Choosing a flat iron is never easy because there are so many different things to understand that come together to provide us with a certain level of service. Among these aspects, the material for a flat iron’s heat plates sits higher in the priority degree and is something that we should have a sound knowledge about.
Ceramic and titanium are two of the most prominent materials for flat iron heat plates. Thus, an argument between the ceramic vs titanium flat iron has become a crucial point in hair care, be that in a personal sphere or professional.
So I decided to check out flat irons made with these two materials and used for a sufficient amount of time so that I can accumulate a proper knowledge. With some help & information from my friends and experts who have been using such devices with unique hair types and conditions, I present to you this article that’ll clear out any doubts on this matter!
Contents
Understanding The Materials: Ceramic & Titanium
Before diving into the battle, what we must understand is that ceramic and titanium are two completely different types of materials. They have unique molecular properties which have rendered them useful to our different preferences.
While we have our particular scenarios where we’ll put these materials to use, it all comes down to the one that’ll serve us in the most effective and efficient way. As ceramic heats up slower, it retains the heat for a long time and distributes gently and evenly. On the other hand, titanium is somewhat straightforward in this regard.
Being careless with either of them can cause accidental burns or even bigger calamities. The rule of thumb is, assessing our needs and seeing which one comes out over the other overall.
Titanium Vs Ceramic Hair Straightener: No More Confusion
Let’s settle the debate of ceramic vs titanium flat iron once and for all! I hope going through my personal experiences with both of these types will help you appreciate each of them perfectly!
Hair Type
The major difference I’ve found between titanium and ceramic flat iron is how they treat my hair. I have a high volume curly hair so not every flat iron out in the market ends up becoming my cup of tea. I tried our straighteners using proper methods on my hair and realized that they do generate different results.
Titanium flat irons have proven to be more efficient in my case than one with ceramic plates. Titanium plates can provide a high-degree of heat to my natural curls which is important to stretch them out. When I put on the heat with a ceramic flat iron, the results varied by significant margin as ceramic wasn’t able to efficiently straighten up my hair.
However, my friends with fine hair have told me the opposite. They said ceramic plated flat irons have been more gentle to their hair than a titanium one as it’s been a little more aggressive. I reckon we should consider our hair type before we opt for either of these genres of flat irons because that way it’ll provide the most optimum outcome.
Heating Time
The time it takes me to heat up a flat iron is sometimes very important if I’m in a hurry. I’ve compared the heating time of both ceramic vs titanium flat iron to check which one cranks up to my desired heat level faster. It took the ceramic plates around 40-45 seconds to reach a high degree of temperature while the titanium device reached the same at around 30 seconds.
There are many variable factors to this. Firstly, it depends a lot on the brand of flat irons that I’m using, as it can vary from one brand to the other. Secondly, since I’ve been heating them up for my 4C hair, my heat settings have been set to significantly higher than the level someone would reach for their fine hair. So if you have fine hair, you’ll find the time to be much less in your case.
Also, I personally think heating time shouldn’t matter to home consumers like us and we should prioritize more on our hair type and heat plate material. Ones who are using flat irons in the professional sphere as stylists should take the time into consideration. Then again, any 2 inch flat iron should provide you with efficiency – be that titanium or ceramic.
Nature Of Heat
Depending on the hair type and the category of operation, how the flat iron radiates its heat becomes a very important aspect for a flat iron. For instance, my titanium flat iron goes all out while heating as it starts to provide heat from the outer layer of my strands. So it takes me a shorter amount of time to straighten my hair, but longer exposure has the potential to cause damage.
On the other hand, the ceramic hair straightener I used takes a toned down approach while heating. It works its way from inside out, which means it heats up my hair’s core at first and moves toward the outside with the heat. Although this takes a little longer, it’s the safest approach for hair straightening having some heat protectant applied to my hair beforehand.
At this point, I’d say if anyone has either fine or curly hair, you can do away with both of these devices, but the ceramic flat iron is somewhat safer even if you take extra time while passing through. Ones I know with fine hair generally prefer ceramic flat irons for obvious reasons, but it doesn’t mean the other material can’t be done without if you’re using it cautiously.
Because ceramic is such a material that relishes in distributing heat evenly. So for a safer passage, this is a good option for ones with fine hair. With a voluminous and curly hair body like mine, I’d still stick to the titanium one. But remember, the plate’s size matters in both of these cases in terms of efficiency.
Level Of Damage
I’ve heard many people promoting a misconception that titanium flat irons cause more damage to hair, especially if it’s fine hair. It’s not really that. This is a matter of how well you can operate your flat iron and the duration of exposure you leave to your hair.
Like, I can get away with prolonged exposure with a titanium flat iron due to my natural texture, but for someone with fine hair it won’t be so forgiving. Knowing how to operate and the precise heat level would be enough to straighten up your fine hair with titanium plates, but the ceramic plates will afford you a carefree session before receiving any heat induced damage.
Also, I straighten my hair following the proper protocols of frequency. Otherwise, no matter which flat iron I use, I’ll end up damaging my hair, so knowing the limit is very important for preserving hair’s natural health.
Durability
When it comes to durability, both of my ceramic and titanium flat irons have been neck in neck as neither of them seemed to die out during my straightening sessions. As I have a high volume of hair, it always takes me around 15-20 minutes to complete my procedure, during which none of these two flat irons have shown signs of struggle performance-wise.
At my stylist’s parlor, she’s told me the secret behind a flat iron performing relentlessly the entire day is to pick something from a renown brand and to clean it regularly. There are some cheaper alternatives however, but I personally think that a one time investment is worth the price as it’s going to provide the best results in the safest way for a long time to come.
Lastly, I’ve dropped both of my titanium and ceramic flat irons. As the titanium device has been completely solid and neither have I seen any damage in the ceramic one, it’s been pointed out that ceramic can be more fragile than titanium. So I wouldn’t be so careless to drop a ceramic flat iron on a regular basis.
Top-Notch Flat Iron Brands
I know people personally who find themselves lost having to choose from numerous brands of flat irons out in the market. Whether you’re opting for a ceramic flat iron or a titanium one, you can pick out one from the following brands to get a premium service:
I can state with certainty that any of these brands will do your hair the deserved justice!
Verdict
So we’ve seen all the perks and differences in the matter of ceramic vs titanium flat iron. Now it’s time to bring forth a verdict on the matter. It’s not only based on my personal observation, but also is backed up by experts who have agreed upon this.
If you’re a home consumer like I am and have coarse hair, titanium flat iron should be your ideal choice. For ones with fine hair, both of these can work, but the ceramic flat iron will prove to be somewhat safer and more generous to beginner usage.
Lastly, for the ones who use flat irons frequently in a professional space, either of these would do just fine. But if you feel you want to transcend beyond this debate, you can check out some deluxe tourmaline flat irons to see if these are the ones you’ve been looking for!
