Blow Drying VS Flat Ironing

[Bosslady1]

Which one do you think is more damaging if done once a week?

I usually airdry then flatiron my hair. Then one day I used my friend's Alter Ego products then she blew dry my hair. The results were great.

I am skeptical about the manipulation of a using blow dryer weekly though...

Isn't that more constant tugging or ripping of the hair than using a flat iron? Or is using a flat iron because the heat is harsher than a blow dryer worst?

Please help.

I need to use either one because my new growth at 6 weeks in UNBEARABLE. I need your help in finding out which one is worth it or better in the long run.

 

[lisana]

I prefer the flat iron for the same reasons you stated. After about 8-9 wks i like it to use it after air-drying. blowing at that stage involves to much hair loss and effort for me.

 

[MissScarlett]

I use heat during the fall/winter about once every 10 days. I blowdry AND flat iron. I think it just depend on if it works for you or not. It works for me and I know heat is a big no no around here

 

[Misseyl]

For my hair, flatironing is better. Years ago, before I know what I know now, I use to blowdry my hair and it left me bald. I've also gone to the Dominicans to have them blow out my hair, and I also experienced breakage so for me, blowdrying is a no no...When I flatiron, I usually do it once per week on clean hair.

 

[Bosslady1]

For my hair, flatironing is better. Years ago, before I know what I know now, I use to blowdry my hair and it left me bald. I've also gone to the Dominicans to have them blow out my hair, and I also experienced breakage so for me, blowdrying is a no no...When I flatiron, I usually do it once per week on clean hair.

Me too. I really don't like to put heat on my hair but it seems like without my roots being straight, I am prone to excess shedding AND breakage because I am 4a/b. The line between your relaxed and natural hair is a scary thing when stretching.evil:

 

[Bosslady1]

I KNOW you guys use heat!

 

[trulyurangel82]

I havent done both in months but I rather flat iron than blow dry.
Blow drying it straight makes it smooth but dry in the long run and I notice that my hair gets thinner and breaks off. Plus theres a bunch of hair on the floor.

If I want my hair straight I air dry wearing a roller set and then flat iron.
Theres less hair coming out when I air dry and it feels more moisturized even when I flat iron afterwards.

I try to limit the heat though if I do want it straight to only once a week after a wash.

Heat isnt bad but too much heat is.

 

[Undefeated Queen]

I used to blow dry my hair weekly, moisturize and set with Caruso steam rollers. Now I airdry (garnier fructis sleek n shine milk and serum ) and flat iron. My hair loves it. I get less frizzies this way.

 

[Katt73]

I voted that blow drying is better, but I don't use the comb attachment. I detangle with a shower comb, blow dry using my fingers, stopping from time to time to detangle a bit more with the shower comb. I use low heat, then set on Caruso's. From time to time when I want a really sleek look (once a month or so), I'll airdry and flatiron.

 

[jtsupanova]

I blow dry every now then on high w/the comb attachment I think my hair likes it believe or not.

 

[tdwillis]

I do both once a week. That's just the way my hair has been trained, when I air dry, my hair knots up. However, I am big on heat protectants. I use Aveda Damage Control before I blowdry and FHI HotSauce before I flatiron. I also use a flatiron with Titanium plates to keep it smooth and moisturized and I don't have any problems. I don't use heat any other time during the week.

 

[BeautifulFlower]

If I flat iron, I blow dry so I dont do it often. I get the smooothest results this way and during the week I dont get alot of breakage and normal shedding. Its just important to oil and DC with oil and moisture before you do it. I also airdry and bun all the time so once a month I treat myself. I love love love heat just not often (once a month, if that, for me).

For the new year, I think ill try rollersetting once a week. We'll see what happens.

 

[Moroni]

I just voted another way to get my hair straight.

I like using Sylver2's scarf method. After leave-ins and detangling and sealing, I smooth my hair into a bun and tie it tightly with a silk scarf.

Sylver2 puts the hair that hangs down on magnetic rollers, and that keeps the ends smooth and straight. I'm a bunnin' NUT, so no one sees my hair very often. However, my NG lays down and behaves. I've joined the LHCF 2008 Bootcamp, so I won't be blow drying OR flat ironing all of next year, and I'll be stretching to 12 weeks (usually only 8, and trying to work my way up to 16), sooooo, I've GOT to have hair that cooperates!

 

[longhairlover]

Honestly neither are damaging on my hair. My hair looks its; best when I blow dry then flat iron. Rollersetting makes my hair break ten times more and look more damaged, even when done once a week and I know how to do hair.

I think people blow the whole blow drying thing out of proportion. If you take care of your hair blowdrying doesn't do any harm.

I blow dry flat iron once a week only the rest of the week I wrap my hair up tie with a satin/nylon scarf and i'm good.

 

[Ericka]

I also do both. I can't do one and not the other. If I only blow dry my hair, it would just look like a big fro. So therefore I have to flat iron to get my hair straight. If I blow dry on medium heat, it leaves my hair soft as compared to blow drying on high heat.

 

[SpiritJunkie]

i blow dry..about twice a week and flat iron every couple of weeks. not too often.
Not every blow dry is accompanied with flat iron. I usually bun after.

so far so good

 

[QUINN]

I wash, deep condition, blow dry w/o comb attachment and flat iron once a week. My hair likes heat. I use a heat protection also. My hair does not like to be air dried. This helps me stretch too!

 

[Ladia]

Does anyone blowdry with the dryer on the cool setting? Sometimes I don't have time to airdry and I want to minimize the heat that I use and since I know that I will flat iron afterwards I think this might be better.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

Blowfrying with high heat is more damaging assuming a full ceramic iron (maybe with tourmaline) is the alternative.

I noticed some blowfrying damage at my temple area (both sides) over the last couple of weeks after a Dominican blowout on 4/7/08. I know it's from the blowfrying since I have not relaxed since 12/30/07 and when I used the flat iron (same day as blowfrying) did it was with a TON of heat protectant.

 

[Ivonnovi]

I read here somewhere that it's possible to mess your hair up with the blowdryer, by haveing moisture "bubbles" trapped in the hair shaft, and bursting (or something scarry like that) when you go over it with the flat iron.

SO with that said, I perfer to air dry. And use my flat iron to smooth the hair with a flat iron.

 

[cupcakes]

i blowdry once aweek without the comb attachment. i use a heat protectant and finger comb...so far so good

 

[Sha76]

I honestly prefer blow drying. I blow dry with a round brushand heat protectant. But sometimes I flat iron too.

 

[Poohbear]

If I want to flat-iron my hair, I have to blowdry before flat-ironing.

 

[Mortons]

Try ponytail roller setting and then flatironing.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I used to think flat ironing got my hair strait. Today, I tried a hot air brush and twirled it as it dried. My hair has never been this strait. Even my transitioning new growth got strait. I think I'll be doing this once a week. All I had to do was wrap it to preserve the style.

 

[n_vizion]

With blowdrying you can choose the temp, you can blow dry on a cooler setting to help minimize heat exposure. If you chose to flat iron, try to use other methods to maintain the straightness once you are done. That way you are not tempted to break out the flat iron every couple of days.

There was a time when I blow dried and flat ironed about once a week. The hair can tolerate it as long as your hair is strong in the first place and you are not using the heat to an extreme.

 

[ILYandY]

I do both blow dry with comb and flat iron (ceramic) and I use the new BioSilk Therapy 17 Miracle Leave-In Conditioner as a protector.

 

[ajacks]

I blow dry and flat iron once a week and its working ok for me so far.

 

[shelleywj]

I do both. I just learned a better way of blowdrying thanks to you tube...can't remember the sista on there with a tutorial...so that I don't end up with puffy hair and don't have to use too much flat ironing...but as always, I only use heat on my hair once a week. I'm wearing it straight right now.

 

[Coco*Colada]

Whenever i blow-dry it helps me control my hair but i usually flat-iron to make it smoother. I just set the flat-iron to a lower heat setting