If your hair just can’t seem to hold a curl no matter how you hold your curling iron, don’t worry, you’re not alone. You might not know how to use a curling iron—and that’s completely understandable. There’s a lot of factors involved with effectively curling your hair, including using the right styling products, figuring out the best temperature for your hair type, and maintaining your overall hair health.
That’s why we asked a hairstylist and a dermatologist about how to use a curling iron or curling wand for the best results. Below, you’ll find their advice, along with helpful photos.
1. Start with dry hair.
You should start with completely dry hair before using a curling iron, flatiron, or curling wand, says Shilpi Khetarpal, M.D., a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic. “Putting any kind of heat on wet hair is going to be much more traumatic compared to when the hair is dry because the cuticle is completely open and exposed. You’re going to damage it more when it’s wet,” says Dr. Khetarpal. All hot tools, including blow dryers—can make your hair weak. However, devices like curling irons apply heat directly onto your hair, which is why you should avoid using them on damp or wet hair. Keeping your hair as healthy as possible is important in achieving curls, which we’ll get to next.
2. Avoid using a curling iron on damaged hair.
Your hair might be hard to style if it’s damaged, says Dr. Khetarpal. Hair is made with protein that’s held together by disulfide bonds. (These are very strong chemical bonds that keep the protein strong.) In healthy hair, these bonds are unbroken, but elements like sunlight, bleach, hot tools, and hair dyes, can weaken the bonds and make them break, explains Dr. Khetarpal. When this happens, hair becomes damaged and won’t hold a curl. “It just lies there,” says Dr. Khetarpal. “Think of it as almost like burnt hay. It’s just kind of frazzled, and it doesn’t hold form.” If you notice that your hair feels drier or frizzier than normal, then it may be damaged, says Dr. Khetarpal. Another big sign? Split ends. That brings us to our next tip…
3. Try not to use hot tools daily.
There’s no denying that heat strips your hair of its natural oil and makes it dry, says Dr. Khetarpal. She recommends using hot tools every other day at most. If you really prefer to use a curling iron every day, then look for other ways to keep your hair healthier—like towel drying or even air drying your hair instead of blow-drying if you can.
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