Beware of Heat Damage

So I never thought I'd be one to get heat damage. After all my years of being natural I never had a problem with it. I thought I couldn't get heat damage--my hair texture was invincible. Welp, I guess I was wrong! After being in denial for a few months, I finally admitted that in fact I do have some heat damage *wahhhhhhhh* :( :'(. I noticed that my curls weren't curling and popping the same--but I ignored it. I thought "my curls are always like that!" Until I got fed up and just realized they definitely changed! THANKFULLY the damage was only in the front--which happens a lot because we always want the front to be the straightest since everyone sees it. So cutting it makes it just look like layers and it doesn't take away from the length.

Here you can see the ends are kinda straight, not spirly

Oh! And learn from me. Anyone can get heat damage! Don't think you are exempt like I thought! Straighter curls, or kinky curls--both can get it! For me it just took a lot of heat to do it!So, how did I finally get heat damage after all these years? Well, after looking back at some old pictures, I noticed I actually did have a little bit of heat damage in the past. But that was also when I didn't really take care of my hair and died it super light and stuff. Buttt this recent episode of heat damage occurred because I from this September to February I straightened my hair a lotttt. I love blow outs--especially in the winter. So I would go to the Dominican hair salon and they were get my hair bone straight. Subconsciously I was cringed and crosses my fingers that I didn't get heat damage. I knew it was a lot on my hair. But I loved how it looked so much that again, I just stayed in denial about the possibility of even getting it. I did stop going to the hair salon and only went twice, but then I continued to flat iron it my self. This was better, but still caused some damage.How am I going to get rid of it? As you can see from the picture above, I already chopped off a good amount. I just took a pair of hair cutting scissors (it took me 3 times to figure out how to spell scissors just now lol) and snipped away at the pieces that were limp and straggly. It made a big difference and I got 90% of it out. But I do want to go get rid of the little remainder of heat damage professionally at the salon that specifically cuts curly hair while it is dry. My sister goes to the Devachan Salon in New York, so I am going to go there in a month or so. Plus, since my hair has gotten longer it has lost some of its shape so I do want to get some layers to give it volume. The layers will definitely get rid of the damage too so its definitely going to end up being a win-win and I'm looking at it in a positive way. So if any of you have heat damage, try to make the best of it! Hair grows back, and it can always be worse! And maybe like me, you can go get a fun cut for the summer!How am I going to prevent it?Very simple-- STAY AWAY FROM HEAT! (for now, hehe). Lol okay so I know I can't stay away from heat forever. Some people can just stop using heat all together and never use it again! But I can't imagine never wearing my hair straight again. But I am very scared of heat now lol so I am definitely going to be heat free for an entire 6 months, maybe even longer. Summer is coming so it'll definitely go fast because I never straighten it in the summer anyway. And I've already been heat free for 2 months now.When I finally do straighten my hair, I'm only going to get a roller set. That will protect the ends and won't allow direct heat on it. I know many people who have done this and haven't experienced heat damage from it.So I'll keep you all updated on the cut and my 6 months of being heat free! I'm excited to get it back to perfect curls!How many of you have had heat damage? What have you done to prevent it?Until next time,