Your natural hair is very fragile when it comes to damages. You have to avoid as much damage done to your hair personally to keep I healthy and active. For you to have the length that you desire, retention is strongly base on the mechanical component. Every time you had heat to your hair, it's ultimately degrading it day by day. Watching your hair behavior is critical because no two people are the same. You may have the type of hair the can withstand heat daily or weekly. Others may not be able to withstand any heat, with some also falling in between. Find a happy medium for your hair and if you plan on using heat use the right hair care to treat it. The best part of taking care of your hair is knowing what it needs a base on you taking care of it and seen the results. Learn when your hair changes, for good or bad, meaning to learn its behaviors. Do not sacrifice the health of your hair for a style or if you are tired leave it alone. Consider using heat free methods to style your hair, such as curl former's, braids/twists or banding. If you have fine hair or tighter curls hair than the rest, taking more precaution is a possible advice. Your hair is a lot more fragile and will not be able to take the heat like a stronger hair and go without damage. Keep heat away from your hair as much as possible and take care of the environmental damage that you can not prevent.