2 Select the right size iron for your hair to help minimize damage. In general, a 1 inch (2.5 cm) iron is the most versatile choice for hair of medium length and thickness.^[2]
- If your hair is short, choose a smaller iron.
- If your hair is very thick or long, opt for a larger iron. This will also speed up the time it takes you to straighten your hair.
- To achieve ringlet curls, use a smaller curling iron. To achieve loose waves, use a larger curling iron.
3 Apply a heat protection product prior to using heat tools. Purchase a heat protectant that contains both humectants (like panthenol and propylene glycol) and silicones (like amodimethicone and dimethicone). Together these ingredients can lock in moisture and insulate your hair from heat. Work this product through your…