How to Use a Flat Iron Without Damaging Your Hair: 5 Easy Tips

Today, I'm going to teach you how to use a flat iron so that your straight hair lasts not only for several days but also doesn't get damaged along the way.

Tools and materials:

• Heat protector cream
• Hairbrush
• Hairdryer

1. Prep your hair

You need to prep your hair for heat styling with some kind of heat protector.

There are several different types of heat protectors on the market that are all formulated differently. Some are sprays, some are creams, and different people tend to gravitate towards different ones.

In the wet stage, before I blow dry, I like to use a cream-based heat protector. This helps to reduce frizz, smooth split ends, and lock in moisture without being too heavy, which is key.

Using a product like this that acts as a styling agent and heat protector in one will save you from having to cocktail too many products together.

It's easier, and it's more cost-effective. Plus, you don't risk weighing the hair down with too much stuff.

After applying your heat protector, you want to brush it through from roots to ends to distribute it evenly.

2. Blow your hair out first

If you want to wear your hair straight every time you wash it, blow it out first.

Blowing your hair out from the wet stage is beneficial because hair is very easily manipulated when it's wet.

If you can do the majority of the smoothing in the blow-drying stage, you'll be able to use significantly less heat with your flat iron.

3. Get a great high-quality flat iron

It is very important to get a really good quality flat iron.

Bad-quality irons can cause significant heat damage and once it’s done, it’s irreversible. If you have a flat iron that isn't very good quality, get rid of it!

When looking to buy a good iron, look for plates that don't pull or snag the hair. You want good quality plates like titanium or ceramic. You also want even heat distribution.

It's essential that your flat iron doesn't have hot spots on the plates. The plates should be equally hot from the top to the bottom.

4. Set your flat iron to a reasonable temperature for you

Back in the day, I used to just set it at the highest temperature because I really thought that more heat was better. But it's not.

Everyone's hair type is so different, and so is the temperature required to straighten it. If you have thin or fine hair, you need to set the flat iron to a lower temperature.

On the other hand, if you have thick curly hair, you need to set it at a higher temperature.

Start with one section at a low temperature, like 200 or 250, and see if you get the result you want. If you don't go up to 300, if it's not good enough, go up to 350.

When your hair straightens smoothly, stop at that temperature. I don't think anyone really needs heat as hot as 450.

If you go any hotter than the sweet spot that your hair needs to get smooth, you just pave your path toward heat damage without getting any more smoothing gain from it.

5. Chill out on the passes

Repeatedly going over the same section of hair with a flat iron is just like setting your flat iron to a temperature that's too hot. It will only cause more damage without any additional gain.

So make sure you're only running the flat iron through each section of hair once or twice maximum. In order to get the best results without doing too many passes, you need to section your hair.

Each section should fit comfortably in the flat iron without spilling over. You want to brush the strands from roots to ends first so all the hair is lined up.

Start about half an inch from the root, and with a smooth and controlled motion, slide down the hair.

How to use flat iron

Those are my top five tips for how to flat iron your hair without destroying it.

I hope you found them useful and that you’ll follow them next time you style your hair! Let me know if you have any other tips in the comments below.

Next, check out my post on How to Style Curtain Bangs in 3 Easy Steps.