Blowdrying Questions

[Annibelle]

I blowdried my hair twice this week (had never done it before) and I really want to continue doing it. After years of having WL hair, I've come to realize that I'm not going to have longer lengths, anyway, so I want to enjoy my length to the max. Blowdrying makes it more tolerable because that way I don't have silly wet hair all day. (My hair dries really slowly when I wear it wavy, which I love doing.) Anyway, I have a couple of questions.

Is blowdrying really all that bad? I used the cool setting the first time and the warm setting the second time. The warm setting didn't feel all that warm, but what does it really take to damage hair?

Also, I heard that diffusers are important for wavy/curly hair. Blowdrying did give me a bit of frizz, and if a diffuser would help with this, I'd like to get one. Any suggestions? There are bunches of different types and I really don't know what to look for. And is there any other purpose for diffusers, or is it just to eliminate frizz?

:) Thanks!

[Sillage]

I've started blow drying my hair too, and so far it hasn't been very harmful as far as I can see. I'm getting a Sedu 4000i for Christmas and I'm hoping that will cut down on the damage (both heat and mechanical).

[Annibelle]

I'll have to check that brand out. :) Blowdrying makes things so much more convenient that I'd love to be able to do it with as little damage as possible! :)

[spidermom]

The best dryers will have the words tourmaline and ionic on the package.

Be sure to always position the dryer above your hair pointing down the hair shaft to avoid frizz. Also, it's more efficient if you section your hair and only do one section at a time.

After blow-drying, I do one of those banded ponytails (I think it's called a caterpillar) for about 15 minutes - not too tight, you don't want dents in your hair. This calms down the fluffiness and makes my hair very smooth.

I don't like using the diffuser.

[Mayflower]

I've been blowdrying my hair for years, 2-3 times a week. I use warm (not cool, not hot) for about 5-8 minutes. I prefer to let my hair dry about 75% first, in order to not have to blowdry for 25 minutes and get a sore arm. I wouldn't pay much attention to the "blowfryer" phobia here, my hair's perfectly fine and growing at full speed :).

I don't have any specific method though. I just blast the thing through my hair like a mad woman; I actually like a bit of frizz.

[DinaAG]

well before i permed my hair straight i used to blow my hair once every month or 2 months but even so it gave me some breakage and split ends, weirdly my hair tolerated the perm from chi just fine

[fridgee]

I think using the blowdrier with not cause too much damage as long as you don't use it on the super hot setting. I've been blowdrying mine recently, I'm sick of wet hair too!

The diffuser will help give you an air dried result, but in less time, whereas the normal attachment I find disrupts my wave pattern a lot more, resulting in straighter hair (which is fine if I don't want to wear it curly) and usually frizz, as it breaks apart the curls, although it dries a lot faster. The diffuser you use in the same way you scrunch your hair with a towel to from the curls, from the bottom up towards your scalp, so the curls fall into the diffuser head. I still get more frizz this way than airdrying, but its a lot more comfortable during winter! I've read you are not supposed to get your hair bone dry with a diffuser, only 80-90% dry and let the rest finish off normally to reduce the frizz. As far as I know any diffuser attachment should be fine, I don't know how one could be 'bad'. The quality of the actual hairdryer is probably more important.

[jacqueline101]

I don't think its too harmful if you use a heat protector and towel dry the excess water out. When you're drying do your hair a section at a time and use low heat.

[WaitingSoLong]

I hold my dryer at arms length but on the higher heat setting. Anything else makes me very cold and shiver (in winter).

Damage from heat is not always noticeable until months and months of it, so saying you don't see damage doesn't mean much really. Same with hair dyes and bleaching. It can take months or years for the damage to really be visible. Keep that in mind.

The way I look at it, if I can stick my hand between the dryer and my hair and it doesn't burn my hand or feel too uncomfortable hot, then it is ok. Also, drying until it is damp dry and not dry-dry is a good way to stop before you go too far. Damp hair buns better and braids better (even just very slightly damp). Of course if you intend to wear loose that will be up to your hair.

I agree with Spidermom on the technique though I confess to flipping my head upside down to get the roots. There are parts that just never seem to dry if I don't.

I only completely dry my hair once a month or less. I damp-dry my hair maybe once a month also. I have finally learned to be more patient and let it air dry. I just run my fingers through it occasionally to loosen pieced hair and jiggle it a bit to loosen it all up and let it dry faster and then braid or bun it once it is mostly dry.

I do recommend a jersey-knit (t-shirt material) towel. I made mine from jersey knit sheets. It is the only towel that will really soak up excess water and tremendously decreased my air-drying time.

[Annibelle]

Thanks, all! :) I have a hair towel (the DevaCurl one) that really does help with drying time. My hair air dries in an hour if I wear it straight, but it takes around six if I wear it wavy. Quite obnoxious, since first day hair is the only hair I can wear down in public. :p

I'm going to use only the cool setting for now, I think, and get a diffuser. I've seen ones that you use like fridgee said-- by sort of dropping your hair into it-- and ones that are like fingers for the roots. I guess I'll go to Ulta this week and see what that stuff's all about... and maybe I'll do a deep treatment this week just in case. :) (I never do deep treatments.)

[lapushka]

Is blowdrying really all that bad? I used the cool setting the first time and the warm setting the second time. The warm setting didn't feel all that warm, but what does it really take to damage hair?

Also, I heard that diffusers are important for wavy/curly hair. Blowdrying did give me a bit of frizz, and if a diffuser would help with this, I'd like to get one. Any suggestions? There are bunches of different types and I really don't know what to look for. And is there any other purpose for diffusers, or is it just to eliminate frizz?

As long as the airstream is tolerable (for a long time) for your hand, it's not going to damage your hair. That's how we measure it here, and always have done. We diffuse the hair, that's the only way we blowdry around here. I have wavy hair as well, though barely. My hair's between hip & TBL and there is no damage at all. In the time it took me to grow from BSL to this length, I have had 2 splits.

[Sylvestrix]

I really think the amount of damage blow drying does varies for each person. I've used chemical dyes for years, and used to blow dry at least twice a week on the 'oh good lord that's BURNY!' setting, and have never had an excess of split ends- now I'm babying my hair and have gone SO it does feel a little nicer, but I can't say that blowdrying ever actually did my hair all that much damage IMO. I think the advice above about making sure the air is not hot enough to be uncomfortable on your skin is excellent, and just generally being gentle with your hair whilst drying if you're worried about damage- it's better to be overly cautious if you're not sure how easily your hair gets heat damaged =]

[silkreel]

Admittedly, my hair dries better and smoother if I take a hair dryer to it vs. letting it air dry. The hair dryer itself DOES make a difference - I've had cheap ($10), middle ($40-60) and expensive/professional (aka what hairstylists use) ($100+) and I will say, the expensive one was lighter, the design was more ergonomic, and the heat was more evenly distributed though the strength of the blow itself was stronger. I don't even have to use a straightener after. There is a little frizz, and I don't even use a caterpiller/banded braid (my hair will definitely dent if I use any type). Instead, I just twist my hair in one long twist. The hairs brushing up again each other reduce the static and settle everyone down. Then I have luscious, shiny hair that garners many compliments.

[Lilli]

I blow dry my hair about every other wash in the winter. I don't want to leave the house with wet hair and freeze. I will also blow dry if I want to have that smooth/shiny "expensive" hair look. I usually wait for it to be half-dry and then just kinda blow it around a bit, and then when it is mostly dry, use a brush to smooth the ends into place. I always use a coney shampoo and conditioner if I am going to blow dry and usually some Moroccan Oil, too. Then I put an oil/butter leave-in on the ends to make them softer. My hair doesn't seem to be damaged like when I flat-ironed.

[patienceneeded]

I use my blowdrier on cool or sometimes on the medium temperature and I always use a diffuser, mainly to lighten the airflow and prevent frizz. In the summers I primarily air-dry but during the rainy and cold months, I use the blowdrier.

[Amber_Maiden]

I've been blowdrying my hair for the past three months now I've been using medium heat, and have had no problems. I really don't think it's that bad for your hair at all.