Short answer: the regular kanekalon used for smooth and textured synthetic dreads is not heat resistant. It is safe up to about 60–70 °C (140–158 °F). Curly dreads are different: the curls are made from henlon, a high-temperature fibre that holds up to about 150 °C (302 °F).
Which fibre is in which set
- Smooth and textured dreads — low-temperature kanekalon.
- Curly dreads and curly ends — henlon, the heat-resistant fibre.
- Mixed sets — the straight part is kanekalon and the curly part is henlon, so treat the whole set like kanekalon when you use heat.
Every set is handmade in our studio with a crochet hook; we buy only the raw fibre and hair. You can see the fibre of each set in its description: synthetic dreads, textured dreads, curly dreads.
Why heat matters for kanekalon
Kanekalon softens and changes its shape with heat — and it keeps the new shape after it cools. We use exactly this in the studio: the relief of textured dreads is set with boiling water. At home the same thing happens by accident: a flat iron or a hot hair dryer can flatten, frizz or bend the dreads for good.
What is safe and what is not
| Smooth and textured (kanekalon) | Curly (henlon) | |
|---|---|---|
| Warm bath or shower (about 40 °C) | Safe | Safe |
| Hot hair dryer | Avoid | Not on high heat |
| Flat iron | No | Only through a damp cotton towel, without high heat |
| Sauna | Avoid long sessions | Allowed |
| Combing | — | Do not comb the spirals |
