When you’re desperate to make your hair look smooth, sleek, and straight, it’s tempting to go overboard with the straightening iron or flat iron. But the truth is that straightening your hair too much can actually cause some serious damage over time. In fact, excessive heat from straightening irons can cause one of these 5 terrible side effects of over-straightening your hair!
1) You’re damaging your hair
The more you over-straighten your hair, the more brittle and prone to breakage it will become. It can also make your hair dry and frizzy. A lot of women don’t know this, but over-straightening can also lead to split ends! You might not notice them at first, but if you’re not careful they’ll end up being very noticeable as time goes on. So be sure to use a heat protectant before you start straightening or curling your hair too much!
2) You’re causing split ends
If you’re over-straightening your hair, you might not notice it right away. But the more you do it, the worse it will get. Eventually, you’ll start to notice little split ends all over the place. Not only does this make your hair look unhealthy and unkempt, but it also means that there are some bigger problems happening beneath the surface of your locks—namely, damage from heat styling tools and products that are too harsh for your hair type.
3) You’re losing moisture
If you’re having a hard time keeping your hair moisturized, it may be because of how often you straighten it. When you over-straighten your hair, the heat from the blowdryer can dry out your strands and make them brittle. This leaves them open to breakage and frizziness! Plus, if you have curly hair, excessive straightening can permanently alter the shape of your curl pattern.
4) You’re making your hair more brittle
One of the main side effects of over-straightening your hair is that you can damage the cuticle. This means that the protective outer layer of your hair may start to break off and weaken the health of your tresses. You might not notice this happening at first, but after continued use, it can really start to show.
5) You might be allergic to the chemicals
If you notice a red rash, or other allergic reactions, while using hair straighteners, it could be because your body is reacting to the chemicals in them. You should stop using them immediately and find a different way to style your hair. The chemicals can be drying for your hair and scalp as well.
