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Introduction
If you have been experiencing heat damage on your hair from using the flat iron, you are misusing it. That is because you are putting the temperatures up too high. Therefore, too much heat from any styling tool, such as the flat iron, will ruin your hair. That means you will end up with brittle and breakable hair. Even if you do use a heat protectant, you will end up with damaged hair. However, none of it is your fault because chances are you do not know the correct temperature that your flat iron should be for your hair type.
Let’s go over that right now! One temperature that is ideal for a kind of hair is not the best for another type. So, therefore, that means you cannot have the exact temperature of the flat iron working on thick hair to work on fine hair.
The Ideal Flat Iron Temperature For Very Thick And Stubborn Hair
If your hair is exceptionally thick and stubborn to the point that you cannot style that well unless you put a lot of time and attention into it, then you need to use the highest temperature setting on your flat iron. You can only work with stubborn thick hair by setting your flat iron temperature anywhere between 410 F (210 C) to 450 F (232.2 C). Otherwise, you will not be able to smooth out the hair easily, and at the same time, you will spend too much time working on the hair that yields minimal results. If you are a hairstylist, this is the temperature you need to use when working on your clients’ hair. That will save you a lot of time and then more money!
Coarse Hair Requires A Temperature That Is Not As High
If you have coarse hair, you may find that it may be easier to style and smoothen than extremely thick and stubborn hair. However, it is not without frustration too! Therefore, you need to have a higher temperature on your flat iron while working with that hair type. However, not as high if you had to work with really thick hair. Therefore, the lowest setting for your flat iron when working with this hair should be 370 F (close to 188 C) to 410 F (210 C).
Don’t be afraid to work with your hair using the flat iron heated up at the upper end of that temperature recommendation. Extremely coarse hair can be challenging to work with, so you can go towards the highest temperature recommended. However, remember to use a heat protectant before working on it.
The Best Flat Iron Temperature For Wavy Hair
If your hair is not overly thick but wavy, you will want to lower your flat iron temperature. Therefore, you will want to set the temperature at 350 F (176.6 C) to 370 F (close to 188 C). That temperature will help to straighten and smooth out wavy hair without causing any damage. In addition, you may want to look for a flat iron that consists of negative ions that can help lock in moisture, too, as it can help keep frizz at bay. That will help you keep the heat at the lower end of the recommended temperature to set on the flat iron. Not only will the negative ions help keep frizz at bay, but they will help your hair stay smooth and straight for a more extended period.
What About The Best Temperature For Normal Hair?
If your hair is not thick, wavy, or fine, then you have normal hair, and that means the best temperature for normal hair for styling with the flat iron is from 330 F (165.5) to 350 F (176.6 C). Normal hair is the most straightforward type to work with because you don’t have to worry about extremes when styling your hair. When you straighten and smooth out your hair, you can do it with the least amount of effort and time. There are plenty of people who wish their Higher Power blessed them with normal hair! That goes for those days or nights when they are fighting with their hair.
How About The Best Temperature Setting For Fine Hair?
When you have fine and fragile hair, your hair is at risk of heat damage, so you want to be extra careful. You may find that no matter how much you style your hair, it will not cooperate because of the delicate nature of the hair. Working with fine hair can be even more frustrating for those who have the opposite problem, having thick hair. The cause for fine hair frequently results from polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS, which results from too much testosterone in women.
Fine hair is one symptom of it, and baldness and facial hair, obesity, and acne. Those who have this condition are self-conscious, and that is why they want to style their hair which will help them feel better. When using a flat iron, the best thing to do is set the temperature at 250 F (121 C) and add a heat protectant before styling. You can set your flat iron to the highest temperature at 300 F (149 C), but anything higher than that will fry your hair.
Should You Really Style Synthetic Hair?
If you are looking at a hair type that is more fragile than fine hair, it is synthetic hair. Therefore, you will want to be careful when using your flat iron to straighten it. You do not want to set your flat iron temperature to anything higher than 160 F (71 C), and anything lower than that is ideal. The lowest temperature to set your flat iron is the one to start with, and if that doesn’t work out too well, you can move it up a notch. Therefore, you will want to use the flat iron with a temperature of 140 F (60 C), and hopefully, that will be enough to work. Using heat protectants is imperative with this hair type.
Conclusion
If you have a lot of heat damage on your hair from using the flat iron, you are not using the correct temperature on the flat iron for your hair type. You are setting the temperature too high, and that is even the case if you use a heat protectant. You want straight and smooth‘ hair, which is why you want to style your hair with a flat iron. However, the temperature makes a world of difference when it comes to keeping your hair strong and healthy. You will not have any problems once you know your hair type and use the proper temperature setting on your flat iron.