PSA: Your hair straightener has an expiry date – here’s how to tell

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When we think of beauty essentials with expiry dates, items like fresh face masks and mascara. 

Horrifyingly, your hair straighteners can be out of date – and some may stop functioning correctly after just two or three years. 

So that trusty hair straightener you got for Christmas while you were in TY might be doing more harm to your hair thanks to its age. 

According to Pierre Haddad hair stylist Jackie Dove, the heated tools can cause hair breakage and strip away hair's natural oils if used past their sell-by date. 

Speaking to the Mail Online, Jack revealed the warning signs that dictate when it's time to let go of your precious hair iron. 

Whether you use it to straighten or do plate curls, listen up: 

Lifting plates:

Jackie warns that the plates of older hair appliances can become lose over time.

'If you turn your hair straightener to the side you can generally see the plate lifting,' Jackie explained to Femail.

'If they've lifted, your hair is likely to get caught in it.' Ouch. 

Flashing Lights:

The light on your straightener should only flash when it's heating up, or at your desired temperature. 

If you start to notice random flashes while the straightener is on, or the light flashing when it should be constant, it could be a sign that the temperature regulators are not working correctly anymore. 

Same sections: 

If you have to keep running the plates over the same sections of hair over and over, then its s ign your straightener needs replacing. 

Heated tool's essential duty is to style hair in a quick manner, and if it no longer serves this core purpose, it's time for a replacement. 

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