flat iron or dominican blow out-which is more damaging

[keylargo]

Just curious. Both processes require direct heat. If you get a dominican blow out, how often do you have it done? Does that mean heat is not the devil to you?

 

[gymfreak336]

Blow out is more heat.

 

[BillsBackerz67]

blow out...no further comment. Ive seen and witnessed many a member here whose hair was fried by blowouts. Esp naturals. I myself included.

 

[RocStar]

IMO blow outs for sure. Heat and pulling/tugging.

 

[Energist]

Blow out would be more damaging, but if the iron is concentrated on any one area it could be equally damaging.

 

[discobiscuits]

Blow-out is more damaging imo.

 

[princessnad]

hmmm, i would have thought people would say the opposite since with a flat iron you are putting the heat directly on your hair. I haven't had a DBO, so I don't know.

 

[locabouthair]

Okay this is just MY experience. But I only flat ironed my hair twice and have way more splits than usual.

When I got a dominican blowout one a week for two weeks, I didn't notice any splits. I agree the blow out is a lot of heat but for some reason my hair doesnt split as much when I get them, I havent gotten one since last august. I rarely use heat.

I know it doesnt make sense but that's just my experience, if I didn't get the splits from the flat iron, I'd probably tell you to use it.

 

[JLove74]

I belive it all depends:

OK with Blow outs you can just have them do your roots. Like my stylist knows that I like big bouncy hair, so she runs the dryer over my roots once maybe twice, not down the full length of my hair. But I used to get it done the whole length and didn't like the way my hair felt and started to get more split ends. So the blow dryer combined with the wrong kind of round brush can cause all kinds of damage.

With Flat ironing, some stylist run the iron over and over the length of the hair, at 400degrees. Usually done after the hair has been blowdried. That's IMO is just bad.

So, which is the lesser of the 2 evils - that's something your hair will have to decide, since everyone's hair reacts to heat in a different way.

 

[foxieroxienyc]

Both can be damaging if not done properly. W/ the DBO you have that blowdryer going at your hair at a high heat, so it's essentially damaging the roots if you're doing it often, and worse so if they are blowing out the ends too. I've never witnessed a stylist using the dryer at a lower temp, I think she'd backslap you for asking, lol.

For me flat ironing has helped my hair to thrive. Yep I've said it, my hair loves heat. But again, if you do it yourself and not relying on a stylist you have total control of what temp is being used and how many passes you make on your hair. All things in moderation are ok, you just have to figure out what works for YOU.

 

[keylargo]

what makes me wonder is that a lot of women get dominican blow outs and have really long healthy hair. I guess it depends on how it's done like you all say. I just wonder how some people can tolerate it but not like the flat iron..

 

[JLove74]

what makes me wonder is that a lot of women get dominican blow outs and have really long healthy hair. I guess it depends on how it's done like you all say. I just wonder how some people can tolerate it but not like the flat iron..

....and how you take care of your hair.

 

[ynggftd&mxd]

IMO, dominican blow outs are much more damaging, especially if done regularly. Those dryers are on HIGH....and ladies, you know that heat is not only directed at your hair, but your scalp, too. I know the dominican salons in my area don't like to use heat protectant also.

However, flat ironing can be damaging, too. Heat protectant is just necessary. And if using it at a high temperature, I avoid going over the section more than twice. Another thing ladies! Recently my younger sister had some friends over to get ready before they went out. One of her friends came over with damp hair ... (idk?) but then SHE FLATIRONED!!! no serum, heat protectant nothing!!! i heard sizzle sizzle sizzle for 30 minutes!! erplexed
i told her we had a blow dryer she could use, and that what she was doing was bad for her hair...but she said she thought it would be okay!
i tried. =/

 

[Allandra]

I can flat iron my hair once a week without any problems. I would never do a Dominican blow out weekly (as it's A LOT of heat and manipulation).

 

[Lady Esquire]

Just curious. Both processes require direct heat. If you get a dominican blow out, how often do you have it done? Does that mean heat is not the devil to you?

I think they both can be equally damaging. The blow-outs require so much tugging. And the heat is so high. The flat-iron can cause heat damage if you concentrate on certain strands or use heat that is too high.

However, They both can be beneficial to a regimen, if used with a quality heat protectant and done no more than biweekly. The blow dryer, you can use an ionic diffuser, to minimize the harshness of the heat. The flat-iron, if you use quality ceramic or tourmaline flat irons, and adjust the heat, you can minimize damage as well.

Heat is only the devil when you misuse it, which is why so many of us cut it out for the first year or two of our hair journey....but as you grow wiser, you learn the proper way and the safest frequency to use it.

 

[indefinite]

My hair likes the blow dryer better. When I was flat ironing, I burned my ends off and had see through ends.

 

[Covergirl5906]

In my opinion the blow-out is more damaging...it's just way too much heat...heat from sitting under the dryer...then heat from the handheld...then all of the manipulation from the brush...then like someone said they don't really use heat protectant....I've had it done twice and I'll never get it done again...I think the only reason why my hair probably didn't fall out was b/c it was natural at the time and thus more resilient...with the flat iron there is less manipulation and the temp of the iron can be controled...

 

[foxieroxienyc]

However, They both can be beneficial to a regimen, if used with a quality heat protectant and done no more than biweekly.

I totally agree with everything you've said. However I don't agree soo much with the above statement, and this seems to be an idea that resonates with a lot of folks here that can be quite confusing for some.

I wash/DC/Flat iron my hair 1-2x a week. I've been doing this since the start of my hair journey and have tried doing other methods to see what works for me, but I always seem to go back to my wash/DC/flat iron, it's quick and easy and my hair seems healthy afterwards... I've been doing it long enough to have seen damage already if I was doing a bad thing to my hair, instead my hair has really been thriving and I'm retaining length. I couldn't even fathom NOT washing 2x a week just because I want to maintain a straight style. I think what's really important with the heat issue is to make sure your tools are of high quality and then to be even more diligent about moisture/protein balance, use heat protectant, and the upkeep there after... If you continue to focus on the moisture level of your hair (since heat can be drying) you'll actually come out ok... I don't always go crazy with heat protectants either, I don't like weighed down hair, but I do use some however and I always use leave-ins as well before applying any heat to my hair...

I still think though DBO's is a form of heat that can be extremely damaging if done often, because again you have no control of the amount of heat being used, products, and manipulation.... I hardly loose any hair when I flat iron on wash day...

 

[keylargo]

Thanks ladies. this makes complete sense. Many of the ladies that have healthy hair and get dominican blow outs only do so once or twice a month. That's why they don't suffer much damage.

If I only use a flat iron twice a month, I should be okay.

 

[keylargo]

I can flat iron my hair once a week without any problems. I would never do a Dominican blow out weekly (as it's A LOT of heat and manipulation).

once a week? I thought that was a no no. I guess it depends on how thick and healthy your hair is.

 

[Lady Esquire]

I totally agree with everything you've said. However I don't agree soo much with the above statement, and this seems to be an idea that resonates with a lot of folks here that can be quite confusing for some.

I wash/DC/Flat iron my hair 1-2x a week. I've been doing this since the start of my hair journey and have tried doing other methods to see what works for me, but I always seem to go back to my wash/DC/flat iron, it's quick and easy and my hair seems healthy afterwards... I've been doing it long enough to have seen damage already if I was doing a bad thing to my hair, instead my hair has really been thriving and I'm retaining length. I couldn't even fathom NOT washing 2x a week just because I want to maintain a straight style. I think what's really important with the heat issue is to make sure your tools are of high quality and then to be even more diligent about moisture/protein balance, use heat protectant, and the upkeep there after... If you continue to focus on the moisture level of your hair (since heat can be drying) you'll actually come out ok... I don't always go crazy with heat protectants either, I don't like weighed down hair, but I do use some however and I always use leave-ins as well before applying any heat to my hair...

I still think though DBO's is a form of heat that can be extremely damaging if done often, because again you have no control of the amount of heat being used, products, and manipulation.... I hardly loose any hair when I flat iron on wash day...

Sure, some can take weekly direct heat, and others can take it only biweekly or even less frequently. We're all saying versions of the same thing: keep a healthy regimen, used wisely....heat can be your friend.

 

[kellyshair]

I actually have had good luck so far with blowouts.. I'm about 8 months post relaxer and it lasts longer than the press. However, I don't like the press much because it flattens my hair while the blow out gives more body.. However me and my girl happened to click so i explained my goals to her and she does my hair the way i advised.. i put a deep conditioner in my hair the night before or morning that i go... when i get there she rinses washes without over manipulating it and detangles in from ends to roots and adds leave in conditiner...she then rolls it on rollers.after im dry she takes the rollers out and sprays each section with a heat protectant and only blows my roots all around....the ends are still curled from rollers then she sprays with some light oil and wraps it,,, places me BACK under the dryer for less than 5 minutes and it helps loosen the curl and gives body.. she then parts, combs it in place and VIOLA..

 

[crr0121]

IMO, DBO's are more damaging. After you dry under the dryer for a while, (they always let my hair still be somewhat damp when they get the handheld though), They detangle it (and not always from the bottom like you would do your own), then pull and tug (hard to get the hair straight) with a round brush and use the blowdryer on HIGH HIGH heat and they make sure they get the roots straight cuz they leave the air on my scalp so long it starts to burn and i have to pull my head away from the heat and look at them like they crazy. It's even worse when they get those edges in the front *ouch* (and can you say "thin edges"?). And I think that round brush breaks ends off as well. Those splits you get that look poofy at the end of flat ironing (so you know you need to cut them)?, they just get fried straight so they're not poofy at all but still damaged (even worse). I'm natural 3c and My hair always came out silky straight and beautiful and lasted for a couple weeks BUT....In the long run, it damaged my hair more even when they used heat protectant and i got the same results from 4 diff stylists over a lifetime.

ETA: and idk if you're relaxed or natural but i'm sure they use more heat on my hair since they know i'm natural, it might not be such a harsh procedure if you're relaxed. They might move the blow dryer down quicker instead of slowly moving it down each section like they do on mine.

Flat ironing can be bad too but with a good ionic, ceramic (possibly tourmaline or titanium too), high quality iron on a lower setting than that blow dryer, it can be WAY less damaging.