Have your straighteners passed their expiry date? Here are 3 surprising signs they have...

The next time you're experiencing a bad hair day, you might want to consider that the culprit might not be that two-for-one supermarket shampoo, or the Arctic weather of British wintertime, but the trusty hair tongs you use every morning.

Because while many of us take care to keep our household appliances in GWO, there aren't many of us who have ever thought to undergo a little housekeeping when checking the sell-by-date of our straighteners.

But just as we update our makeup bags and beauty shelves in the bathroom, our hair appliances also need a little maintenance to ensure we keep our locks in tip-top condition.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Pierre Haddad stylist Jackie Dove revealed three key signs that its time to invest in a new pair of tongs.

First up: simply inspect your appliance for signs of wear.

If you look closely at a pair of straighteners, you might spot scratches, scuffs, and signs that the plates have 'lifted' - all indications that the tongs have been well-worn.

"If you turn your hair straightener to the side you can generally see the plate lifting," Jackie explained. "If they've lifted, your hair is likely to get caught in it."

Next, keep an eye out for a blinking light.

While your heat indicator light should blink when its warming up, once you've reached the ideal temperature and started styling, it shouldn't flash at all.

If the indicator is blinking while in use, it's a surefire sign that your straighteners are on the way out, which could also be damaging your hair.

"Out of date irons aren't always true temperature, which can often burn the hair," she explained.

There's probably no better proof that you're in need of a new pair of tongs than stubbornly straightening the same section of hair.

If you find yourself going over the same patch of hair multiple times, its probably time to trade in for a new model.

"Straightening irons normally need to be replaced every 2-3 years," Jackie said. "Store yours in a heatproof zip-up case for maximum use."

Time to update your tools. Scroll down for some inspo...