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View Full Version : Do you EVER blow dry?



pittsburgpam
November 15th, 2009, 10:52 AM
The only thing I miss is that my hair is naturally wavy if I don't blow dry it. I haven't in months and months (not even sure when the last time was). There are times though when I really want my hair to be straight and smooth. It is VERY straight when blow dried and flows like silk.

Do you ever blow dry? Even just special occasions when you want it straight? What about a flat iron? Better or worse than blow drying? Is there any way to get the benefits of blow drying without the damage, like a leave-in conditioner or something?

Kris Dove
November 15th, 2009, 10:57 AM
I blow dry every time I wash my hair, because I'm cold-blooded and really hate the feeling of cold wet hair. Doing it for a special occasion will do very little damage.

enfys
November 15th, 2009, 10:57 AM
Oh yeah. I blow dry. It's winter! Not every time and not always through choice. In terms of damage flat irons are more damaging than hair dryers, but very occasional use might not be too damaging depending on your hair.

chickpea
November 15th, 2009, 11:03 AM
I blow dry my bangs if I wash my hair in the morning. I don't mind my hair being damp or even wet from the neck down, but hate leaving the house with wet bangs in my face.

katha
November 15th, 2009, 11:03 AM
I blowdry only when it's cold outside (and if I need to go there, obviously).

.As for blowdry feeling - maybe try a veeeery loose braid when your hair is only just a bit damp after washing?

lynlora
November 15th, 2009, 11:03 AM
All the time on a low heat setting.

pinchbeck
November 15th, 2009, 11:09 AM
The only thing I miss is that my hair is naturally wavy if I don't blow dry it. I haven't in months and months (not even sure when the last time was). There are times though when I really want my hair to be straight and smooth. It is VERY straight when blow dried and flows like silk.

Do you ever blow dry? Even just special occasions when you want it straight? What about a flat iron? Better or worse than blow drying? Is there any way to get the benefits of blow drying without the damage, like a leave-in conditioner or something?
It is nice to have a change sometimes. My sister blows dries her hair straight and it always looks sleek and shiny. I have never ever straightened my hair so I have no idea what it would look like on me. There is one woman on here that does straighten her wavy hair and it looks awesome, but I think that the straightening iron will do continuous damage.

I do on occasion blow dry my hair if I have freshly washed it and need to go out. But...I blow dry the roots and first few inches of my length while leaving the rest to dry on its own. However, I don't have the length you have so I don't know what it is like to be in a rush with long wet hair!

If I were going somewhere special I would definitely do something interesting with my hair which would include heat.

slz
November 15th, 2009, 11:18 AM
I haven't for a while, like maybe 5 or 6 years - I don't even own a blowdrier anymore. I should buy one though ... for my pug, getting old and quite cold after a bath :D .

Themyst
November 15th, 2009, 11:27 AM
I blow dry using the warm setting. I like my hair better this way. I oil it in between washes just to keep any dryness at bay.

ravenreed
November 15th, 2009, 11:31 AM
I have never been a big blow dryer user. I probably use mine 4 to 6 times a year when I shower right before some event I need to dress up for. I will also use it before any dance event that I am doing if my hair style needs it.

pittsburgpam
November 15th, 2009, 11:34 AM
Well thank goodness! I was thinking I was going to have to freeze this winter if I "couldn't" blowdry. It's not that I don't like it natural, I just want it straight sometimes.

This is air dried with no braiding or anything.
http://www5.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=572141027/PictureID=18275673027/

Carolyn
November 15th, 2009, 11:35 AM
I do once in a while for the same reasons as you. I love my hair when it's smooth and straight. I don't care much for my waves. I think you're OK if you don't do it often.

smilinjenn71
November 15th, 2009, 11:38 AM
I air dry every change I get but that is only once maybe twice a week. I just don't have time to let it dry naturally, get it styled AND get on with my day. Not really a fan of getting up any earlier in the morning than I have to.:p

ericthegreat
November 15th, 2009, 11:41 AM
Especially now that winter is approaching, I often do blow dry my hair after I have done my nightly CO rinse. With my amount of length and thickness, it simply would never dry in a reasonable time frame. Unless I'm doing a full blowout with a round brush, I never fully dry my hair with the blow dryer. I will dry my hair about 70%, then leave it to damp to naturally air-dry the rest of the way.

Bller
November 15th, 2009, 11:42 AM
I didn`t blow dry my hair for at least 2 years. I consider it damaging, And it won`t make my hair straight, it curls it even more than it is xD !

pepperminttea
November 15th, 2009, 11:48 AM
I never do, but more out of laziness than good discipline. The only time I ever did it was in my mid-teens when I had a perm, using the cool setting - if I just left it to air-dry I literally did look like a poodle. Dark days... :p

Leena7
November 15th, 2009, 11:51 AM
I blow dry, especially in winter because I hate being cold. I do S&D like crazy however. My hair is only shoulder length right now, but it is growing out from a pixie, so my growth is okay.

ladycatpurrs
November 15th, 2009, 11:52 AM
What's a blow dryer? LOL! I never dry my hair, just braid and tuck into my collar if it is cold. Least amount of damage to my hair is what my goal is.

Anje
November 15th, 2009, 11:52 AM
Don't own a blowdryer. I gave it away when I moved.

(Lived in an apartment that got too hot, left the windows open in the winter, and had to use the blowdryer to melt the ice to close the windows when it actually got cold. Becoming a homeowner means that I don't have a 92-year-old below me cooking my apartment. So no more use for a blowdryer. Never did use the thing on my hair, even pre-LHC.)

Anywhere
November 15th, 2009, 11:54 AM
I don't blowdry, my arms get tired way before my hair is close to dry, and I can't stand the blowdrier noise (same with the vacuum noise, I find it loud and irritating)

Patrycja
November 15th, 2009, 11:57 AM
I didn't untill I recently went and had my hair cut and styled more. Now, if I don't blow dry, my hair looks horrible. On my days off from work and when I just lounge around, I do leave it alone. Give it time to recooperate ;)

EdG
November 15th, 2009, 11:58 AM
My blow dryer broke sometime in the 1990s, and I never replaced it.

I found that the safest way to use a blow-dryer is to prop it up on a a stand and sit at least five feet away. The air is only warm at that distance. Of course, drying takes a long time - which may explain why the dryer broke. :D
Ed

serious
November 15th, 2009, 12:02 PM
I can't stand my wet hair when it is cold outside, so, yes I blowdry in winter, but not completely...I blowdry it for few minutes and than let it airdry... I haven't noticed any damage yet, and my hair gets more volume this way.

Bller
November 15th, 2009, 12:09 PM
Least amount of damage to my hair is what my goal is.

Same here ! :D I`m sick of damaging my hair. And i have some stupid people in my school that try to make stupid games like trying to burn my hair with a lighter :rolleyes:

Bller
November 15th, 2009, 12:20 PM
Another alternative of blow drying you hair in the winter, is a little headbang near the fireplace , or just lay on a chair near a fireplace and let it dry, like Edg said you should stay at like 5 feet away from the air getting out of the drier. At any level you`l put it, i consider it too hot for the human hair.

Gumball
November 15th, 2009, 12:24 PM
Nope. I don't ever blow dry. I don't have a need for it. It doesn't get cold enough here to freeze wet hair and otherwise air drying doesn't drive me crazy.

RancheroTheBee
November 15th, 2009, 01:04 PM
Every once in a while, although like ironing, I always regret it. Ironing makes my hair very velcro-y, and blow-drying usually only works if I do it at exactly the right moment. Even there, blowdrying usually flattens my curls into poofy masses of woolen locks that just look very untended.

Aerith
November 15th, 2009, 01:08 PM
I used to blowdry my hair all the time, but now I rarely ever do it. I only use it on special occasions and sometimes I will also use a straightener after I blowdry on any frizzy parts. It takes me FOREVER to blowdry my hair, like an hour and a half if I start from wet (not damp) and want it completely dry.

Uuuuugh, lol. :p

viking_quest
November 15th, 2009, 01:23 PM
I blow dry my hair about twice a month. It's nice to have a change and have pin straight hair although now that's it's getting colder I'll blow dry my hair upside down until it's damp so it'll take less time to dry.

prittykitty
November 15th, 2009, 01:26 PM
I let it air dry until it is almost dry (about the time I am ready to leave the house) and then I blow dry the rest of it dry on a low setting. I use a leave in conditioner and have it oiled to prevent damage.

ancilla
November 15th, 2009, 01:29 PM
I have a method of drying my hair with my space heater that I've written about in my blog. It is a bit like blow drying except I have both hands free. I'm not sure if it is less damaging or so but I can control the heat setting and it seems to make my hair a lot smoother than just using a blow dryer.

(I could never figure out how to use a blow dryer correctly, using only one hand and a round brush, so this is why I do this.)

Das Siechtum
November 15th, 2009, 01:31 PM
I dont have a blowdryer, so I dont blowdry. :-) It would look like frizz...

harley mama
November 15th, 2009, 01:34 PM
I haven't used a blow dryer in years. Wait, I am telling a lie. I used mine to dry some glue on a craft project a while back ;)

mira-chan
November 15th, 2009, 01:46 PM
I have never used a blow dryer or any other heat appliance on my hair in my life. I like my hair as is and for special occasions I put it up in an intricate updo with nice hairtoys.

Armelle
November 15th, 2009, 01:49 PM
Yeah, for a special outing when I want my hair to look nice and relatively straight...and dry. lol. I haven't noticed any damage resulting from it.

Coriander
November 15th, 2009, 02:57 PM
I have a blowdryer that's been sitting in a drawer for more than three years, and the only time I moved it was when I moved houses. :) I should probably get rid of it.

ericthegreat
November 15th, 2009, 03:01 PM
I have to interject here being the hairstylist that I am that if you use a blow dryer properly that it will actually eliminate any frizziness you have and give you smoother, straighter, shinier hair.

You don't simply start blow drying your hair haphazardly and wildly like most people do. That will give anyone, even someone like me with 1a hair crazy frizzball hair. You need to first coat your hair with a leave-in product, say a heat protectant or a leave-in conditioner or even just apply a small amount of the same conditioner you use to rinse your hair with into your hair. This will give your hair more slip and make it easier for the brush to smooth thro your hair. It will also help to eliminate the frizziness.

The next step is to divide your hair into sections. It is very important that you take this step. Most people simply blow dry their entire head of hair and this is exactly how frizz and dryness happens. If you try to dry your whole head of hair by drying onto the top section of your hair only, than the surface of your hair will of course suffer from the extreme heat exposure while the bottom layers of your hair will remain wet. You need to divide your hair into several sections, each about 2 inches wide and secure the top sections up with with hair clips. You then use a round brush specifically designed for blow-drying and use that brush on a section of hair no more than 2 inches wide and practice how to curl your hair around the brush as you blow dry. It also helps if you invest in a newer kind of blow dryer with a flat nozzle attachment, this will concentrate the air onto the specific section of hair that you are working on. Also, many newer blow dryers also have new ionic technology which help to further smooth your hair. Make sure you dry each section of your hair thoroughly, because if you leave any moisture into your hair it will indeed frizz back up again.

Isa-belle
November 15th, 2009, 03:02 PM
I have a blowdryer that's been sitting in a drawer for more than three years, and the only time I moved it was when I moved houses. :) I should probably get rid of it.
Same here exactly :) My hair + blowdryer = simply not the thing. Never was! :)

Syaoransbear
November 15th, 2009, 03:12 PM
Never because my hair poofs up so much that it looks like the entire thing has been backcombed. Air-drying takes two hours, blow drying takes one hour because I'm forced to straighten it afterward to get rid of the poof so it's just not worth all the damage for an extra hour of time.

23_seconds
November 15th, 2009, 03:32 PM
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Fiferstone
November 15th, 2009, 03:35 PM
I blow dry only if I have to look presentable just after washing my hair. Otherwise in winter I'll wash the night before the start of the week so that my hair is dry by the time I need to go somewhere. I could easily live without a blowfryer.

Purplemayden
November 15th, 2009, 03:37 PM
Never have never will

Magicknthenight
November 15th, 2009, 03:38 PM
I blow dry my bangs if I wash my hair in the morning. I don't mind my hair being damp or even wet from the neck down, but hate leaving the house with wet bangs in my face.

This is pretty much exactly what i have been doing:). I have been trying to go longer between washes but in the morning i do wash my bangs then blow dry them. Usually i wouldn't but i have let them grow from right above my eyes down to the bottom of my neck in attempt to grow them out. Not sure if i'll cut them yet but it takes forever for them to dry and i hate having them stick to my face in attempt to avoid the flippy ends (that always end up there anyways) so since I'm in a hurry to get to class i blow dry them a little bit fix them the way i want and its one less thing to worry about. Maybe if i wasn't in a hurry i would let them dry naturally. I now see some split ends on them. X_X i guess i must cut back a little...
But besides that i never use a blow dryer on my hair. I used to a couple years back and talk about damage! Glad i gave that up! I dunno i have thought about blowdrying but it seems i'm really paranoid about using anything that may cause even a little bit of damage. Oh well guess its for the best :cool:

Vanya
November 15th, 2009, 04:32 PM
I don't blowdry. In fact, I haven't blowdried in years. Winter or no, I haven't caught a cold yet in all this time, so I'll keep the hair-dryer well away from me.

MirandaWelch
November 15th, 2009, 04:39 PM
Nope, far too lazy.

Wanderer09
November 15th, 2009, 04:46 PM
It would take forever, so no. I kinda want to start experimenting with blowdrying just my roots for a bit of added volume, but like Miranda, I'm lazy. :p

Elphie
November 15th, 2009, 04:52 PM
Yeah, a little. On any day of the week that I'm working and it's a wash day, that's usually at least two for me. I dry my bangs, I put some low heat at the nape of my neck and then let the rest air dry or put it up.

Bianca
November 15th, 2009, 04:56 PM
Never... Dont even know where my blowdryer IS :rolleyes:

jojo
November 15th, 2009, 05:02 PM
I dont blow dry but I do straighten occassionally

CaityBear
November 15th, 2009, 05:11 PM
I blow dry my hair only if I shower in the morning and my hair isn't going to be dry in time to leave the house.

Spring
November 15th, 2009, 05:11 PM
When I increased how often I washed my hair, I started blow drying when the weather got cooler (this was years of going without using a blow dryer). I don't use combs or brushes when drying and I don't completely dry it. I just don't like cold wet hair

gnegirl
November 15th, 2009, 05:13 PM
When it gets so cold my hair freezes i will crack out the blow dryer and try to dry my hair on the coolest setting it has.

Dars
November 15th, 2009, 05:13 PM
Never to blow drying, I haven't for years and can't remember when the last time was...probably when I had short hair and did other damaging pre LHC things. I do use my straightener though, the majority of times after I wash my hair I will straighten my fringe because I don't like my fringe curly and I don't use any heat protectant because I cut it so often I'm not fussed. I have used my hair straightener on the rest of my hair once in the last 6 months and I didn't like the look of it so I washed my hair straight after! Ha. I'm totally put off straightening my whole hair...but I just feel so silly for buying a $300 straightener (2 years ago). Blow drying is less damaging if you keep the movement of air going and keep some distance away from your hair.

Xandergrammy
November 15th, 2009, 05:42 PM
Nope. Never. I don't even know where my blow dryer is!

Fractalsofhair
November 15th, 2009, 05:43 PM
NO! Well, I used to, but it caused severe breakage and combined with a 10 volume peroxide required me to get a pixie to cut off damage. So, I don't blowdry.

RoseRedDead
November 15th, 2009, 05:43 PM
No. Never. I'm too lazy. :P

Neena
November 15th, 2009, 06:06 PM
Wish I didn't HAVE to blow dry my hair, but the humidity where I live is so high that if I don't blow dry, it will stay wet and my scalp will never dry even in the middle of summer. It never gets much above 65 degrees around here.

I just try to minimize damage by keeping the setting pretty low and moving the blow dryer around. It doesn't help that my hair is really coarse and thick.

Stephichan
November 15th, 2009, 06:13 PM
I do if I want to look especially nice for something. I keep it on the medium heat and medium airflow settings so as to not fry and tangle too much. I'm too lazy to do it the "proper" way, so I'm somewhat fluffy, but my hair settles down through the course of the day. Depending on when I wash my hair in this next week and a half I may be blowdrying so that it looks extra special for when the bf comes out to visit :D

Tovah
November 15th, 2009, 06:37 PM
Until about two weeks ago I blow-dried every day. Between the chemical color and the every day washing/drying I did a pretty good hatchet job on my hair. I've restored some of the health of my hair with Ojon and probably will not use that horrible machine again. My hair is quite fine so it dries pretty quickly. I have gotten a bunch of compliments on my wavy hair at work- who would have thunk?

HildeMV
November 15th, 2009, 06:50 PM
Nope, I don't do that anymore. I'm too scared to fry my hair.
I can easily achieve pin-straight hair with a blow dryer, but i'm not sure if I even want that.

whiteisle
November 15th, 2009, 07:03 PM
I use to alot (everyday actually :o) but since wanting to go long again and finding LHC I've severly limited my use.

I did recently purchase a new dryer, one of those fancy dancy ion ones so that when I do decide to dry my hair it's with a better appliance than I had before. My old one sounded like a jet engine about to explode. :p

I have found that when my hair has been dried that it is of course much smoother and tangles much, much less. It leads me to believe that in one sense blowdrying can actually help prevent damage if done carefully.

But because I'm most grateful and appreciative to squeak in a morning shower before DH leaves for work I usually just air dry. Otherwise I would probably use the dryer more.

pittsburgpam
November 15th, 2009, 07:46 PM
I blow dried today but I didn't dry it all the way. Since I didn't, it got a few waves in it which really defeats the purpose and wanting totally straight hair!!

I guess I'll just do what I have been doing for a long time when it's wet... lightly twist it into one long curl over my shoulder and let it dry. At least that way it has long, loose curls. I don't think I want to wet bun in the winter because it is still wet at night.

RocketDog
November 15th, 2009, 07:59 PM
I went several years without even owning a blowdrier, but I recently purchased one to help dry my roots on winter days where I choose to wear my hair down. It's got a diffuser top that I'm still getting used to, but it's nice because it has multiple speed/heat settings and a 'cool blast' setting that blows air straight through without using the heating element.

Pear Martini
November 15th, 2009, 08:33 PM
Just the roots for added a volume but I can comb my hair as it drys to make it straight

KatanyaG
November 15th, 2009, 08:36 PM
I cracked out my old blowdryer a few months ago and I've only used it once since then - I wasn't going to go to work with wet hair!

Otherwise, I hardly ever use it. I don't like the... smell? It smells funny when I heat up my hair, and it freaks me out a little.

I do have a straightener, and since discovering the LHC, I've hardly used that either!

Flynn
November 15th, 2009, 08:54 PM
Nope, can't be bothered. Also, it goes fluffy rather than straight anyway, so it's not worth it.

Wind
November 15th, 2009, 10:46 PM
Yep, I did just this morning actually. Not more than once a week though, and only on the cool setting. Without the hot air, it takes about twice as long, but it's still much faster than air drying.

Flynn
November 15th, 2009, 10:51 PM
I have to interject here being the hairstylist that I am that if you use a blow dryer properly that it will actually eliminate any frizziness you have and give you smoother, straighter, shinier hair.

You don't simply start blow drying your hair haphazardly and wildly like most people do. That will give anyone, even someone like me with 1a hair crazy frizzball hair. You need to first coat your hair with a leave-in product, say a heat protectant or a leave-in conditioner or even just apply a small amount of the same conditioner you use to rinse your hair with into your hair. This will give your hair more slip and make it easier for the brush to smooth thro your hair. It will also help to eliminate the frizziness.

The next step is to divide your hair into sections. It is very important that you take this step. Most people simply blow dry their entire head of hair and this is exactly how frizz and dryness happens. If you try to dry your whole head of hair by drying onto the top section of your hair only, than the surface of your hair will of course suffer from the extreme heat exposure while the bottom layers of your hair will remain wet. You need to divide your hair into several sections, each about 2 inches wide and secure the top sections up with with hair clips. You then use a round brush specifically designed for blow-drying and use that brush on a section of hair no more than 2 inches wide and practice how to curl your hair around the brush as you blow dry. It also helps if you invest in a newer kind of blow dryer with a flat nozzle attachment, this will concentrate the air onto the specific section of hair that you are working on. Also, many newer blow dryers also have new ionic technology which help to further smooth your hair. Make sure you dry each section of your hair thoroughly, because if you leave any moisture into your hair it will indeed frizz back up again.

Yes, that's what hairdressers do to my hair.

It turns to fluff. Yeah, sure, it looks sleek around about until it cools down. Then it goes boom.

It just doesn't work for some people. For me, I think it's just what my hair does as soon as it encounters the slightest breath of moisture in the air.

Gypsy
November 15th, 2009, 11:14 PM
I blow dry. And flat iron.
Sometimes together and sometimes not (I may blow dry but not flat iron or I may air dry and then flat iron.).
My hair likes to curl around itself and then it snaps off from it's own pulling and friction so I feel "better" with it straight although I will let it just be curly for days. It's a lot drier when I leave it curly, even with a moisturizing leave in.

pradabacon
November 15th, 2009, 11:34 PM
I try not to blow dry too often, but I can't stand going out with wet hair, so I do blow dry if I wait too late to give my hair time to dry before I have to leave the house.

Chanterelle
November 15th, 2009, 11:38 PM
I blow dry after each wash, i.e. every 4 or 5 days. My hair is below BSL and I can't see any visible damage.

Rivanariko
November 15th, 2009, 11:38 PM
Nope. Don't own a blow dryer. Don't ever plan to. I never learned how to use one. My mom did occasionally when I was little, but not often because I could never stand still long enough. I never learned to do it myself, so the few times I would try I would end up with a snarled nest of knots on top of my head. I know I was doing something wrong, but I really don't see any need to learn to do it correctly.

Lucky
November 16th, 2009, 01:11 AM
I do here and there - maybe once a month? I don't sweat it since it's not an everyday thing, and I have to admit that my hair does look more "styled" when I blow it dry. If you feel like mixing it up once in a while, I'm sure that the occasional blow dry won't do any long term damage to your hair.

Gypsygirl
November 16th, 2009, 02:04 AM
No- I tend to blow my bangs dry, though.

az_sweetie01
November 16th, 2009, 08:10 AM
I do it twice a week on a low setting and usually, I let my hair get mostly dry before I do it. This way, I can get the ends to curl under a bit and style my fringe.

Of course, opinions and experience vary widely but, I've been doing this since January, when I cut my hair to APL and I have had NO problems and honestly, I haven't noticed any splits either. I get a trim every 3-6 months and that seems to work beautifully. I wash twice a week normally, three if need be. I RARELY if ever use things like curling and flat irons though. For me, those are more damaging that the low heat of the blow drier.

JamieLeigh
November 16th, 2009, 09:24 AM
I NEVER blowfry my hair. When I want my hair straighter, I begin fingercombing when my hair is still barely damp. It helps tame some of the frizzies I get from a plain old air dry too. And leave-in conditioner helps too. :)

MadPirateBippy
November 16th, 2009, 09:28 AM
I never blow dry, but there are a few posts on here about natural straitening. Most of it seems to involve wrapping your damp hair around your head tightly a few times a la a crown braid, but with no braid.

EDIT- there were a couple of people who mentioned that they blow dry or flat iron often and at BSL there's no damage- just as a note, what hair will tolerate at BSL and what it will tolerate at waist or classic are very, very different things- if your goal is REALLY long hair, the microdamage does add up. If you aren't planning on going much past waist, you can get away with a lot more, but at BSL bad habits usually don't show up- with the exception of perming. :) At least, that was true with my hair, which is fairly fine and splits easily.

frodolaughs
November 16th, 2009, 09:37 AM
I never blow dry. I don't have a hairdryer anymore. The circuitry in my apartment is so old that if I did use a hairdryer I would blow out the fuse on the circuit. It just can't handle that much juice.

Zombiekins
November 16th, 2009, 09:51 AM
If I want my hair to dry in any season outside of the oppressive 90s & 100s of summer - I have to blow dry. Damp bunning just holds in the moisture for hours/days, and braiding does the same. I can't leave my hair down the whole time it's drying or else it really starts getting on my nerves (plus, even if it's down it still takes a good three to four hours to dry completely).

I did go three years without any heating applicances on my hair whatsoever, and was never impressed. My hair wasn't damaged, but neither was it the best it should be. Oil wouldn't spread right and my hair was always kind of flat and...I dunno, just missing something. Since getting back on the blow-dryer bandwagon my hair is still undamaged (even in better shape since losing a foot of hair) and looks better. Oils spread more evenly with a bit of warm air and I don't have to sit around cold as hell for hours waiting for my head to dry. :p

Just use a low setting and/or cool shot button to alternate between warm (never hot) and cool air. Don't do it the way hairdressers do - which is by placing the end directly (or within an inch) of your hair and stay there all the way down the strand. Instead kind of keep the blow dryer moving and make more of a warm cloud of air around your hair instead of concentrating on individual areas. Hair should be slightly damp when you're "finished" and then it's fine for bunning. The residual heat finishes the job in an hour or less. I've been drying my hair like this one to three times a week for a couple of years now and there's nothing wrong with my hair. :)

magpielaura
November 16th, 2009, 10:07 AM
My hair always ended up fluffy and frizzy when I used a hairdryer, but the last time must have been nearly 10 years ago now. I'm not bothered by wet hair, and since it looks better without I doubt I'll ever bother again. The last year or so I have bunned my hair after blotting out the worst of the water, so it is often damp for 24 - 36 hours after washing...I wash my hair roughly every 3 days so it is a bit soggy much of the time!

MissMay
November 16th, 2009, 12:07 PM
I haven't blow dried in about 2 years because I'm ultra lazy =)

However, I do straighten my hair about once every 1-2 months, and I curl it on special occasions (sometimes I do rag curls, sometimes with a curling iron).

I love that being lazy is good for my hair. I have an excellent excuse for not washing it every day and not blowdrying xD

paintedmuse
November 16th, 2009, 12:15 PM
I never blowdry. Even before I started to care for my hair I never did. I'm just too lazy.
And now my hair looks best if I go to bed with it damp, so I really don't bother :)

Elfe
November 16th, 2009, 12:18 PM
I used mine at saturday :lol:
But normally I don't use it very often, because I don't like the heat on my head.

Shastrix
November 16th, 2009, 01:12 PM
I wash my hair about every 4 days at the moment so if a wash falls during the weekend I'll definitely leave it to air-dry. If it falls on a weekday I’ll see if I can wash it in an evening and leave it to dry, but sometimes I don’t have time so I’ll wash it in the morning and blow-dry it.

I'm also inclined to blow-dry it if I know I'm going to wear it down for a couple of days as I'm still not completely at-ease with my waves. :o

Othala
November 16th, 2009, 01:23 PM
The last time I blow-dried my hair was in 2004 and that was the first time in years. I do not apply any kind of drying heat to my hair deliberately.

cobblersmaid
November 16th, 2009, 01:28 PM
I've never even owned one, so it isn't like I gave anything up!

SurprisingWoman
November 16th, 2009, 02:00 PM
I haven't owned a blowdryer for years. I wonder if I would use it sometime when I am running late for a party and still have wet hair but it dries so probably not.

friskybiznus
November 17th, 2009, 12:22 AM
Yes, I do use an ionic blowdryer. I can't stand it when my hair is wet. I also occasionally use a straightener. I use coconut oil on my hair while it's wet and I bow dry in sections, as Eric described. My hair's texture is much better when I do this!

PhillyGirl1978@
November 17th, 2009, 05:49 AM
Man...I haven't blow dried in at least 5 years. I always thought my hair just grew insanely slow, when it grows really fast now. All that was happening was that the blow drying was causing breakage so I never gained length. I never quite reached BSL before, since then my hair is brushing waist now.

Rahenna
November 17th, 2009, 06:59 AM
I've never owned a hair dryer. Always been too lazy to spend more than five minutes getting ready in the morning. :D

longhairedfairy
November 17th, 2009, 07:28 AM
I do every once in a while, but not nearly as much as I used to. I do sometimes sit/lie down on my bed in front of a small space heater when I'm feeling cold and damp. It helps dry my hair without getting it really hot and it feels so good. I like to sleep with it blowing on my feet, too.:D

elianne
November 17th, 2009, 07:37 AM
I don't even know where my blowdryer is... I usually only break it out a couple of times a year because I am too lazy. Also, my hair is very straight (1a) so whether I air dry, let it dry in a bun, or blowdry it looks the same. I only use it if it's freezing outside and I have the time to before leaving the house. (Otherwise I bun it, put on a hat, and RUN to the car! Haha!)

dukkelisa
November 17th, 2009, 10:44 AM
I have naturally straight hair, although I am seeing a wave now that it's long. As it always seems to be the case when opposites attract, I wish to have curly hair with fullness and bounce! I only used hair damaging heat when I had short hair and could cut it frequently. As for long hair, I think it depends on how long you want to keep it and how often you trim. There will be damage from the heat, even when used sparingly. I had perfectly healthy and natural hair and ruined it by wanting to "liven it up" with dye and then stripping it because I could not maintain the colour. I am now paying for it with tons of short hairs and loss of fullness. Damage is the price, in my opinion, for not leaving it well enough alone.

MsBubbles
November 17th, 2009, 11:11 AM
No. Never (going on 2 years now), and never again!

Dukkelisa: You have waves now your hair is longer? How cool! I wonder if I'll get any? It would be a miracle. :p

Before LHC, I used to blow dry my hair DAILY over velcro-rollers in a vain attempt to get body and height. It worked for about 2 hours in cold weather/low humidity days. The rest of the time the lift would hold for about ten minutes, tops. Same thing goes for curling irons (which should just be called burning irons). I still remember the sizzling sound my hair made while I used that thing.

I missed the temporary lift at first after quitting blow-frying, but these days I never miss it and actually wonder why I ever bothered in the first place.

Luckily for me, my apartment wiring hates my blow fryers - I had four of them die on me in a row, within months.

LittleOrca
November 17th, 2009, 11:21 AM
RARELY

I only blow dry when I have gone swimming and it's too cold outside to make it home with wet hair (maybe 2-3 times a year) and I have done it once when it was late at night when I got my shower and if I goto bed with wet hair I tend to not do very well the next day (headaches).

Forgive me, LHC! For I have Hair-sinned! :pray:

Kalayana66
November 17th, 2009, 11:44 AM
I hardly ever do (maybe twice a year, when in a hurry).:)

Taisyun
November 17th, 2009, 03:12 PM
Never blow dry! If I have to go out with wet hair I will wear my fleece hat and cover all my hair.

Wally
November 17th, 2009, 07:27 PM
Last time was 25-30 years ago. My hair was always short since then so I just brushed it into place and off I went.

My current journey is enabled by my working from home now, so I am trying to follow all the rules to avoid any damage while I am learning.

Masara
November 18th, 2009, 12:36 AM
I blowdry my fringe and roots. I wash my hair in the morning and my hair tangles and snaps terribly if I try to do updos (other than a very loose basic bun or very loose braid) with wet hair. Of course, I try to minimize the damage by only doing the roots, using a low setting and drying for a short time.

I work on the same principle as MadPirateBippy's comment, I have to accept that the longer my hair, the more accumulated damage I will have from blowdrying. If blowdrying means I won't get to really extreme lengths without damage, then I will have to be accept the length I can have.

Brighe
November 18th, 2009, 07:30 AM
I do never blowdry...
it takes me about 1-2 hours to let my hair ardry and about 1 hour if i take the blowdryer, so thats not really faster
I also look like that if i try to blowdry:
http://www.jalle.nu/Mbild05/Bilder/Pudel.jpg

but I have a blowdryer... I use it to melt my sheabutter :cheese:

Dani
November 18th, 2009, 07:38 AM
I donated my hair fryer and straightener like 10 years ago, after I found the first LHL forum. I've air-dried ever since, and never even think of my hair wrt drying.. It just, you know, dries in awhile and that's it. :-p

papillion
November 18th, 2009, 08:24 AM
I blow dry my hair every time I wash it. When I use -cones, if I leave my hair to air dry, it ends up a horrible greasy mess. And as the only conditioner I can use at the moment contains -cones, I don't really have much choice.

Thankfully, it isn't doing a great deal of damage to my hair, and I do what I can to minimise it (lowest heat, only use when hair is mostly dry already etc.), but I'm sure my hair would be in better condition if I didn't have to blow dry all the time.

spidermom
November 18th, 2009, 09:28 AM
I can't remember if I've posted an answer in this thread before. Yes I do, whenever I feel like it, but I use only warm and cool, never hot.

Lori
November 18th, 2009, 09:45 AM
I never blow dry my hair. I used to blow it dry every morning back in high school and then use my hot rollers right after. Little did I know the damage that was doing. My hair is so much more healthy now. I do however have a friend who blow dries every day on a low heat setting and her hair is very healthy looking, and I've seen her after just a wash and go, hair still looks healthy. (blow drying and flat-ironing usually hides the damage making hair look temporarily smooth and silky)

hmmm
November 18th, 2009, 09:45 AM
I used to blow dry, about two years ago, and I'd wonder why my hair was frizzy all the time even though I used conditioner.
I don't anymore.

coddswaddle
November 18th, 2009, 02:14 PM
I'm blow-drier challenged. I can't even look at one of those without my hair puffing up like the bride of Frankenstein!

My hair is usually frizzy the first day after I wash (probably because I go to bed with it still slightly damp). I like to use a large-barreled curling iron to smooth the frizziness. It's not as hot as a straightener and leaves my hair with some body.

Misery
November 18th, 2009, 05:26 PM
Never.
I've always hated the things, even when I was a kid.

Keildra
November 18th, 2009, 05:29 PM
I used to for fast drying before work or school but that was only if I was going to put my hair into a pony tail or bun for the day

Islandgrrl
November 18th, 2009, 05:38 PM
Never. I'd be swallowed alive by my hair if I blowdried!

vindo
November 18th, 2009, 08:47 PM
I don't blowdry, it gives my hair more volume and that looks arkward with the thin ends...nothing can make those volumnious :lol:

But even if that was not the case I would not do it because of the damage it can cause...never really been a fan.

Quixii
November 18th, 2009, 09:58 PM
The only times I've ever blow dried my hair, are right after I've dyed it, so I can see how the colour turned out and so it doesn't dye my pillow. Even then I usually only get it mostly dry, not completely.

Jemoiselle
November 18th, 2009, 10:03 PM
Add me to the "don't own one" list! I gave it away once I decided it wasn't worth the damage it caused, even on low. But again, my hair is very fragile so I needed to be strict.