Forgive me LHC for I have sinned!

[joflakes]

Quite a lot!

I have time frame issues which mean I mostly have no time to leave my hair to air dry. This means I have to blow dry my hair almost every time I wash it...3/4 times a week.

Also...I have been using flat irons. I know they're bad but I always use a heat protection spray and if I don't I feel bad about my hair as it has a weird texture at the moment.

It's about chin length and it is wavy but at this length it just looks a state if I don't flat iron it.

If anyone has any tips for how to help me avoid the heat and look half decent, that'd be great. I would like to cut down as I have bleached my hair (just the once) and dye it. It feels in good condition now but I don't want to get to the point where it feels dry and horrible like it did before.

I also use leave in treatments (either conditioner or coconut oil) about once a week. I use a comb but just a normal one, when wet and usually...I detangle from the bottom up and rarely get issues with tangly hair.
Prevention is better than a cure!

[Purdy Bear]

I dont have any tips, but your not alone, on average it takes 21 days for a habit to change, so just stick with what you can do and do something each day and it will come in time.

[sfgirl]

Maybe try doing cute 20's or 30's waves with your hair. There's so many times I've almost chopped my hair just to have adorable little finger waves. I believe you can do some without heat also!

[Bagginslover]

Aw, don't worry, you have to be happy with your hair, so if you need to iron it at this length, then do.
Yes it will cause damage, but if it gets you past a growth stage that otherwise would cause you to chop, I think its a small price to pay.

Remember, hair keeps growing, so once its longer, you can just gradually trim away any damage you are causing now I firmly beleive that hair should be enjoyed, and if it taked heat for you to enjoy it, then heat it.

[Ceridwen Iris]

Can you just iron the top layer of hair or iron big clumps of hair at a time?

Can you wash your hair less often so you don't need to dry it?

[Dars]

This article did the trick for me to put away heat tools. I've been heat free for nearly 2 and a half years and still going strong, even special occassions like family weddings, milestone birthdays and further eduation graduations don't faze me anymore! Oh and please don't be fooled by heat "protectant" products

[Arya]

I don't understand how chin length hair is shorter to blow dry than air dry. Can't you just dab it dry with a towel and go out with your hair still damp?

Something that really changed the speed of my hair drying is my shower order. The last thing I used to do was rinse the conditioner out of my hair, and I'd emerge with completely soaking hair. Now I wash my hair first thing, condition it right away, do a few things, rinse it and squeeze it out, do a few more things, then hop out. It makes a big difference in how fast my hair dries, because my towel isn't as soaked, so it works better, quicker.

[jacqueline101]

Just try to remember the things you were taught. Try to change your habits.

[coldclarity]

Could you maybe get a few long layers? That might help with the wave. I wouldn't have been able to grow my hair up to about shoulder without some sort of cut in it, it just looked awful!

[coldclarity]

Also, I have the same time issues. I work full time and have a long commute. My hair takes five hours to be totally dry, which is a huge pain in winter. As it's gets longer I've managed to cut down to two washes a week. I do one on a Sunday when I'm home all day, and the other on a Wednesday. I wash it as soon as I get in the house from work (usually between six and half past) so it gets three hours to dry before bed. I go to bed with it damp and just live with it.

It takes a bit of creative thinking, and stretching washes out a little, but it can be done.