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View Full Version : Why does some hair dry faster/better than others?



DarleneH
February 26th, 2012, 05:46 AM
I've seen youtube videos of girls rolling their hair up or pin curling or sock bunning it while damp, sleeping overnight, and then it's dry in the morning (they say). Mine doesn't get all the way dry overnight even if I DON'T have it rolled. Why is it that some hair seems to hold onto water more than other hair? I realize humidity is part of it, but even during Winter when it's not so humid here and when the indoor heating is drying the air out further mine still does not seem to dry as well as other people's hair appears to.

I also realize thickness counts (thicker hair takes longer for air to get all the way through) but never really thought mine was all THAT thick. Doesn't appear to me to be any thicker than this girl's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FV-YO46E8Y

And maybe that's the key: "appears to", because I really can't tell from a youtube vid what their environment is, can't feel their hair the next morning, so really have to just count on their understanding of "dry hair" matching my understanding of it.

Anyway, because it seems mine doesn't dry as fast as some, and because a friend of mine says the same thing, I thought I'd ask if there really were some hair textures that hold water like a sponge more than others.

pepperminttea
February 26th, 2012, 05:54 AM
It could be product related? :) My hair dries a lot more slowly when I'm 'cone-free.

ktani
February 26th, 2012, 05:59 AM
I've seen youtube videos of girls rolling their hair up or pin curling or sock bunning it while damp, sleeping overnight, and then it's dry in the morning (they say). Mine doesn't get all the way dry overnight even if I DON'T have it rolled. Why is it that some hair seems to hold onto water more than other hair? I realize humidity is part of it, but even during Winter when it's not so humid here and when the indoor heating is drying the air out further mine still does not seem to dry as well as other people's hair appears to.

I also realize thickness counts (thicker hair takes longer for air to get all the way through) but never really thought mine was all THAT thick. Doesn't appear to me to be any thicker than this girl's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FV-YO46E8Y

And maybe that's the key: "appears to", because I really can't tell from a youtube vid what their environment is, can't feel their hair the next morning, so really have to just count on their understanding of "dry hair" matching my understanding of it.

Anyway, because it seems mine doesn't dry as fast as some, and because a friend of mine says the same thing, I thought I'd ask if there really were some hair textures that hold water like a sponge more than others.

Hair that is more damaged or porous, alows more water to enter it, when washed or soaked with water. Hair that has been lubricated with oil, for example will not absorb as much water and can dry faster.

If for example, hair has been well clarified and coconut oil is used as a pre-treatment or added to shampoo without any barriers from allowing the lauric acid in it to be absorbed deeply into hair, the lauric acid bonds to keratin in the cortex and further helps prevent more water from being absorbed, http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.com/2012/02/more-on-oils-and-oil-shampoo.html.

Avital88
February 26th, 2012, 06:01 AM
Same here my hair takes almost 4 hours to dry, but in summer it just takes 1 hour or sometimes even less..
I dont know ,i think thinner hair dries quicker.. maybe you should try doing the styles while your hair is less wet/damp,and see if it makes a difference in the morning.

jacqueline101
February 26th, 2012, 07:20 AM
It might have to do with how thick the hair is in a certain area.

xoxophelia
February 26th, 2012, 07:31 AM
Hair that is more damaged or porous, alows more water to enter it, when washed or soaked with water. Hair that has been lubricated with oil, for example will not absorb as much water and can dry faster.

If for example, hair has been well clarified and coconut oil is used as a pre-treatment or added to shampoo without any barriers from allowing the lauric acid in it to be absorbed deeply into hair, the lauric acid bonds to keratin in the cortex and further helps prevent more water from being absorbed, http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.com/2012/02/more-on-oils-and-oil-shampoo.html.

But wouldn't water also more easily escape? What doesn't make sense to me is that as my hair has become healthier, it takes significantly longer to dry. When I used to heat style all the time, at the absolute most it took 2 hours to be 100% bone dry. Now, I will say it is "dry" at about 5 but it can really be more than that. I also had hip length hair that was blow dried and flat ironed frequently and still dried much more quickly.

ktani
February 26th, 2012, 07:37 AM
But wouldn't water also more easily escape? What doesn't make sense to me is that as my hair has become healthier, it takes significantly longer to dry. When I used to heat style all the time, at the absolute most it took 2 hours to be 100% bone dry. Now, I will say it is "dry" at about 5 but it can really be more than that. I also had hip length hair that was blow dried and flat ironed frequently and still dried much more quickly.

It does make sense in that by healthier, your hair is most likely lubricated and the cuticles "sealed"and protected with gaps filled in by conditioner and oil. Yes, hair that is more porous allows more water into the hair, and it escapes faster too. That is logical.

Georgies
February 26th, 2012, 07:41 AM
If for example, hair has been well clarified and coconut oil is used as a pre-treatment or added to shampoo without any barriers from allowing the lauric acid in it to be absorbed deeply into hair, the lauric acid bonds to keratin in the cortex and further helps prevent more water from being absorbed, http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.com/2012/02/more-on-oils-and-oil-shampoo.html.

That's it, I'm definitely trying oil shampoo. I wanted to stop fiddling around with my routine but my hair takes geologic ages to dry. I would love quick dry hair!

sazzie88
February 26th, 2012, 07:46 AM
I have very thin hair (reaching apl) my hair has always dried fast even when it was at waist length. When I use coconut oil it takes slightly longerbutnot much. It usually dries in 15-20 minutes faster when it's summer, it's probably due to the fact that I swish my hair back and forth and side to side a few times once it is damp :)

Madora
February 26th, 2012, 07:58 AM
As Ktani mentioned, porosity does play a major part in how fast your hair will dry.


Added to that is your method of drying.


If you gently press out the water out of your hair with your palms, then put it up in a towel for a few minutes, that helps. (I have my hair wrapped vertically in a towel when I do that).

However, to speed up the process, air has to circulate through your strands. If you just let the wet hair sit on a towel down your back, or confine it in a braid or a bun for hours, it will take much longer for the air to reach every strand.


For anyone interested, here's my article on gently (and quickly)air drying hair:


http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=223

Amber_Maiden
February 26th, 2012, 09:11 AM
I think it has to do with location, season, thickness of hair, and how long it is.

darklyndsea
February 26th, 2012, 10:38 AM
Porosity, thickness, temperature, humidity, length, air circulation, and how much water is squeezed out manually. And it all adds up--which is why Madora's hair takes only a fraction of the time that mine does to dry, even though our hair type is very close.

Does anybody know if coarseness affects drying time?

JellyBene
February 26th, 2012, 10:51 AM
Its a strange thing isn't it? I don't think it necessarily has to do with thickness, I have a friend with waist length curly hair that is QUITE thick and coarse and it only takes 15 minutes to dry. Then there is my hair which is APL and very fine and it takes sometimes over an hour to dry. I also think it can't possibly have too much to do with the environment because I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico where it is quite dry.

lapushka
February 26th, 2012, 11:12 AM
I've seen youtube videos of girls rolling their hair up or pin curling or sock bunning it while damp, sleeping overnight, and then it's dry in the morning (they say).

Kind of depends on how damp their hair is. 10% damp I think gets your hair dry in the morning, but 50% to 80% - I don't think so.

Madora
February 26th, 2012, 11:19 AM
Kind of depends on how damp their hair is. 10% damp I think gets your hair dry in the morning, but 50% to 80% - I don't think so.

^ ^ ^ ^ Exactly!

There are different types of "damp"!