Usually, when we have children, as parents, we like to dress our children's hair in such a way that they look cute and adorable. Starting from giving her hair and head accessories to hair styling techniques. The problem is some of these techniques require using a flat iron as a tool. But is it okay to style a child's hair with a flat iron?
A flat iron is not good for hair.
This familiar tool for styling hair has the function of straightening, smoothing, and changing hairstyles. However, this flat iron has side effects that are not good for hair, especially if it is used to iron children's hair, which is still relatively sensitive. Here are some of the dangers that can be caused by using hair straighteners too often:
1. Damaged hair
The most common danger when you frequently use flat irons is that your hair becomes damaged. The flat iron will make the natural moisturizing layer on the hair shaft break and cause the hair to break easily and also fall out. In the long term, severe hair loss can result in baldness if the follicles weaken.
2. Allergic reactions
In some cases, the effects of the iron are not immediately visible and may appear over a period of time. Allergies are quite diverse, ranging from itching, scalp blisters, or hair that breaks easily are some of the most common allergic reactions. Again, this is caused by the heat from the iron.
3. Dry hair
Because it takes the hair's natural moisture, frequent use of flat iron also results in dry hair. Besides being easy to fall out and break, dry hair is also difficult to manage, affecting your appearance. If the hair is too dry, the hair becomes dull and easily tangled.
At what age can children use a flat iron?
Actually, there is no medical evidence at what age children are allowed to use hair straighteners. But you should avoid using flat irons or other hair styling tools that use heat on your child's hair. Many experience side effects on children's hair because they are used to hair styling tools and other chemicals.
If you must use a flat iron on your child's hair, you need to pay attention to caring for it so that it can protect and prevent damage to your child's hair. First, apply conditioner and heat protector to your child's hair to protect your child's hair before using a flat iron. Conditioner functions to prevent hair from damage, such as coarse and dull hair. At the same time, the function of the heat protector is to constrict the silicone layer to the hair as a barrier and protector between the hair and the effects of the heat of the flat iron. Try not to overuse heat styling tools and hair products that use harsh chemicals.
We can still style and dress our children's hair without using flat irons or hair products that contain harsh chemicals. Remember that a child's physique, including his hair, is still developing, so it is more sensitive than an adult's.