Do Steam Hair Straighteners Damage Hair?​ Experts Weigh In on the Truth

Hair straightening is popular for letting people change their hair texture through different tools, like steam straighteners, which are often used in a salon. These use steam to straighten the hair, which can reduce heat damage from using traditional hair straighteners.

Knowing how heat styling will probably impact hair is key to having healthy hair and properly caring for it, so going to a stylist could be a good idea. So, even if you decide to use steam hair straighteners, will it still damage your hair?

Here we’ll look at this question and explore how hair texture and type can play a significant role in figuring out the best styling options for you. We’ll also tell you how Hairy Hair can help if you face hair loss.

Understanding hair type

Different hair types have different needs. Hair can be dry and damaged, or have natural curls or an oily texture. They all have their requirements for safe hair styling. Styling tools can harm the hair follicles and cuticles that are part of the hair structure, so it is crucial to know what type of hair structure you have.

The hair shaft, the outside, visible portion, can be styled straight or in curls. Hair oils and deep conditioners will help lock in moisture and minimise damage when your hair is dry or heat-styled and damaged.

How does heat styling impact hair?

Heat styling itself can be bad for hair, especially with normal, regular straighteners or flat irons, which can become unbearably hot. Heat damage can cause hair to dry and increase breakages. Heat damage can also cause split ends to be more common, resulting in hair looking unhealthy and brittle.

Steam straighteners, a type of steamer, can reduce this heat damage through the use of steam generation to straighten the hair. The water tank built into a steam straightener helps maintain a consistent steam flow while hair is styled.

According to Sabina Wizemann, the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab, overusing steam straighteners can also cause issues. Wizemann says that while hydrated hair is good, water and steam may not be inherently beneficial for hair health.

Steam straightening has to be carried out moderately because too much exposure to steam causes cyclical swelling and contracting of hair cuticles, hence causing hair porosity to increase.

This places the hair at a greater risk of breakage, particularly for chemically treated hair, which can be prevented with deep conditioning. It also speeds up already damaged hair and results in faster colour loss.

What are steam straighteners?

Steam straighteners have a tendency to use a combination of high-steam pressure from an inbuilt water reservoir and heated plates to straighten hair. The steam is meant to soften straightening on your hair.

Straighteners are meant to conserve hair during styling by preventing moisture from drying on the strands of hair, which should be less damaging. This is different from the regular hot iron experience. 

Steam straighteners can help boost hair hydration, which is essential when considering hair’s makeup. According to haircare expert Michael Van Clarke, hair is 97% protein and 3% water. The protein structure can break down if this balance is upset, leading to drier, thinner, and coarser hair.

Steam straightener pros and cons

Steam from these kinds of straighteners can open the hair follicle and let moisture in while straightening or curling. This means less damage and a smoother, softer finish. It can also mean fewer passes over large sections than a regular hot iron. 

Single steaming sessions should not exceed 15-20 minutes, and while consistency is essential to see results, you should limit frequency to two to four times a month to keep hair hydrated without overwhelming it.

What hair type works best for steam straighteners?

Steam straighteners are reported to be effective, particularly for curly hair. Curls struggle to stay moisturised because the natural oils do not have a smooth route from the root to the tip, and thus the ends need to be helped to stay nourished.

Natural curls can straighten more frequently, and individuals with thick or long hair can take longer to straighten the whole head, leaving weak areas more vulnerable. While it can cause less damage than a regular hot iron, it doesn’t mean you can use it twice as often. 

For the best maintenance of your hair, consider frequency, technique, and the use of a heat protectant when heat styling it. It’s essential to be mindful of the temperature you’re using and only raise the heat if your hair needs it. Fine and medium length hair will not need as high a temperature as coarse, long hair to smooth it out.

Hair steaming in a hairdresser’s

Steam straightening at a hairdresser’s can give you a good idea of best practices for performing it at home. A thorough wash ensures your scalp is clean before using a steam straightener, so you’re not spreading harmful bacteria. This means using a shampoo and possibly a moisturising mask to help the hair have enough moisture. 

You may sit under a hood-type device for around 30 minutes in a hairdresser’s. Warm steam is expelled directly onto the hair, and then the hair is treated with cool water before being patted dry. This can increase softness and prevent the brittle feeling from damaged locks.

How can Hairy Hair help with my hair loss?

Damage from hot styling tools is just one reason for potential hair loss. While a steam straightener can help reduce this damage, overexposure to moisture in your strands can also lead to buildup and damage over time.

Many causes of hair loss, from age to genetics, can act simultaneously to damage follicles. Changing your heat styling routine may not be enough to curb hair loss and encourage new hair growth.

Hairy Hair offers a comprehensive hair loss treatment that addresses an array of hair loss issues simultaneously. It contains a DHT blocker which inhibits the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone, leading to the shrinkage of hair follicles, ultimately causing baldness.

The supplement also contains a vasodilating ingredient, whereby your blood vessels within your scalp get dilated and more oxygen and nutrients supply reach and feed the hair follicles. The medicine is accompanied by a keratin promoter that acts as the central protein within the hair fiber and has an anti-inflammatory effect.

A comprehensive hair loss treatment may give your hair a better chance to resist hair loss and encourage regrowth.

Hair styling tools and hair loss

Steam straighteners, often referred to as hair steamers, can provide a more gentle alternative to regular styling tools, making them useful for damaged or dry hair. Understanding your hair type and texture is crucial to picking the right styling tools and getting the best results.

Hair steamers and deep conditioners can help nourish and moisturise hair to reduce damage and breakage. Heat styling damage is just one cause of hair loss, however. If you’re worried about your hair loss, contact Hair today.

To start, you need to fill out an online form so we can get to know you and your hair loss. From there, our expert team will review your details and formulate a personalised treatment plan. A qualified Australian GP will then call you to explain your treatment and answer any questions you may have.

Finally, your prescription will be sent straight to your home. You can manage your hair loss treatment from the comfort of your home without visiting a clinic in person. Furthermore, our dedicated support team will be on hand to guide you through every step of your journey towards potentially renewed hair and confidence.