The overuse of flat irons, hot combs, blow dryers or any tool that gives off a lot of high temps is a road many of us have traveled down. Per studies, it can lead to “significant damage” to your hair’s keratin, (aka, the building block protein that makes up your hair follicles). And I’m not just talking about breakage and split ends, either. For natural crown wearers, this could mean the loss of all that makes your hair so textured and fabulous, according to celebrity hair stylist Monae Everett.

“Actually, our hair is more delicate,” Everett explains. “The more textured the hair, the more loops and twists and turns on the hair shaft, the more delicate the hair. The more likely you are to alter the curl pattern. So, it’s not necessarily how much heat the hair can take, because hair can take heat. But [rather, it’s] how much can it take and return back to its natural curl pattern.” The repeated use of heat can lead to lackluster curls and even cause them to flatten out, which would explain why you see those abrupt straight tips at the end of your curly hair from time to time.

To avoid this thermal damage, Everett recommends using hot tools sparingly and setting your hair before you style it. For example, using flexi rods or rollers to achieve heatless curls can go a long way. But if you must apply heat, introducing a quality hair protectant is one of the best ways to keep your natural crown texture intact and damage-free. To help you figure out the best options for your natural crown, take a look at our favorite Strong Crown 808 oil as a natural crown heat protectant below.