GHD Hair Straighteners Team Warns of Heat Styling Hair Damage Risks

Not all hair straighteners are created equal the best have been carefully designed to allow users to create unique styles with the minimum damage. The worst can lead to melted hair, damaged cuticles and even hair loss.

Now, an in-depth article on Mashable.com lifts the lid on the science that goes into making some of the better products on the market namely those made by Cambridge based company ghd.

Ghd straighteners are at the higher end of the market, typically selling at £80 or more, which is two or three times the price of other devices that are available. But the Mashable article explains how when it comes to straighteners, you really do get what you pay for.

Melting their hair

The article asserts that the optimal temperature for thermal styling is 185 degrees C, beyond which it can become damaged. “People who use their hair stylers at anything above 210 degrees are melting their hair,” says Dr Tim Moore, the company’s Chief Technology Officer, who is interviewed in the article. “The cortex is completely gone it is melted out. If you’ve got a dial on your styler do not turn it up to the highest heat.”

The way that ghd address temperature issues in their top-of-the-range platinum hair straighteners is by using three sensors to ensure that the optimum temperature extends across the whole styling plate. “This means there is no sudden surge or drop in temperature, which is detrimental to hair health and styling results,” says Dr Moore. Additionally, these straighteners employ a special handle that stops people from applying too much pressure and further damaging hair.

Over-use leads to brittle hair

Over-use of heated hair stylers including hair straighteners can lead to hair becoming very brittle and dry it will lose its vitality and start to take on a depressingly lifeless look. If you hadn’t taken the hint already, then this is the time to stop but the quest for straight hair can be addictive. Men are no strangers to the allure of curl-free locks either, as One Direction’s Harry Styles - pictured - proved last week when he took to the stage with newly-straightened hair (and almost caused a Twitter meltdown).

But there are things you can do to delay the onset of heat-related styling damage or even put it off indefinitely, while still having beautifully-styled hair. The best advice is to use hair straighteners sparingly (saving the irons for special occasions only!), and also to do whatever you can to keep your hair well-conditioned. Belgravia has a variety of shampoos and conditioners which can help keep hair in great shape, as well as a dietary supplement called Hair Vitalics, a specially-formulated blend of vitamins and minerals known to encourage hair health.

Other tips include always using heat-protective serums and sprays before using straighteners, and to keep your fingers crossed and wait: scientists in Australia are working on a pill aimed at making hair either curlier or straighter, depending on your mood.