Benefits Of Deep Conditioning With Heat

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We all want the best for our hair, and that means we need to take care of it. We want it to shine and look lustrous.

There’s nothing worse than having everything else about you put together, and when it comes to your hair – you’re lost.

Maybe your hair has gotten away from you after years of harsh styling. Or maybe you’ve been through something that forced you to shift your priorities. It doesn’t matter, either way.

If you want to learn about the benefits of deep conditioning with heat, read on. It might be the perfect thing for you if you want some life back in your hair.

What Does it Mean to Deep Condition?

Deep conditioning is a process where you apply a treatment directly to your scalp. This can include oils, moisturizers, conditioners or even other products. The idea behind this is to nourish your scalp and give it a boost.

What’s the point of deep conditioning hair? Well, deep conditioning keeps the hair in good condition.

Typically, this process involved adding either protein or moisture to the hair to improve it. Conditioners can be either protein-based or moisturizing, depending on the treatment and hair type.

For people with low-porosity hair, it is recommended to use a moisturizing conditioner. This is because the hair is typically dry and is lacking luster.

When hair becomes dry, it can look dull – the opposite of what we want! When moisturizing conditioner is used on this type of hair, it is able to penetrate the hair, moisturizing the individual hair strands.

For porous hair, protein-based conditioners are recommended. This type of hair will soak up a lot, and it’s easy to overdo it when you aren’t careful. 

Deep Conditioning Your Hair

You may think that this sounds like a lot of work, but it isn’t. There are deep conditioners that can be bought in stores, or ones you can make at home. Both work well, so it just depends on your preferences and needs.

When deep conditioning, it’s important to follow the procedure carefully. It’s easy to go wrong, and the results aren’t always great.

When getting or creating conditioners, you should always stick to natural ingredients where possible.

Chemicals are more likely to damage your hair, so natural ingredients are considered to be safer. Wherever you get your conditioner, just ensure that it is safe for your hair.

Before using a deep conditioner, you should always wash your hair. You’d be surprised by the amount of dirt that builds up on hair over the course of a few days (or even one)!

Dirt aside, you should not have any other products, environmental pollutants, or minerals on your hair when you deep condition. You can also use a regular conditioner after shampooing if you wish, but it isn’t necessary.

After the regular conditioner is rinsed out, make sure you detangle your hair thoroughly. Working with messy hair is a pain, so detangling makes it super easy.

It’s often recommended to section your hair to get the best results. If you are able to do this, go ahead!

Once sectioned, you can begin applying the deep conditioner to your hair. Remember to focus on the end of your hair, since they are the oldest and the most in need of moisture.

The roots get all their oils and moisture they need from your scalp! Try to distribute the conditioner evenly, so you get all your hair. 

When you have your deep conditioner evenly on your hair, you can put on a shower cap (or a plastic mag if you don’t have a cap). This will simply help the conditioner and hair stay in place and not mess on everything.

You will need to wait for as long as the label suggests. If you are using a DIY conditioner, you will probably need to wait for around 30 minutes. 

Once the time has passed, you can rinse the conditioner out! Make sure to use cool water to do this. Cool water helps the hair look and feel its best.

What are the Benefits of Deep Conditioning Hair?

There are many benefits to deep conditioning your hair. As we already mentioned, it helps hair stay healthy. This is an umbrella term, but it actually includes:

  • Moisturizing hair
  • Protects hair that is color-treated
  • Revitalizes hair
  • Helps protect against hair damage
  • Bring the shine of your hair back
  • Makes hair silky soft and smooth

What are the Benefits of Deep Conditioning Hair With Heat?

When you deep condition with heat, it helps the hair absorb everything from the conditioner. This means that you’ll leave your hair feeling extra moisturized.

You can apply heat directly to your hair, or you can wrap a towel around your head while you’re deep conditioning. A blow-dryer works really well for this. Just remember to keep the temperature low.

People with low porosity hair greatly benefit from deep conditioning with heat. This is because the heat helps open the cuticle layers, allowing the interiors of the strands to be moisturized.

Oil-based deep conditioners are especially good for this method, as the heat helps the oils break down. When the oils are broken down, they can be absorbed by hair very easily. 

The main benefits of deep conditioning with heat are as follows:

  • Improves the elasticity of hair
  • Helps the moisture penetrate deeply
  • Improves the hair’s moisture retention
  • Allows hair to retain its length
  • Helps prevent damage to the hair
  • Results in smooth and soft hair
Benefits of Deep Conditioning With Heat (1)

Using Direct and Indirect Heat for Deep Moisturizing

You can use direct or indirect heat when you want to use heat for your deep moisturizing.  Both methods work great, but the choice is yours!

Some people even claim that warming up the deep conditioner itself works wonders for the process and gets the same results. So, if you like, there’s even a third choice.

However, it can be easy to heat up the deep conditioner too much. Because of this, it might be better to stick to one of the options outlined below. 

Direct Heat

A steamer is needed for the direct method. Here, you will need to apply the deep conditioner as usual, then sit under a steamer.

The heat from the steam will make contact with the hair, and enhance the process. You will need to sit under the steamer for 20-30 minutes to get the best results. 

If you don’t have access to a steamer, you will be able to use a thermal cap for the heat. Thermal caps aren’t everywhere, so an alternative would be to use a hot towel that is damp, and wrap it around a vinyl cap. 

Indirect Heat

If you are using indirect heat, you might be using something like a hooded dryer. 

For this, you will need to carefully apply your deep conditioner, then put a shower cap on. The shower cap will have to be one that can withstand some heat, because it’s going to get warm!

You will need to sit under the hooded dryer for around 30-45 minutes. After this time has passed, you can rinse the conditioner off with cold water. 

How Long Should I Deep Condition My Hair For?

The point of having a deep conditioning session is for your hair to absorb all the moisture possible. Therefore, the longer you leave the deep conditioner on, the more moisture you should receive.

If you just do a quick 5-minute wash out, chances are your hair won’t feel nearly as moisturized afterwards. 

So, how long should you leave your deep conditioner on for? That depends on what type of deep conditioning product you used.

Most experts recommend waiting at least 10 minutes after applying the deep conditioner before rinsing it out. It doesn’t hurt to wait longer than this either, but it may not give you any additional benefits. 

However, there are some products that can help speed up the absorption process. One example is protein rich products. These types of products contain proteins that bind directly to the surface of the hair strand.

They also help to keep the moisture locked inside the shafts of the hair. As such, these products will generally take less time to fully absorb into the hair.  

The answer depends entirely on what type of hair you have and how frequently you wash your hair. Some people recommend waiting until after shampoo before deep conditioning.

Others say that you should always try to deep condition right after washing. The only way to find out which is better for you is to experiment.

With all that being said, it’s important to remember that excess moisture can also be a bad thing. Conditioner that is left on for too long will lead to this unpleasant experience.

Unfortunately, many people feel that leaving in a deep conditioner overnight will work wonders, but it simply won’t. When you do this, you are only putting your hair in danger.

When hair gets too much moisture, it can lead to hygral fatigue. If this happens, the hair cuticles become damaged because of the moisture. Everything has a limit, and hair is no different.

If you deep condition too much and for too long, your hair will get too much moisture. This will lead to the hair cuticles to swell, then contract.

You will notice that when this happens, your hair will not return to its regular structure after you rinse out the deep conditioner.

In the long term, hygral fatigue will lead to the weakness of hair, then breakage and the loss of elasticity. 

When Should You Deep Condition Your Hair?

If you want to get good results, you should use a deep conditioner on your hair regularly. There’s a line between not doing it too much and overdoing it.

If you’re using a deep conditioner once or twice per week, you’ll likely see an improvement in your hair’s health. However, if you use one every day, you could start to damage your hair.

Deep conditioning your hair should be done once a week. However, this will depend on the type of hair you have and how it reacts to the conditioning.

Some people may need to deep condition their hair twice a week, while others may need to reduce it to every two weeks. 

You can decide if you need to deep condition your hair more or less than once a week by seeing how your hair feels after testing it out.

If your hair begins to feel weak, you should reduce how often you condition it. Hair that still feels dry after being deep conditioned could be conditioned up to twice a week.

If you are unsure of what type of hair you have, you can try this simple trick:

  • Low porosity hair – will float in water
  • High porosity hair – will sink in water
  • Medium porosity hair – somewhere in the middle 

Final Thoughts

Deep conditioning is an amazing thing, but you need to be careful with it. It takes time to build up the necessary strength in your hair, so you don’t end up damaging it.

While there are some benefits to deep conditioning, it’s best to stick with low-pore products as they provide enough moisture without making your hair look greasy.

Also, make sure to follow directions carefully. Overusing deep conditioning can cause damage to your hair.

Good luck with your hair!

Emma Lee
As long as she can remember, Emma has been obsessed with beautiful hair. Her favorite look is pin-straight, sleek glass hair. She's had multiple styles from short and permed to long and natural throughout her life, and knows full well that how your hair looks can make or break your day.

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