This is going to depend on the state of your hair as well as its texture. As a general guide, stylists recommend no longer than 10 seconds. But, depending on the temperature setting, whether your hair is damaged, or even how much hair you’ve wound on the barrel, that timeline can vary. To be safe, if it’s your first time using a curling wand, opt for a lower setting to see how your hair performs before shifting to a higher temperature.