Friday 10 April 2015

Help! I burnt my hair off!!

Last week my absolute nightmare happened, my hair burned/ singed/ died. Whatever you want to call it, it wasn't good!


It all started in my final week in England before coming home for Easter. I was curling my hair as usual with my strengtheners, being extra careful spraying on the heat defence spray so it wouldn't burn (oh the irony), when mid curl I heard loud sizzling. With a burning smell and sizzling hair, I told myself I must have sprayed a little too much heat defence, making my hair damp, thus, causing the sizzling. So I left my hair for the night, gave it a wash to get rid of the slight burning smell (which was still present days later), and put the issue to the back of my mind.

A few days later, as I was going out for dinner I grabbed my straighteners to create some lovely waves. Once again, it happened. But this time, 100x worse. I heard my hair frying with an almighty hiss, but what really made me panic was the burning smell. I have NEVER smelt anything like it. And no matter how many times I washed it, it was still present a week later and no amount of perfume could mask the stench. I put the straighteners down and examined my hair, as I looked through it, my heart sank. Now girls (or guys trying for the long haired look or man-bun), nothing pains you more when you've spent months looking after your hair with extra protective serums and argon oil to try and grow it, when suddenly your hair is so burnt, it's split ends galore. And at that moment, I knew, that the longer hair I had so looked forward to and had been trying to grow was not happening. It was soul destroying.

As I looked through my hair further, at the front of my head, I found one section which had completely frazzled. And by frazzled I mean...my hair was dead. And before I knew it, in panic, I picked up the scissors and cut off the bit of hair. To be honest, it looked OK. It was in my top layer, so it didn't take any off my overall length, it just made a section of my layer a bit shorter.

At this point, I fully knew, the problem was in my strengtheners. These were expensive but old straighteners. The protective coating on the ceramic had worn off, making my hair fully exposed to 300 degrees heat (no wonder it burnt)! Although expensive, and a very well known brand, if I'm honest these straighteners had served me well over the years and had done there time. But I just wished they could have not burnt my hair in their final days and died another way! 

As I got talking to my University flatmate, telling her about my hair dilemma, she informed me that cutting your own hair with kitchen scissors can in fact cause more split ends, that I needed a hairdresser (top tip!).

The road to recovery...


Firstly, I threw my scissors in the bin. I wasn't making that mistake again! 

Secondly, I booked an appointment at the hairdressers, explaining to her my situation and thankfully she said only 1.5 inches needed to be taken off the length to remove the burnt split ends (I say ONLY 1.5 but it feels so much shorter now, but so much healthier!)
I should also mention, that I have not used any straighteners or form of heat on my hair since the burning, one week ago, and do not plan to again until next week. I feel my hair just needs a break!

Thirdly, I popped down to my local Superdrug and hunted the shelves....


*And here it is, the perfect time to insert my product reviews.
I will be reviewing 2 products I used to recondition my hair, comparing them, and telling you the truth in if they actually helped my hair!



Follow me on twitter @thoseyoungyears, subscribe by email or follow me on Google+ to hear more of the story continued (all links to the right-hand side of this page).Expect the product reviews within the next week!

Until then, let me know if this has ever happened to you and if there are any straighteners you would recommend?

Keep living and learning,
x


P's. Good news, he product review has been done!! Read which products I love, and those not so much by clicking here!

4 comments:

  1. Really liked this one, I can relate... my hair naturally curly and I love my straighteners. I have GHD's of course, don't know where I'd be without them. When I was 15 the same thing happened to me with Remington (not sure of the spelling) but I had to get 3/4 of my length cut off.It was horrible :(

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    1. oh no, sounds awful, 3/4 of your length is so much! Every girls worst nightmare!
      Those young years,
      x

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  2. This post literally scared me! I would have a heart attack if this happened to my hair! It's dyed quite lot so I make sure to take extra good care of it! I hope it's beginning to get better, I would suggest not using the straightener for a while and blow drying it straight. My hair has a beach wave to it, but not the glamorous kind, so I keep it straight with the hair dryer!

    let me know what you think!

    xoxo

    Quinnzell

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    1. Sometimes a scare is good, means you'll be extra careful! :)
      Yeah I dye my hair quite alot too,so I'm always very conscious of it's condition! I'll definitely try the hair drier trick!
      Those young years,
      x

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