Heat Styling Gray Hair

Going Gray?

Now you are kind of worried.

Will I be able to heat style my natural grey hair? And how?

Do I need to switch to different heat-styling products?

What is the best heat protectant for grey hair?

Don’t worry; even I was surrounded by these questions. And I came up with some surprising facts that I never knew.

I am sure you want to know them all. So keep on reading!

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So, first things first!

Does Heat Damage Grey Hair?

Yes! As hair ages, it turns gray and also lacks moisture as sebaceous glands produce less natural oil. Due to a lack of moisture, gray hair becomes more sensitive to heat and frizzier.

Also, gray hair is prone to heat damage as it is porous and doesn’t have its own colour. So, the chances of showing heat damage on grey hair are higher than on pigmented or coloured hair.

So,

Is it safe to use hot tools on gray hair?

Yes definitely!

It’s just that you need to be a bit more careful when applying heat to your natural gray hair and take some safety measures so that you do not damage your silvers.

Let us first understand the consequences of using Hot tools on gray hair:

Heat Damages on Gray Hair and How to Repair It?

1. Discolouration:

Use of hair styling products on your gray hair, like hairspray, mousse, and serums or even residue from your shampoos and conditioners, leaves a coat of buildup on hair. Heat can literally cook those residues and can give gray hair a weird yellow tinge.

How to Fix it?

Try clarifying your hair at least once a week. You can use a good clarifying shampoo, or if you prefer natural methods, an ACV rinse can be a miraculous remedy. There are also some other natural ways to get the residue out of your hair.

Even gray hair can turn either green or yellow sometimes.

When heat is applied to gray hair and the hair turns green, it is a sign of mineral deposits on hair, which can be caused by the presence of calcium in the water.

Fix it: To remove the green, use Malibu C Hard Water Wellness Remedy—Hard Water Shampoo. It works well on hard water deposits.

2. Burning of Hair:

Have you ever noticed how white paper turns tan if you hold it near a flame? Similarly, extreme heat literally singes gray hair, leaving it dull and discolored.

How to Fix it?

Turn down the temperature. Most hair can be styled using a temperature between 250°F and 360°F. And always use a heat protectant every time you use heat on your hair whether it is a second day of heat styling or more.

3. Loss of Moisture Resulting in Frizz:

Due to lack of natural oils in gray hair, the outer layer of hair (cuticles) gets rougher and is unable to hold the moisture. And when you apply heat to gray hair, the cuticles open up more and whatever moisture is left inside is evaporated, creating a dreaded halo of frizz.

What’s the remedy?

You need to keep filling the hair cuticles with moisture. Give your hair a regular dose of leave-in conditioners or hair oils at least once a week.

After heat, cool your hair with the “cold shot” button on your blow dryer. It slams the cuticle shut, sealing in moisture.

What if my grey hair gets damaged due to the use of hot tools?

If the burn is not severe, the temporary solution to disguise the yellow caused by the burning of gray hair is a purple shampoo/conditioner.

It is important to know that heat damage is irreversible. The only way to remove it is to cut off the damaged section of hair.

Or, if you don’t wish to cut your hair, you can disguise the burn by applying temporary fun colours to the tips or damaged areas of your hair or even all over.

It’s a fantastic way of hiding the damage without compromising hair length.

How to Avoid Heat Damage on Gray Hair?

Other than the fixes that we discussed earlier in the post, the best way to avoid heat damage on gray hair is to avoid heat.

Nothing beats heatless styling for keeping your silver strands strong, hydrated, and frizz-free.

The best part? You don’t need fancy tools or a mountain of products.

Heatless Hair Straightening Techniques:

I found this YouTube video helpful in exploring different hair straightening ideas without heat. I hope you, too, find it helpful.

Heatless Hair Curling Techniques:

I have short gray hair, and I love curling it with heatless foam curlers that I purchased from Amazon. They are easy to use and cheap, too.

I always use them on damp hair. It helps in rolling them easily and also gives tight curls that stay long.

Here is a little tutorial on how I used them on my hair and how it turned out.

If you have long hair, you have several options to create heatless waves in your hair. One of my favourite and also liked by several silver sisters is the Octocurl fabric headband, which is very easy to use. Here is a video demonstrating various ways to use it.

You can purchase these from Amazon. These heatless headbands are available in various sizes. Select one according to your hair length and type.

You may also like reading:

Gray Hair Friendly Shampoos

13 Gray Hair Care Tips