Have you used heat regularly and still retained length?

[Chameleonchick]

Have you been able to retain your length while using heat? Have you gone from short length to a long length while doing so? I'm talking about direct heat. I rollerset my hair the other day but my roots were puffy and I'm trying to continue with my stretch.

 

[GabbanaGirl]

Hmmmm yes and no. I have retained length by using direct heat...but not as much as I have retained since joining LHCF (since then I have been on a no heat reggie).

Here I am in 2007 (this was direct heat every two weeks...sometimes more..this was also pre LHCF)

(((ooooh I know this is going to be BIG...sorry can't resize in picture trail...lol)))

My siggy is back in November of 2008 (also pre LHCF) - So there has definitely been some growth there. Yet I am anticipating more from leaving it alone for awhile.

 

[TheQueenBeeMaya]

Yes. In November I was sl and I am now about an inch from apl. I'm at school right now but I will post before pictures when I get home. My current length is in my siggy

 

[foxieroxienyc]

***coming out of lurk mode***

Yes I have. My hair started at just at he base of NL/beginning of SL and I'm now 2 inches from APL.

I try to rollerset 1x/week, usually after a nice long DC. I will usually co-wash 2-3 other times during the week and either blowdry on low then flat iron on low or airdry/flat iron on low. In between I always, moisturize nightly and either pin curl or wrap my hair. I rarely have split ends and get compliments all the one in the health of my hair.

I've learned how to make heat work for me.

 

[Caramela]

I think you can use heat responsibly... meaning, if you are going to use direct heat, just make sure it is set to the lowest temp possible that will still achieve the results you're looking for.
Blow dry on warm instead of hot, flat iron or curl on a lower temp setting than the highest one, etc...
I maintained a lot of growth while still blowdrying once or twice a week... and eventhough I had the length, my ends felt very dry and poofy. I didn't like they way they felt so I eventually cut them off and sacrificed a good 3-4 inches in the process... when I started over I only air dried in a bun and my ends feel much nicer now. I caught up lengthwise but I can't help but to kick myself for the heat and the hair I had to sacrifice because of it. I could have been at my goal by now!!!
There are other ways to tame new growth than with heat The scarf method; The Ponytail Method; Wet sets/Roller sets; 1/2 wigs, etc...

 

[chebaby]

when i first joined this site i was about 2 inches past sl and had been that way for 7 years. i didnt start taking on the full responsibility of my hair until about 9 months ago and my hair is now one inch from bsl.
i wear my hair straight every single day. i blow dry and flat iron once a week. i also use protein once a week, deep condition and pre poo overnight once a week. i moisturize and seal 2x a day. my hair is reall healthy aand the longest its ever been.
ETA: i also use two types of heat protectant when i blow dry and flat iron and my ends feel just as thick and smooth and soft as the rest of my hair. so my ends arent suffering at all.

also during the summer i usually wet bun and co wash daily, i also deep condition overnight 3x a week during the dummer so i do give my hair a break from the heat.

 

[MrsHdrLe]

What if you're mostly natural? I only have about two inches of relaxer left and the entire length is about 10 inches. I want to look nice for Valentines day/night, but I'm just out of a weave Tuesday, and afraid to put any heat on my hair so soon.

 

[longhairlover]

I can say that I have, I was almost bsl a long time ago and I was using a lot of heat. My hair grew fast during the 8month or so stretch, and I would use my blow dryer with a blow drying brush weekly and it was a lot of heat, but I conditioned alot and it just felt like growing,

I 'm stretching now and my hair does not feel like growing like it did before.

Not all hair can take a lot of heat but I know chicks that use heat on the regular and their hair still grows.

 

[ACEA]

I have, but my hair is not healthy. I've been planning to cut back on the heat, but I'm terrible at styling it otherwise.

 

[HoneyDew]

I have, but my hair is not healthy. I've been planning to cut back on the heat, but I'm terrible at styling it otherwise.

This is my problem.

I can retain with heat use, but my hair is not as healthy.

I take care to really give my hair good treatments to help alleviate that.

But, I also don't know how to style without some heat.

 

[Denise11]

I never had short hair but I blow dry and flat iron often. I flat iron at least once a week, and blow dry 3-4 times a week after I condition my hair. I use serums or heat protectors when I do though. My hair loves heat. Air drying makes my hair feel terrible!!!!

 

[Pocahonta_s]

I haven’t. My hair was well past waist length up until two years ago when I bought a flat-iron and started flat ironing after nearly every wash (once or twice per forthnight).The damage started showing after 10-12 months of this treatment. I finally stopped using my iron at the beginning of December. I’ve had to cut a big chunk off because the ends were damaged and breaking off. My hair is still breaking a lot now and has thinned out considerably.

On the other hand my sister, who has shorter, frizzier and thicker hair, is stretching because she wants to get a bio-ionic straightening job (which I have heard isn’t suited to afro-type hair, but that is a different debate altogether). She uses the same straightener all the time and says her hair looks great and is growing well.

So I dunno…But in my opinion heat does no good for your hair. You can retain length but i dont think it will be healthy.

 

[foxieroxienyc]

I honestly believe heat gets a bad wrap. Of course what's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander. If your regimen is down pat, and you really learn to pay attention to what your hair can or cannot take, then you'll be fine. Not everyone can heat style, but hey some can and be 100% totally fine WITH healthy hair and ends. In fact for me, wash and go's and braidouts lead to more splits, go figure! The one thing to also be sure of is to ALWAYS use and invest in QUALITY tools. You get what you pay for.

 

[Pocahonta_s]

I honestly believe heat gets a bad wrap. Of course what's good for the goose isn't always good for the gander. If your regimen is down pat, and you really learn to pay attention to what your hair can or cannot take, then you'll be fine. Not everyone can heat style, but hey some can and be 100% totally fine WITH healthy hair and ends. In fact for me, wash and go's and braidouts lead to more splits, go figure! The one thing to also be sure of is to ALWAYS use and invest in QUALITY tools. You get what you pay for.

I must admit that i too get splits from air drying and braid outs.

Personally i think rollersetting is the best alternative...

 

[yellagirl730]

when i first joined this site i was about 2 inches past sl and had been that way for 7 years. i didnt start taking on the full responsibility of my hair until about 9 months ago and my hair is now one inch from bsl.
i wear my hair straight every single day. i blow dry and flat iron once a week. i also use protein once a week, deep condition and pre poo overnight once a week. i moisturize and seal 2x a day. my hair is reall healthy aand the longest its ever been.
ETA: i also use two types of heat protectant when i blow dry and flat iron and my ends feel just as thick and smooth and soft as the rest of my hair. so my ends arent suffering at all.

also during the summer i usually wet bun and co wash daily, i also deep condition overnight 3x a week during the dummer so i do give my hair a break from the heat.

Is your hair natural or relaxed? I just relaxed my hair after 2 years and 8 months of being natural. What heat protectant do you use and how much do you use? I am using Chi Serum but I'm hoping I'm using enough as I like to have swinging hair bit of course I don't want to cause anymore damage. TIA

 

[msa]

I haven't seen anyone do it successfully...seems like the ladies who use heat often (1 or more times a week) are the same ones who are always talking about they just trimmed their ends or they need to trim their ends. I guess I feel like if heat wasn't a problem, they wouldn't have to trim so much.

I don't believe heat and retention go together, but that doesn't make it impossible.

 

[PGirl]

Where is Irresistible when you need her? She has long MBL hair and she wet presses her natural hair. We had a member named Nasvegda in the past who used heat 2x per week and she had long (at least BSL) healthy hair. She is a scientist who gave alot of info about heat and how to use it properly. I wish she was still on here.

I use heat 1x per week (flat iron on medium heat after rollerset to smooth roots and cuticles) and my hair hasn't been this healthy since I was about 12. I use Chi Silk Infusion before flat ironing and I do protein treatments regularly on my relaxed 4a hair. I'm looking forward to APL right now.

 

[shtow]

I haven't seen anyone do it successfully...seems like the ladies who use heat often (1 or more times a week) are the same ones who are always talking about they just trimmed their ends or they need to trim their ends. I guess I feel like if heat wasn't a problem, they wouldn't have to trim so much.

I don't believe heat and retention go together, but that doesn't make it impossible.

my ends get worse when I rollerset than with direct heat

 

[melodies815]

I have always used heat and it never caused me to get split ends or breakage. The first time that real breakage and splits happened to me was over here with hard water. I never retained any growth past SL for three reasons - (1) I always BC'd and started a completely new style @ SL; (2) I did not understand the need for moisture, and (3) I NEVER did protective styling. Now that I have changed all three bad habits, I will be in heaven when I get back to the soft water of Fayetteville, NC. I hope my hair grows a lot here, but I am purposely choosing to have low expectations until I get home. I use Sabino Moisture Block with heat styling and will NOT flat iron without it! (LondonDiva, I am soooo super jealous of your beautiful growth. How do you do it?!! Is there as much limescale in London as in East Anglia?)

I have come to grips with the fact that I am not British and may never understand how to maintain my hair here. The water filter might help...not sure yet. But....I like heat at least twice per month. Even with it, I will PS to protect my ends while my hair grows...and it is growing bit by bit...

HHG to us all!!

cj