Do you Air dry or blow dry hair?

[Dreamkitty]

I used to blow dry my hair everytime but haven't used the blow drier for 8 months now. I air dry everytime now and I just used the blow drier yesterday as I was in a rush to go out somewhere with my mum.

:( I didn't want to use the blow dryer yesterday but my hair was wet and needed drying fast, do you think it has damaged my hair?

Do you air dry or blow dry?

[Tiina]

I always airdry since having damp hair doesn't bother me much (and I rarely need to leave the house). Blowdrying may have damaged your hair slightly but I don't think doing it once in a long-long while is going to make any significant or even noticeable change. Doing it every day is another matter. I know at least one of our members, torrinpaige, blowdryes regularly (I think she has a youtube video on this, too) and no one can tell her her hair isn't healthy or beautiful.

However, there is a right way and a wrong way to blowdry. To minimise damage you shouldn't use high heat, you should keep the nozzle from being too close to your hair and you should go from roots to ends keeping the nozzle downwards. Someone more knowledgeable can probably elaborate on this.

[OleanderTime]

I blowdry my hair almost every single day in the winter. I live in Michigan and my hair literally freezes into icicles if I don't. Oh well!

[nuxa]

Oh honey, just one time wont do any harm...
As long as you keep loving and caring for you hair just one littel blow dry cant hurt it! If you feel bad about it just compensate with an extra deep conditioning session ;)

[curlylocks85]

I used to blow dry my hair everytime but haven't used the blow drier for 8 months now. I air dry everytime now and I just used the blow drier yesterday as I was in a rush to go out somewhere with my mum.

:( I didn't want to use the blow dryer yesterday but my hair was wet and needed drying fast, do you think it has damaged my hair?

Do you air dry or blow dry?

I don't think one time will cause any significant damage. It's when you use it all the time over a long period that damage will occur. No worries.

By the way, I air dry. If my hair is still a bit damp I braid it and deal with it when I have time.

[Armelle]

Air dry.
I always wash my hair in the evening so it can dry (mostly) overnight.
If I need to wash it and leave the house (for special occasions or if it's really cold), then I'll blow dry it. No big deal. :) I tend to avoid blow drying my hair only because it makes my hair SUPER poofy and hot. :afro:

[Dani]

I've been air drying my hair since 2001 or so, after finding the net 54 boards, and blew it dry a while before that for a year or two, because I was a product junkie and had every beauty product and tool imaginable. :p I had like 20,000+ posts or something on icompact, for goodness sakies... Now all I've got is s/c, jojoba oil and coconut oil. And a lip stain. Oh! and a comb and hair stuff.

[Siava]

On average, I blowdry once a month.

[trillcat]

I air dry to about 99% then hit it with a bit of heat to get that last bit dry. takes all of about 60 seconds.
I have a funky wave in my hair, it's just at the top. It all goes wavy, but only one middle chunk of hair carries the wave down the length, It looks kind of silly. I only dry it if I am going out with my hair down, other wise, let it look goofy, its just going into a braid anyway!

[lajsa]

I air dry my hair, since I don't like blowdrying for the following reasons:

- heat damage, ouch.
- gives me tangles unless I do it on the lowest speed, and then it takes forever to dry it.
- I'm too lazy. If I blowdry it I have to stand there and dry and dry and dry. If I airdry it I can just go around doing other stuff at home while it dries on its own. :p

[pepperminttea]

I air-dry (out of laziness, mostly), but please don't fret too much - one blowdry isn't going to fry your hair! :grouphug: Doing it sparingly and using the cool setting helps reduce damage, but don't feel guilty - enjoy your hair. :) As nuxa said, it's a great excuse to do an SMT or similar next time you wash.

[chelles2kids]

I'm an air dryer here too...actually a wet bunner!!:p

I think learning to air dry after using a blow dryer for a very long time has a learning curve...or at least a planning curve.;)
What I mean is...I know how long it'll take for my hair to dry (approximately), so I plan my washings accordingly.

But again, I only wash about 3 times per week, for someone who might need to do it on a daily basis then that might take even more careful planning.

[jojo]

I use a hair dryer like once if that a year, in 4 years i can count on one hand how many times.

[lapushka]

Airdry to about 75%, then there's a quick run through with the diffuser for volume and because it takes ages to completely dry otherwise. I feel horribly cold and yucky when it stays wet for too long, that's only nice during summer.

[Madora]

Air drying is the kindest way to dry!

The WAY you air dry, however, depends on how quickly your hair dries (unless your hair has a porosity problem).

After gently patting my hair length to remove excess water, I finger comb and use a wide tooth comb to comb out my hair then separate it into two sections.

I take a small section of hair from my temple area, hold up my arm until its at my eyebrow, then release the strands.

I repeat with the rest of the hair, and keep repeating until all my hair is dry. Took me 30 minutes with 40+ inch hair (outside).

Wet hair won't dry as quickly if its just sitting on a towel draped over your shoulder---or up in a wet bun. Air has to get to it! "Fanning" your strands speeds up the process.

You can also try "fanning" by sitting a distance from a space heater or central heating vent. Some folks like drying near a standing fan...but that's too frisky for me!

[GRU]

I air dry 99% of the time.

If I'm going somewhere where I don't want to look like a wet-head (church, etc.), I might hit it with the diffuser using room-temperature air for 1-2 minutes to get the drying process started, but those times are few and far between.

I never use the blowfryer with heat (shopped around for a model that had a "cool" setting instead of just a "cold shot" button that needs to be pressed), and I never use the blowfryer without the diffuser attachment.

[smileycat]

Air dry. I gave up the blow dryer a few months ago, and since I am lazy and always hated the time and sweating I did under the blow dryer, I never looked back. I am curious how I will feel about it now that the weather is getting colder. I live somewhere with C.O.L.D. winters.

I don't think you need to fret about the rare blow drying here and there.

[FullMoonTrim]

I air dry. I haven't used a blow drier for ages! Sometimes I do curl my ends though so I'm not completely heat free! Oh, and I sometimes use rollers!

[Sooze]

I blow dry. Since I joined this forum - and even though I still blow dry - my hair is in better condition now than it's been for the last two years. If yourr overall regime is healthy, blow drying your hair every now and then won't hurt, especially is you use the lowest heat setting and don't concentrate on the same spot for ages.

[Raventresses]

i air dry most of the way, and use a dryer on low to smooth it out and for the wonky parts at my temples

[Nera]

I airdry, for the known reasons, plus I like to see the process of my hair drying.. hihi I feel like a geek(:

[BrightBlack]

I usually air dry but in winter I'll set up a space heater and fan, sit a few feet away (just enough for a warm breeze) and read a book for a while ^_^

[Tia2010]

I don't think one time will do damage to your hair as long as you treat it kindly in other ways. :)

I always air dry ( unless it's really not possible , then I would dry it ) because I hate the way my hair looks after I blow dry it . It looks much better air dried. If I know I have some place to be , I will wash my hair at night so it's dry by the next morning.

If I did have to dry my hair I use low heat/cold shot and keep the air as far away as I can, directed downward from roots to ends...but to be honest I will go out with wet hair even in the winter with no problems , so blow drying is a rarity!

[Dreams_in_Pink]

I blowdry for the sole reason of feeling my hair fly around with the wind :D I know it sounds weird, but that makes me feel like i have long hair and it is important to enjoy our hair, right?

I braid afterwards to calm down the frizzies and poofiness.

[curlymarcia]

I airdry almost every time, because is healthier and because my curls are more define. Only few days in the winter I blow dry with warm heat (and I haven't notice any damage).

[Dyefree]

Air dry.... I know for a fact that if I were to blow dry my hair even a little then it may act as a trigger to flat iron. :o

[Sooze]

Curious here - for those of you who air dry, what do you do about root lift? I don't get any if I air dry these days. Used to when I was younger, but not any more. This would be my main reason for not kicking blow drying into touch, next to being short of time.

[terrylillyd]

I stopped blow drying a year ago. My hair is so much better now, and I find that since I stopped the cycle of blow drying, I really don't need it anymore.

[Capybara]

I blow-dried my hair every day up until 2 years ago. I think you'll be fine :)

[enfys]

I wash in the evening, airdry through the night then blowdry to finish it off in the morning. Yes, my hair takes that long to dry!

In the summer I can usually trust it to dry itself, but from September to May it needs a helping hand. If I could blowdry from wet without damage I would; damp hair is not my favourite thing by a long shot!

[yotaka]

I have never blow dried in the past, but now I occasionally blow dry when I go to the Korean spa once a month just because it makes me feel pampered. Other than that, air dry all the way!

[spidermom]

I blow-dry whenever I feel like it, which isn't often since it takes an hour. I only use warm and cool though, and I'm careful with it. I don't pull/stretch it with a brush or use the hot setting like the hair stylists do.

But I do have a lot of split ends so you might not want to do as I do.

[chelles2kids]

Curious here - for those of you who air dry, what do you do about root lift? I don't get any if I air dry these days. Used to when I was younger, but not any more. This would be my main reason for not kicking blow drying into touch, next to being short of time.

Well as I mentioned before I wet bun mine & when I bun it I make sure to bun on top of my head...this gives me all the "lift" that I want & some days more than I need! :p

[Aredhel77]

I do either, depending on my mood. Now it's winter I'll probably blow dry more regularly but I have always used low heat. My hair looks better when I blow-dry it, IMO.

[growing2shine]

Personally I air dry. Once in a while (very rarely) I air dry on the cool setting, but it takes sooooo looooong!!!

But I don't think that using, even the warm setting, once in a while is too bad. Always when I read about how bad and evil blow dryers are (I know they can be very bad!) I think of how beautiful and amazing LadyLongLocks' hair is. And I know she uses a blow dryer all the time. :)

[luxepiggy]

I always finish off with the blow dryer. Usually I air dry to around 70-80% - basically when it feels slightly damp to the touch. Then I dry on low until it's barely damp, and finish off with the cold shot button.

I don't like the way my hair looks when it air dries, and I don't feel that drying it on low is that damaging. I actually held it right up to my indoor thermometer and turned it on once. After about a minute (which is way longer than I point the dryer at any specific area of my head without moving) the thermometer was only at 90F / 33C. Not even as hot as the sauna and steam room at the spa! (^(oo)^)

[nowxisxforever]

I don't own a blowdryer. /shrug - If I need to leave and my hair is still wet, I bun/braid it and go. It'll dry. :)

[freckles]

I doubt one time will have wrecked your hair. You'll be fine! :)

I blowdry sometimes and I'm still working on not feeling guilty about it. I airdry the vast majority of time in the Summer (this Summer I failed my 6-months blowdryer-free challenge, but I only blowdryed twice in that time) and in winter maybe half the time I let it completely airdry, but sometimes I'm just COLD, especially since we're students and too cheap to put the heating on half the time! :lol: I never blowdry from totally wet, and often can't be bothered to do it 'all the way' dry, either, but just five to ten minutes of warm air and finger combing usually makes me feel a bit better :)

[tiny_teesha]

I blow dry about monthly now, but i use it on the cool setting, i find it no different to sitting out in the wind (in my mind) so i do it!
I find if you use a great conditioner first, it's ok to blow dry because the tangles blow out. But my hair is short so...

[Astarte_1980]

I do air dry. Everything with heat is nog good for your hear.

[Feng-Shui]

My hair saw not more a hair dryer for more than ten years.

I used a hair dryer also before ten years only occasionally.

My hair only still at air dried now ten years.:)

[Cheeks1206]

I air dry a vast majority of the time, but I do on occasion blow dry. When I use the blow dryer I use it on medium speed setting and low heat. That keeps the damage to a minimum and still gets my hair dry.

[sleepingIn]

I usually air dry but occasionally blow dry on cool shot as I too feel its the equivalent of wind blowing.

HOWEVER - even THAT is not good to do excessively; imagine a Flag waving around in the wind with tattered tips. That was wind that did damage (climate too, sun etc, but still).

I understand that hair dryers can be used on very low settings to minimize damage but you must consider that this is a stream of heat directly AT the hair follicle as opposed to a room that is hot that is simply stagnant air (and otherwise not thrashing it around at high velocity).

Just something to consider

[brunetka]

I used to blow-dry daily when my hair was short. Now that it's longer, I don't need to style it with the dryer for it to look nice, so I air dry 5 days a week and blow dry on the low setting or cool shot maybe twice a week (due to needing to be out of the house earlier).

[slythwolf]

I haven't blowfried my hair in years. On top of being damaging, it takes too long. (No, really. Yes, airdrying takes longer, but I can be doing other things while it's happening.)

I do live in a climate where my hair would certainly freeze in the winter if I went out with a wet head, but I don't do that. I just plan my washes to when I will have time to sit around the apartment and let my hair dry. This is a lot easier when you only wash once or twice a week.

[Juneii]

I air dry because I am too lazy to stand in once place and blow dry my hair. But blow drying shouldn't be that damaging every once in a while unless you're holding the dryer over one section of hair without moving on a high temperature setting.

[feralnature]

I have used a blow dryer 2 times in 3 years. My hair air dries very quickly.

[maus]

I mostly air dry till it's almost dry, then wrap it in a bun at the top of my head, and leave it for the last half hour or so - instant curls and volume.

[Nae]

I almost always air dry. My hair has seen a blow dryer only once in the last year and a half. My waves always look best if I air dry, if I use a blow dryer POOF! I turn into a puffball. Yes, I know about diffusers but I seriously can't be bothered to hunt it down when I could just get out of the bathroom and on with life.

If I have to leave the house with wet hair I damp bun it and no one seems to complain. I am sure your hair will be just fine if you blow dry occasionally, no need to beat yourself up.

[lundmir]

I blow dry on a low setting, with the blowdryer at least 15 cm away from my hair. If my hand can't take the heat, I won't be putting my hair through it.
I also use a diffuser.

No damage so far, and I wash every 2 or 3 days.

[christine1989]

One time will not hurt your hair but it is good that you avoid it. When I blow dried I literally had a split end on every hair. Since I stopped I don't even have one.

[lpsqt60]

I have always air dried, I can't stand the noise from a blow drier.

[DARKMARTIAN]

Air dry....every time.

Dont even own a blowdrier.......

[honeybrown1976]

Air dry! :cheese:

[chopandchange]

In the winter I like to blow-dry my scalp and roots, because otherwise I get too cold and develop earaches and a stiff neck.

My health is more important than the condition of my hair.

[Octave]

I air dry. Never liked the feeling of blow dried hair, gets really poofy. If I know I'll be going out in the morning I wash my hair in the evening. But if it's during the summer then I wash it in the morning.

[Aquamarine]

I air dry, even in the winter. I wash my hair either in the evening(around 4pm or so...I can't stand going to bed with wet hair) or get up early cause it gives ample time for my hair to dry. I used to blow-fry my hair every single day back in 7th grade...it was very damaging. I found a vast difference in my hair's condition once I quit heat styling.
Hang in there. Blow drying just once isn't going to damage your hair :)
I know women who blow dry on "the lowest setting" almost everytime they wash and their hair is just fine. If you have to blow dry due to health reasons, make sure you use a heat protectant and always use the "lowest" settings on your blow drier.

[jenjen10]

I air dry most times as I usually wash my hair at night or on days when I don't have to go anywhere so it can dry as slowly as it wants.... the exception is after I henna as I can't wait to see what color it has turned out to be! LOL

[PartyPickle]

I've always been an air dryer. I found it really tedious & time consuming when I was younger so very rarely if ever did it. When I used to wash my hair everyday it would be at night and I would sleep on it wet. Cold. Can't believe I did that for so long. :rolleyes: I'm much happier since I switched to daytime washing.

[Forever_Sophie]

Air dry only because I'm too lazy to do otherwise! I don't think blow drying does major harm if it's done once in a while with heat protectants.

[pennyroyal]

Air dry....every time.

Dont even own a blowdrier.......
This! I haven't blow dried my hair in soooooo many years. I hardly ever have cause i hate the heat blowing on my face & head. Now that i kno how damaging it is to my hair i will certainly never do it again!

[Sammich]

Not sure if I posted here or not, but I blow dry very very rarely, (if I happen to wash my hair quite late and it isn't dry enough for sleepies!) so I mostly air dry. :) I wash my hair usually at around 4-6pm, and it usually dries by my bedtime, about 11pm.

[Locksmith]

Air dry. Always have done, as my hair is fine and dries really quickly.

[DARKMARTIAN]

Lets hear it for the air signs lol!

http://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt267/DARKMARTIAN/Smilies/cheer12.gifhttp://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt267/DARKMARTIAN/Smilies/cheer.gifhttp://i618.photobucket.com/albums/tt267/DARKMARTIAN/Smilies/cheer2.gif

Gemini's, Libra, and Aquarians unite....

Me....im just a "Gem" in the rough....:p

...............an "air-head" and proud of it ;)

[Jadewtch]

Always air dry. I'll wash my hair and night and give it until morning to dry.
I'll blow dry rarely when I'm really strapped for time and can't wait for it to air dry

[allik]

I usually air dry, but there are times where it just is easier to blow dry. I wouldn't fret, the fact that you usually air dry is fantastic :)