So, how bad actually IS blowdrying...?

[LocustSpawning]

I've had a few emergency situations in recent months where I've had no option but to blow-dry my hair... (eg. rushing to go out somewhere in the morning, I hate going out with wet hair!)

So, if I did it occasionally, and it was the only heat I apply to my hair asides warm water, and I used a good quality heat protectant... how much damage would it actually do? Is this okay?

[Luckysock]

I do maybe once every two weeks, it doesn't seem to be too damaging. JJJ Long Hair blow dry's her hair and she has 5 feet of really beautiful hair (google her, you'll see it :) )

Just be careful not to hold the dryer too close to the hair, focus it on one spot for two long, or use too hot a setting.... and you're good!

[HairFaerie]

In the summer time I let it air dry, however, I live in a place that gets cold in the winter. I blow dry during the cold months.
I know it's probably not good for it but I also try to take precautionary steps to balance out any possible damage. I use low heat setting an low air setting. I also put a bit of jojoba oil infused with essential oils on my hair when it's wet. I have been lucky so far!

[Spike]

Simple answer for “how much damage” is “Watch your hair.” If you don’t see any evidence of split ends, white dots, crispiness—then your every once in a while blow-drying routine is peachy. If you start to see dryness, add more moisturizing treatments to the usual routine, and set the blowdryer on a cooler temp. If you start seeing damage, then trim and evaluate.
It’s not as if your hair is going to run away back into your scalp or fall out in piles. :smile:

You should have plenty of warning that damage is happening, and plenty of time to re-evaluate.

Best of luck!!

[Torrin Paige]

I blow dry mine about twice a month or so. The ends will get damaged over time, but my ends are like, 11 years old, so they're kind of damaged anyway, ya know? I never notice any damage on mine until it reaches tailbone...it seems that's when it gets weak...and tailbone on me is 46 inches, so that's my experience. So long as you protect it and don't blow it out every day, I think you'll be just fine.

[enfys]

I blowdry when I have to. My hair won't even dry overnight sometimes. Something I do in addition to what was mentioned above is keep my hand somewhere in the line of the air. If my hand starts to get too warm I know my hair is too and I move further away.

Just keep an eye on it and it should be fine. You'll notice the damage it may cause if you know what you're looking for.

[LocustSpawning]

Thanks for the advice, I feel a bit less guilty now, haha.
I just did an ACV rinse for the first time too, and my hair is ridiculously shiny! It's not recommended for those with dyed hair, but although mine is chemically dyed black, it didn't affect it one bit. I'm definitely going to start using this weekly!!

[enfys]

Hah! I just saw you're from South Wales. Where to?

[LocustSpawning]

Ooh, you are too?
I live fairly near the Caerphilly area, kind of. But I'm in Cardiff a lot, how about you?

[enfys]

I'm from Cardiff, but live in Swansea now. I almost jumped when I saw they that another one of us on here haha.

[Jenn of Pence]

I'd say make sure that it's on low heat and low fan so that you don't get tangles or heat damage. I personally like to just hit the roots, since my ends dry pretty fast and are most prone to being "injured." I really am not convinced about how much help heat protectant is.....however, I do own a tube from my former life pre-LHC, and I don't see a problem using it just in case as "fire insurance," hehe. ;)
Most of all, don't feel guilty! Since you're otherwise taking good care of it and also being vigilant about possible damage, there's no reason to feel bad about blow drying once in a while. :)

[LocustSpawning]

Ah wow! Yep, I figured that most people from here are many thousands of miles away from here. After my hair being the SAME LENGTH for 2 years.. (yes... 2 years) without any cuts, I searched the internet to death for tips and came across this wonderful gem... :p no more is my poor hair suffering.

What are you doing at the moment then, job/college/uni-wise? I'm at Crosskeys college, you've probably heard of it.

[Anje]

If you've got a lower setting or a cool setting, it's definitely an improvement.

I think it varies a lot person-to-person on how damaging blowdrying is. Some people notice damage pretty quickly, others do fine doing it all the time.

Sometimes, washing in the evening is a good alternative, as this gives hair all night to dry. Also, I find if I get a fresh towel (or even just rotate the towel to apply a dry spot to the back of my head) after the first one gets a bit soggy, my hair gets from wet to damp very quickly. Once damp, I consider hair bun-able and am willing to go out with it. But then, I've gone for years without owning a blowdryer, and before that I mostly used the one I had for defrosting the window enough to shut it on particularly cold winter nights.

[MimiKeki]

I'm from Cardiff, but live in Swansea now. I almost jumped when I saw they that another one of us on here haha.

Another one in swansea here :P

[Vermelha]

Well, I'd say pretty bad if you're using the blowdryer at its maximum capacity (or in other words, like most people who aren't aiming for long hair).

It was only when I stopped using the blowdryer that my hair became more lustrous and strong (which makes me mad because I had JUST bought a really good blower before I realized this).

I roller set and air dry my hair to replace blowdrying, which has helped me achieved a smoother style while saving my hair. That might not be possible with longer lengths. It already takes 6 hours for my hair to dry completely.

[Cirafly24]

I have a cool setting on my hair dryer-- no heat, but still dries faster. I have not had any damage from this.

[Katze]

Low heat and infrequent use do not seem to harm my hair much. It is cold and damp here most of the year ('summer' this year lasted about 6 weeks...) and I swim, so I MUST blowDAMP my head before going outside! I towel dry my hair, then focus on getting the roots and my ears dry before leaving the pool.

Also, I save a lot of blowdry damage by showering/washing nights. If I am not swimming (like this week) I go to bed with damp hair wrapped in a towel/hoodie and have more waves in the morning.

[torrilin]

I think it varies a lot person-to-person on how damaging blowdrying is. Some people notice damage pretty quickly, others do fine doing it all the time.

Quoted for truth :). A single bout of blow drying will leave my hair pissed off at me for 6-12 months. Tangles galore, and a lot more split ends. For me, the "fast" dry time just isn't worth the headache. Since it takes an hour or more to blow dry my hair at this length, fast is also pretty relative. Stuffing my hair into some kind of updo only takes a few minutes.

I also don't really worry about my hair freezing. I put it up damp to wet, stuff it under a hat, and go. If it freezes in the -10F Wisconsin cold, I don't touch it or fuss at it. It will thaw when I get inside, and a lot of the time when it thaws, it will be much drier. It seems logical that if I fussed at it, it could cause breakage or damage more easily.

[papillion]

It really does depend on a lot of things - how resilient your hair is, what heat setting you use, how often you blowdry your hair, even down to whether you just aim the dryer at your hair and let it blow about or whether you carefully do it section by section being careful not to let it tangle.

It's just a case of finding out what works for your hair...

Oh, and hello from the other end of Wales! *waves*