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How Often Should You Replace Your Flat Iron

Flat iron burning hair smell
How often should you replace your flat iron? Replacing your flat iron should be done on a more regular basis than you think.

The iron is affected by how often you use it, whether your hair is wet or dry, even dyed or colored hair can affect your flat iron’s performance. All of the above can damage it and can cause it to wear out.



A faulty flat iron typically causes you more work by increasing the time that it would normally take to straighten your hair, largely due to the lack in effectiveness of the damaged flat iron.

Some of the old flat irons that you have may still work.

  • If it is taking longer to heat up
  • Has to be on the max setting
  • Requires you to continually straighten the same section of hair over and over again, your flat iron isn’t as effective as it could be for you.

So how often should you replace your flat iron? There are different opinions on this and quite a few suggest that you replace it every six months. However, the decision of how often you should replace it depends on what quality it is and your use of it.

If you very rarely use your flat iron, then it is doubtful that you would need to replace it as often. You could most likely get away with replacing it every two years.

However, if you do use your flat iron on a regular basis or multiple times a day, then you should expect to replace it more frequently.

If your hair is refusing or having a hard time straightening, it is probably time to replace your flat iron. Another sign to look for is if the enamel on the “tongs” is wearing out or getting thin.

Take a look at the tongs on your flat iron.

  • Are they starting to turn light brown?
  • Do they have a lot of dark brown area on them?
  • Is there an area on them that looks like it could be black?

A light brown looking film on the tongs of your flat iron is commonly cause from hair dye and light use of hair creams, oils, mousses, gels, pastes, sprays and pomades.

Your hair’s natural oil will even leave a film on the tongs of your flat iron.

Over time from not properly taking care of your flat iron that once light brown film on the tongs, begins to darken. This can cause uneven heating leading to hot spots on the tongs of your flat iron.

If you can not tell by visually inspecting the enamel on the tongs to see if it has worn thin, pay close attention the next time that you use the flat iron. Any film or residue build up from hair products should be visible in bright light.

If while using your flat iron, you notice that it is pulling your hair in a way that causes some discomfort or even pain, the flat iron likely needs to be replaced. They are supposed to slide along your hair smoothly, not grip and pull your hair.

Storing a flat iron

There are a variety of home remedies for cleaning your flat iron. Some work, most do not. Your flat iron manufacturer likely recommends the use of a damp rag or cloth to clean the tongs of the flat iron. They are right.

A little rubbing alcohol on a rag can be used as well. If your flat iron is badly stained even after cleaning it, for your hair’s sake pick up a new flat iron and take care of it this time around.

Dropping your flat iron or damaging the bottom of the flat iron where the cord attaches to it can harm your flat iron as well.

This type of abuse can short it out and cause it to lose a large amount of the electricity that it needs to function correctly. It can also put you at a greater risk of the flat iron catching on fire.

So how often should you replace your flat iron? It depends on how often it is used and how you use as well as take care of it. No matter how often you use your flat iron, you will still eventually end up having to replace it.

If you love how your stylist straightens your hair, ask her or him what the name of the flat iron is that they use or read some of these Reviews for Flat Irons. What matters most is that you get the style you want to achieve.

I hope that I have cleared up some of the mystery and the she said she said talk about flat irons. Get as much use out of your flat iron as you can though before you toss it in the trash and say hello to that brand new shiny-red model.



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