An electrical resistance heating element of the sort suitable for use in de-icing an aircraft surface includes a foil patterned with a plurality of holes. The holes are in a first patterned region that extends in a first direction from a first end to an opposite second end. The holes define multiple electrical paths between the two ends. The holes, which may vary in size, are configured and dimensioned such that the multiple electrical paths in areas away from lateral edges of said first patterned region are all non-parallel to the first direction. In other words, the electrical paths do not follow a straight line from the first and second ends, but rather must wend their way around the overlapping holes.