View Full Version : Who blow dries their hair?
Susana
September 5th, 2009, 09:04 PM
I stopped blow drying my hair. I cut off all the color and grew virgin hair that never felt a blow dryer....until this week. I read JJJLongHair's hair routine and she uses a blow dryer http://jjjlonghairphotopage.zoomshare.com/8.html She is a member here at LHC as LadyLongLocks.
She has amazing hair!!!! So I took a blow dryer to my head for less than five minutes (it was almost dry and I used it pretty much only on cold air) But it got me wondering if anyone else here uses one:confused: And if so, how and do you see damage in your hair due to it. Thanks :)
Kaileida
September 5th, 2009, 10:19 PM
Heat styling will always damage your hair at least a little... but in moderation, it's ok. Especially if you dry on cool.
When I used heat tools, I didn't see a whole lot of damage, but I have some of the most resilient hair... ever, apparently. I've bleached it four times in the past year and haven't really lost very much.
Sissy
September 5th, 2009, 10:39 PM
used to all the time but I do have frequent splits and seem prone to dryness and damage so have tried to cut down. I have been successful in not using the dryer for a while :)
CaityBear
September 5th, 2009, 10:42 PM
Well, lately I have started to shower in the mornings again and don't have time to let my hair dry all the way so I use the blow dryer in low and use the cool button so there's no heat to try to dry it a bit. I did that for one or two days and right now I'm using the fan in my room to help dry it because it covers more area lol.
Susana
September 6th, 2009, 08:22 AM
Thank you all for your replies :)
Kaileida - I feared there would be damage, but what I found interesting was that LadyLongLocks said in a certain part that she believed blow drying helped hair grow her hair long because it keeps the shaft of the hair pointing down.
Sissy- Has not using the blow dryer reduce your split ends?
CaityBear - Yeah i didn't use it on soaking hair and it was mostly on cold. LadyLongLocks also mentioned she uses a fan.
spidermom
September 6th, 2009, 09:06 AM
I don't do it often because it takes about an hour. I use warm air near my scalp and cool on the length about once a month.
Speckla
September 6th, 2009, 09:07 AM
I do sometimes but always with the guard on. I use my diffuser on medium/warm.
heatherdazy
September 6th, 2009, 09:18 AM
I was blowdrying and flat ironing daily and while I have had no visible damage to my hair, it's only shoulder length and I do trim regularly (about every 3 months) so I'm giving my hair a break on the heat for now.
Bunnyhare
September 6th, 2009, 09:36 AM
I actually stopped blow drying when i got here,but my hair looks so much nicer and the curls are alot prettier when i do blow dry, i don't know why, but i have started using it more again on cool mostly and during the winter i will not like to let it air dry, we keep our house pretty cool. I also use a diffuser.. i have been feeling a bit guilty about missing my dryer(blowfryer as some call it!) glad to see others do it a bit too. I don't do it all the time, but when going out somewhere or don't have time to let it airdry i have started to use it again.
ericthegreat
September 6th, 2009, 10:07 AM
The amount of hair I have is simply too much for me to not at least blow-dry half way but especially during the fall and winter. My hair is both very coarse and thick........it simply refuses to air-dry in a timely fashion it will take 4 hours or more to dry and sometimes even after 5 hours there are days when its still damp! I'll only allow my hair to air-dry in the spring and summer, the temperature outside has to be at least 70 degrees before I even think about letting it air-dry.
I will blow-dry on medium and leave my hair slightly damp if I'm just intending to dry it. However, when I plan on purposely blowing it out pin straight, I will apply just a small amount of conditioner into my wet, freshly COed hair and leave it in to protect my hair from both the heat and getting stretched over and over with my round brush.
whiteisle
September 6th, 2009, 10:14 AM
I'm thinking of resurrecting my dryer again. I swear my hair is less prone to damage when I dry it vs air-drying because it's smoother and tangles less. And I'm a chronic "hand-plower" (always running my fingers or hands through my hair) and if it's not tangle free it irriates me.
jocosema
September 6th, 2009, 10:19 AM
I occasionally blow dry my hair. About every two weeks. I use an ionic dryer and don't dry totally dry, just enough to comb and style my hair. I haven't noticed any damage. The only scary thing that happened to me is that some of my hair got caught in the back of it.
LadyLongLocks
September 6th, 2009, 10:28 AM
Right! I do :) ( Thanks for mentioning me)
YES, I do use a hair dryer a lot. But very carefully.I add the leave in then I comb out my hair while still wet. Then I part it down the back and work half the hair at a time switching from side to side to evenly dry. I do about 5 little mini sessions of drying and let the hair air dry in between. So, dry 3-5 min and rest 5-10 min. I use the warm setting and switch to cool by pressing a button right on the dryer that shuts off heat.
I really find that if I blow dry it and use a large comb after, that my hair stays pretty tangle free until my next wash. I have tried a few leave ins too. They do have cones though, but my hair likes cones. ( TRESemme Heat tamer spray, Garnier Fructis or FX silk drops)
This is the only heat I use on my hair. I have air dried my hair a lot this summer but in the winter I will blow dry! I also use a fan while air drying to speed things along. I really don't like sitting around with wet hair, it just bothers me.
Back when I started using blow dryers ( age 14 ) they had few settings and they were harder on your hair since it was always HOT. Now they are safer with cooler settings and ionic dryers work faster by breaking up the water molecules.( I use this type)
I also keep a safe 12" distance away from the hair while drying. I use a brush to hold the hair from blowing all over.
A blow dryer can be damaging if used the wrong way, just like rough brushing compared to being gentle.
I have a few split ends like most, but I don't see any significant damage from blow drying.
My hair is pretty healthy and 56.5 at the moment.
Anyone trying to break the flat iron habit might try using a blow dryer and a brush to straighten their hair.
A blow dryer used safely can be a great tool, not a blow torch!:D
Copasetic
September 6th, 2009, 11:39 AM
I blow dry once in a while, usually before work. I don't really worry about it. Its maybe once a month, and for no more than 3 minutes on the cooler setting.
Auryn
September 6th, 2009, 11:45 AM
I'll use one if I want to have a 'blow out' and have stick straight hair and no frizzies, other wise it'll air dry and I'll get nice waves.
Addy
September 6th, 2009, 11:50 AM
Last time I blew my hair dry was last week to see my semi perminat color <that did not last> and the time before that was probably close to a year ago.
I usually air dry all year round.
spidermom
September 6th, 2009, 11:54 AM
Thought I should add that I never pull at/stretch my hair while blow drying. I'll start with a comb to hold out the strand that I'm working on, then will switch to a paddle brush that I only move down my hair without resistance, still not pulling on it or stretching it. Like whiteisle, I think that I probably get less damage when I blow-dry it because when I air dry it all the curly bits grab onto each other and I get a ton more tangles. If it didn't take so long, I'd probably blow-dry all the time.
thankyousir74
September 6th, 2009, 11:55 AM
And I'm a chronic "hand-plower" (always running my fingers or hands through my hair) and if it's not tangle free it irriates me.
Me too! I just put a soft elastic in my hair so I can stop, but... it's so soft! I don't think I'm doing that much damage to it, but i still feel as if I shouldn't touch it (just put it up and leave it alone...just put it up and leave it alone)
and to the OP, I don't use a blowdryer. Never was a fan, it just seemed to tangle all my hair and get my arms sore. I guess I never learned to use it right :cool:
dearladydisdain
September 6th, 2009, 12:05 PM
I do it occasionally and have for many years. I try to stick to medium heat and I haven't noticed any damage from it.
Katurday
September 6th, 2009, 12:40 PM
See, I WOULD use a blow drier, but somehow
my hair is always much shinier when it air dries.
(Well, it dries a mess, but after I comb it its
shiny)
Fractalsofhair
September 6th, 2009, 12:45 PM
I used to...
A blowdryer plus a VERY low volume peroxide basically destroyed my hair. I used it mostly on warm/cool too... It broke from shoulder length to chin.
My hair isn't easily damaged except by heat. If it works for people here,great, but this KILLED my hair.
friskybiznus
September 6th, 2009, 01:03 PM
Yes, I blow dry my hair. Houston is a very humid place and I'm like whiteisle ~ my hair does much better if I blow dry it. I use an ionic dryer, a leave-in (Garnier Fructis Smoothing Milk) and a paddle brush.
Spring
September 6th, 2009, 01:23 PM
After years of staying away from the blow dryer, I started occasionally using it again on the low heat and cool setting, so I wouldn't have to bun while completely wet.
chickpea
September 6th, 2009, 01:30 PM
I use a blow dryer (low heat) on my bangs and the crown of my head, if my hair isn't dry before I leave the house. I don't mind the length being damp, but even during summer I don't like going out with a wet head.
Lilli
September 6th, 2009, 03:10 PM
I used to blow dry often but have discovered that my hair looks much shinier and more alive if I let it air-dry. Blowdrying it actually makes it flatter. I think it does dry it out a bit, too. Occasionally I use the dryer on low just on my bangs but that is it.
basketcase413
September 6th, 2009, 03:22 PM
I, too, blow dry my bangs. I then use a curling iron and hair spray on them as well! :eyebrows: Since I keep them trimmed, I don't see any damage at all, and this only takes about 5-10 minutes. The length of my hair have only felt a blow dryer a very few times (I'd say less than half a dozen) since I did a radical trim the first of December last year! :D My hair grows pretty fast, and is inherently very healthy, so I get by with the abuse of dying, no sense adding the blow dryer damage as well! :eek: After 8 months of no trims, I can't find a single split! If I put my hair up before it is dry, it may still be damp in a couple of days...so I leave it up as much as possible, and let it finish airdrying in the evening. I also am using coconut oil on a regular basis...and only suave shampoo and conditioner, so I think I am cone free??? I'm dying to try an SMT treatment sometime next week. I'm mostly loving my hair these days, but do wish I had a touch more shine.
dragonfrog
September 6th, 2009, 03:25 PM
I've never used a blow dryer to completely dry my hair, but if I don't feel like having wet hair all day I will use it to speed up the drying process. I find a couple of 2-4 minute sessions with the blow dryer on warm or cool takes hours off of my drying time. I don't brush or comb my hair while drying, although I do manipulate my hair with my hands to break up clumps of hair (and I comb my hair before and after blow drying).
My hair is not very tangle-prone, and is fairly damage resistant, so I've had no problems with blow drying.
swirlytresses
September 6th, 2009, 03:25 PM
I usually blow dry my hair (with a diffuser) when I wash, although not till completely dry. I just don't have the time to let my hair air dry completely. I will let it air dry as long as possible and then on medium to low heat I will dry mostly the roots since the ends dry much faster then the rest.
Last night I air dryed as long as I could and then just put my hair up for the night. My hair was slightly damp this morning but dried quickly and I'll have to say I did like the results better when I air dried then blowdrying. I always use the diffuser when I dry my hair and I believe this reduces the risk of a lot of damage. :)
Stormsong
September 6th, 2009, 04:18 PM
I have too. I wash my hair in the morning, and if I didn't partially dry it at least with a dryer, then I'd be turning up to work with sopping wet hair.
What I don't do now though is use the hottest setting, hang head upside down and blast the hell out of it until it's all totally dessicated. I do use a medium setting, I've taken the end off so that it doesn't concentrate the warm air, and if it gets too hot to hold on my hand while I dry, then I push the cold air button to cool off, or stop drying for a bit.
whiteisle
September 6th, 2009, 04:48 PM
Yes, I blow dry my hair. Houston is a very humid place and I'm like whiteisle ~ my hair does much better if I blow dry it. I use an ionic dryer, a leave-in (Garnier Fructis Smoothing Milk) and a paddle brush.
Yes! The humidity! Ah, my nemesis. :rolleyes:
goodenough
September 6th, 2009, 06:44 PM
I blow dry my scalp:) If I don't it gets so itchy. Wet tangly hair bothers me so much. It actually bothers me so much that I'd rather use it occasionally than have the healthiest possible hair. I've grown to waist and hip several times with little taper or splits. The only thing that really hurt my hair over the years have been bleach and cutting with a razor/dragging scissors through the hair.
I alternate with the cool setting, and I focus from the chin up. I leave the ends damp. I have an ancient blowdryer, but I use it carefully. I wash my hair twice a week. I would say that if you have never been able to grow long hair, or it is colored or you would be devastated to need a trim once in a while, you'd want to think twice. Otherwise, go find something else to feel guilty about!
silverspun
September 6th, 2009, 08:50 PM
If I need to dry it I wait until it is almost dry to blast it. Usually once a week.
KiwiLiz
September 6th, 2009, 09:12 PM
I blow dry maybe once a week. My hair is very fine, so it doesn't take long to dry, it seems to be quite resilient to heat.
I use a heat protecting spray that my (longhair lovin') hairdresser recommended, I never used to use them because I thought was another ploy to get money out of me -but my hairdresser sprayed a little on one of my wrists, then held a blow dryer to it, then held it to my other wrist (at a safe distance) and I noticed that it took longer to even feel warmth on my sprayed wrist than on my not sprayed wrist. So I got converted to heat protectors :P
Chanterelle
September 6th, 2009, 11:56 PM
I've always blowdried. I dislike how my hair looks when air dried and honestly I don't see any damage from it. I would get a trim every 6 months anyway so I'm not too concerned about split ends.
ademtce
September 7th, 2009, 12:30 AM
i blow dry - if i don't my hair is very flat and pressed against my hair which looks awkward as my ends are have good volume.
templeofvenus
September 7th, 2009, 12:52 AM
I blow dry but take care not to put the heat too near the hair, I kind of waft it about around my head. I have always used a dryer and don't see a problem. I think if you tear at your hair with a brush whilst blow drying it can damage it and hair straighteners are much more damaging!
Aditi
September 7th, 2009, 01:06 AM
I use blowdryer only once in a month and that too my hair stylist uses it on my hair after washing out my deep conditioner.
Toadstool
September 7th, 2009, 02:54 AM
I haven't blow-dried for years. whenever I try it takes forever even though my hair is short, and the heat makes me really cross.:mad:
Raven2448
September 7th, 2009, 03:10 AM
Right now, I only blow dry the fringe. I typically wash and air dry at night.
Although, I am not against using a hairdryer all over and had not seen damage in the past.
ChloeDharma
September 7th, 2009, 03:35 AM
Last winter i started blow drying quite regularly. I moved in with my father and in the winter this place is FREEZING so there is no way i can deal with sitting around with wet hair.
In the summer i let it air dry, but as it gets colder i'll dig out my hair dryer. I do think it can be done with not much damage, as long as you are not scraping a brush over the delicate cuticle over and over, keep the heat and speed low and point the direction of airflow down the hair shaft towards the ends not up towards the scalp as that raises the cuticle and causes damage.
I also don't dry my hair completely, that way i know i'm not removing the moisture that is meant to remain after hair has dried.
I also put a little oil on my hair before drying to ensuse its protected a little.
Sissy
September 7th, 2009, 08:19 AM
Sissy- Has not using the blow dryer reduce your split ends?
No, I have not noticed a reduction in split ends... I am still having quite a problem with them. However, I don't know that I've gone dryer free for long enough to see a reduction because I would think the damaged hair is just so damaged that it's going to keep re-splitting, even after I S&D it. I'm not sure though and I don't really have proof that the splits are from blow drying... I have no clue honestly.
I think though from what I read on Lady Long Locks site that she washes her hair and blow dries it every 5 days (I could be wrong on that but I thought I read it). Me, I wash my hair everyday and used to blow dry it EVERYDAY. So, there's a big difference I think. If you were going to blow dry your hair on a cool or warm setting once every five days and that helped it to be sleek, tangle free, and soft until your next wash and dry then I would say it would be a good thing to do. However, for someone like me washing and drying everyday is maybe damaging to my hair.
Elphie
September 7th, 2009, 09:08 AM
I use a dryer on a warm or cool setting mainly for my bangs and to help my crown and the hair at the nape of my neck dry after air drying for a while. I find it's easier to put up that way. Once in a blue moon, I dry the length like it is in my avatar.
maxzeen
September 7th, 2009, 10:11 AM
i used to blow dry and flat iron everyday. but now i have stopped and just put jojoba oil in my wavy hair.
juliaxena
September 7th, 2009, 10:15 AM
Iblow dry my hair and I think it's not a problem at all. I use low temperature and never had a problem with it.
cakebaker
September 7th, 2009, 10:23 AM
I blow dry on warm or cool just about every day. I usually wait until it is about 50% dry and then finish off blow drying with a round brush. I found that curling and flat irons were really ruining my hair so I haven't used them for about 2 years. Although as my hair gets longer I will stop with the blow drying too. But the longer my hair is the less styling it needs to look good.
akka naeda
September 7th, 2009, 10:24 AM
In the winter I do, in the summer when there is time I air dry it, but that doesn't happen very often in practise, so you could say that I use a dryer 80% of the time:).
Actually, I should probably clarify the blow-drying - it's until the hair is perhaps 75% dry, and then I plait it. I've never dried my hair 100% with a dryer, not even when it was shorter (and I grew it out to its present length from shaved) and I don't have masses of splits. I also don't damp bun, because I've found this does cause splits - the hair's weaker so the twisting needed to bun it stresses the hair too much.
linda g
September 7th, 2009, 10:33 AM
I only blow-dry my hair for "special occasions", since it makes my hair straighter and shiny, and it looks nice. I don't notice any damage from the occasional blow-dry.
I think I have too short of an attention span for blow-drying... I get bored of the process long before I get close to being dry! :D
RocketDog
September 7th, 2009, 10:54 AM
My blowdrier died back in '07 with the last batch of synthetic dreads I made... and I never replaced it. Even when I was flatironing my hair daily I still let it air-dry, because my hair goes super-frizzy and tangles like mad when blowdried, even if the proper techniques are used. Even my hairdresser gave up on using a blowdrier on my hair, and that was back when I had a chin-length bob, so not much length to tangle.
I do pull out my flatiron once every month or two because I want to indulge my vanity and have straight hair. It's fun to see how much it's grown inbetween ironings, since my natural texture leads to quite a bit of 'shrinkage' of the length as my hair dries. I haven't flatironed in a while because I'm quite overdue for a trim, and the ends are getting rough. Since the whole point of ironing is to indulge in pretty hair, I'm avoiding it since I know the ends will look shabby.
goodenough
September 7th, 2009, 11:00 AM
In reading the other responses, I wanted to add that if I blowdried my hair like my hairdresser does, it would surely break and split! She brushes and brushes, and holds the dryer ON THE HAIR!! I am much kinder to the hair than that:)
cakebaker
September 7th, 2009, 12:51 PM
My hairdresser blow dries like that too!!! I just leave with it wet now, because I like her other services. Although, it looks fabulous after she does it, I just don't want the damage it does.
Aquamarine
September 7th, 2009, 03:36 PM
Mom used to blow dry my hair when I was in like 5th grade....oh I still remember the damage it caused to my hair:eek:. Ever since, I stopped blow drying.....I believe that heat more or less damages your hair
LittleOrca
September 7th, 2009, 06:20 PM
I only blow dry my hair after I am done swimming and have done all the cleaning and CO treatments at the gym and its either very cold outside, or I have to go somewhere after that and I don't have a clip to hold up my hair.
AnimaSola3o4
September 7th, 2009, 06:36 PM
I do! Granted it's only every once in a while like maybe once or twice a month.... same goes for heat tools (curling iron, flat iron). If I'm dressing up or going out somewhere where I feel like I need to look my best, I will use them. I have curly hair and I use a bowl diffuser, which really amps up my curls and waves. If I let it air dry it's mostly just wavy.
I am kinda contrary to the general 'rules' (of haircare) here though, my hair likes cones (and sometimes likes no-cone routines too), and I also have much more success using a brush than a wide toothed comb. It takes maybe 5 minutes to detangle my hair before a wash with the brush as opposed to about half an hour with the comb. And I too have very very resilient and strong hair.
Arashi
September 7th, 2009, 11:26 PM
I blow dry my bangs every wash day... fortunately, I've never seen damage from it because I trim my bangs regularly.
The rest of my hair, however, ends up froofy and frizzy if I try to blowdry it.. for shinyness, softness, and smoothness, air drying is the way to go.
Gypsy
September 7th, 2009, 11:31 PM
I use a blowdryer. I use it after letting my hair sit in a towel for as long as I can so that the majority of the water is gone and then I think I blow dry for about 20 minutes- I'm not sure anymore.
I use mango butter for protection unless I have done a deep conditioning with cholesterol, then there is enough fat in my hair and using something extra makes it greasy to the point of it acting like deep fat frying oil and the hair gets crispy instead of protected.
Susana
September 9th, 2009, 11:24 AM
Thank you all so much for the replies. It's great to know that I am not the only one toying with a hair dryer:) I used to blow dry my hair all the time (yeaaaars ago) but I was not very kind. I would get out of the shower with dripping wet hair and just put the dryer on hot and move it around randomly until it was dry. Yes, parts of my hair would be over dry and felt hot for like half an hour. I would be sweating when I was done.
Then I stopped and I had not used it for over a year I think. I live in a reallllly cold country and my hair would get frozen in the morning on my way to school (not fun).
So I think the main advice here is to do it carefully and it might actually be good for the hair to keep it smooth and tangle free.
Right now, I do an oil treatment before I go in. I am using Tresseme heat resistent spray. Letting air dry for at least half an hour before blowdrying (according to LadyLongLocks' instructions :) - Thanks for posting your method here for us :) ) and not stretchign it with a brush. Sound about right??
It seems fine so far and i do find it to be more tangle free :cheese:
Thank you all again fro your advice and seeing as how I don't think we have a blow dryers thread we could post questions here :)
I am excited to use the dryer again with all your tips because I was not looking forward to another winter with frozen hair:o LOL :)
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