Can too much indirect heat (Pibbs) be damaging?

[Butterfly08]

So I am bunning my hair for the next year. I was reading through that loooong DC'ing thread and noticed how several sung the praises of DC'ing with heat, 3x a week. I cowash about 3x a week, at night, but sometimes my hair is still wet in the morning. I also leave in undiluted conditioner, like Redken Butter Treat.

Ok, my question is, do you think it would be damaging to sit under the dryer 3x a week for 20 - 25 minutes with my BT in, and then not manipulate it again for another 2 - 3 days? What I do is cowash in the shower, lightly dry with a towel, put in the butter treat (no combing), loosely twist into a bun and then sit under the dryer without a cap (I'm trying to DC and lightly dry at the same time). My hair feels so much smoother than when I completely air dry, but I wonder about long term effects.

Any thoughts? :scratchch

 

[chitowngal330]

bumping for ya

 

[gymfreak336]

I think it depends. Personally, sometimes I think direct heat can be less damaging and less drying but that is another thread.

Try doing it 2 times a week instead. I too cowash or wash at night and like today, my hair was still a little wet. Sometimes I sit under for 30 minutes and then finish it off airdrying. The intial heat helps smooth the cuticle so it is smoother and silkier but I tie it down with a silk scarf so that my hair is flat and not too poofy in the morning after it finishes air drying.

 

[Healthybodynhair]

Bumping!!!! Any other opinions on this?

 

[Butterfly08]

Thanks gym. I'll definitely try to limit to twice a week. If at all possible, I may just do it once during the week, but do my second cowash on a weekend when I don't have to get up early and go anywhere right away.

I do notice that the heat smooths my cuticles down and makes my hair smooth. I also feel like I'm baking the conditioner into my hair so it's compensating in some way for the heat damage. Air dried hair can feel rough and starts to tangle a lot quicker.

Any more feedback guys?

 

[Butterfly08]

Bumpity bump!!

 

[tiffers]

I swear I was JUST thinking about whether using indirect heat twice a week could be damaging!

Couldn't come to any conclusions or figure out the answer, though erplexed

I'm glad gym chimed in, that makes me feel feel better. Gymmie's so smart!

 

[gymfreak336]

You know, I really think it depends on your hair.

Even though my scalp LOVES airdrying, airdrying can increase manipulation damage depending on your hair type. With me being relaxed and colored, my cuticle has been through it Airdrying doesn't smooth the cuticle at all, unless I roll it first and that helps, so when it is combed, my cuticle is raised and it catches more so indirectly, I am still damaging it.

I think the balance will come in when you can figure out how long you need to sit under to give your cuticle time to smooth out more and lay down without pushing the limit with your heat tolerance. A little serum or heat protectant spray would help but I think you might have to play around with the time.

If I am not rolling my hair, I sit under for the first 30 minutes or so. If I roll it, I wait until it is nearly dry and finish it under a dryer ( When I have time to do this, lately, I don't have the time to sit around for it to air dry on rollers)

Even if you are able to maybe put your hair into a ponytail (loose of course) and just roll the tail end, your hair should dry smoother from the smooth surface of the plastic roller.

 

[tapioca_pudding]

I think it depends on your hair and what temp you have your dryer on. Unless I'm in a SUPER DUPER hurry (which has only happened mayb twice), I never keep my dryer above 45-50 while DCing/drying under my Pibbs. Anything higher and my scalp starts feeling tight, which for me means its too much heat.

I think using a high temp more than twice a week might be a lil much. Maybe alternate one of those DC's with a long dc w/o heat (1hr to overnite) to avoid being under the dryer 3 times a week?

JMHO. Sorry if nothing made sense.

 

[Caramela]

I think it depends. Personally, sometimes I think direct heat can be less damaging and less drying but that is another thread.

.

Well I think you should start the thread... this theory is definitely worth discussing. I can certainly see why you'd come to that conclusion. It makes perfect sense.

 

[Butterfly08]

You know, I really think it depends on your hair.

Even though my scalp LOVES airdrying, airdrying can increase manipulation damage depending on your hair type. With me being relaxed and colored, my cuticle has been through it Airdrying doesn't smooth the cuticle at all, unless I roll it first and that helps, so when it is combed, my cuticle is raised and it catches more so indirectly, I am still damaging it.

This has EXACTLY been my experience. When I cowashed prior to the relaxer, my hair dried rough (felt good in the shower, but was so rough once it dried). erplexed Then I got my hair relaxed, and I couldn't figure out at first why cowashing after my relaxer was like wetting silky, buttery hair. It was because she blow dried and flat ironed my hair, and the cuticles were perfectly flat! I only use direct heat at touch up time (although that may change now that I bought a FHI flat iron).

I think 20 minutes under my Pibbs at "Medium" - which is still scorching hot - is enough to seal the cuticle for me. I added FHI hot sauce and I'll alternate with using Chi and some of the Aveda serums I have as well.

I so agree with what you say about the rough cuticles causing damage and breakage.

 

[gymfreak336]

Well I think you should start the thread... this theory is definitely worth discussing. I can certainly see why you'd come to that conclusion. It makes perfect sense.

I don't even want to start the fighting up in here

I just want people to remember that an hour under the dryer is still an hour under a dryer ya know

 

[shtow]

I don't even want to start the fighting up in here

I just want people to remember that an hour under the dryer is still an hour under a dryer ya know

ITA, but everyone already knows that. The way I see it is one pass of a hot appliance (a millisecond) per strand or the whole strand being exposed to heat for 2 plus hours under the dryer (thats how long my rollersets take to dry at a minimum).

 

[Butterfly08]

I don't even want to start the fighting up in here

I just want people to remember that an hour under the dryer is still an hour under a dryer ya know

Why would that thread cause a war? Clearly I don't come to the hair board enough.

I do know from personal experience that washing, blowdrying and hot curling my hair twice a week caused it to thin out horribly. I chopped off almost MBL hair because it was damaged and I couldn't stand the straggly threads of hair. I've never had damage from a hooded dryer, but then again I really never used it more than once a week, and I don't stay under it longer than an hour. So I'm just curious if bumping it up to twice a week might cause some long term problems. I'd be staying under 20 - 30 minutes each time, so maybe it would just be like splitting up my normal 1 hour session once a week. :scratchch

 

[curlcomplexity]

I do it....

I co wash my hair at least 2x a week. I like to let it airdry for a few minutes add my product and slick it back into a bun and apply a scarf to lay my edges down. Then I set my Pibbs to about 50 degrees and sit under it for about 10-15 minutes. This will the the front part of my hair fairly dry, I let the ends airdry completely and then I pin them up. I have noticed no damage and I have been doing this for months now. I actually like it better this way b/c my hair lays down smoother.

 

[Butterfly08]

I do it....

I co wash my hair at least 2x a week. I like to let it airdry for a few minutes add my product and slick it back into a bun and apply a scarf to lay my edges down. Then I set my Pibbs to about 50 degrees and sit under it for about 10-15 minutes. This will the the front part of my hair fairly dry, I let the ends airdry completely and then I pin them up. I have noticed no damage and I have been doing this for months now. I actually like it better this way b/c my hair lays down smoother.

Thanks, that's exactly how I do it minus the scarf. I keep the ends bunned up so they are actually still wet. If I'm not going anywhere I take the bun down and air dry as well. It's great to hear that someone else is doing this w/o any damage.

 

[anniev2]

This has EXACTLY been my experience. When I cowashed prior to the relaxer, my hair dried rough (felt good in the shower, but was so rough once it dried). erplexed Then I got my hair relaxed, and I couldn't figure out at first why cowashing after my relaxer was like wetting silky, buttery hair. It was because she blow dried and flat ironed my hair, and the cuticles were perfectly flat! I only use direct heat at touch up time (although that may change now that I bought a FHI flat iron).

I think 20 minutes under my Pibbs at "Medium" - which is still scorching hot - is enough to seal the cuticle for me. I added FHI hot sauce and I'll alternate with using Chi and some of the Aveda serums I have as well.

I so agree with what you say about the rough cuticles causing damage and breakage.

What is pibbs?

 

[SelfStyled]

Hey there. I have used indirect heat, soft bonnet dryer 2-3x a week for the past 6 months with no problem at all. My hair has grown and I have retained the growth and I have no splits at all. I do not use direct heat though. I have to wash frequently because I workout frequently.

This is my regimen:

Regimen:

Co washing every 2-3 days, with Trader Joe's Nourish Spa or Aubrey's Honeysucle Rose or whatever I am feeling at the moment.

I use poo weekly Trader Joe's Nourish Spa or Cream of Nature( red label or green label)

On alternate weeks I shampoo with ORS Aloe shampoo. I clarify monthly with Nexus Aloe Rid.

DC once a week with heat, usually Silicon Mix or Aubrey's HSR.

After the Cowash, I apply Ovation Cell Therapy on my scalp only, put on leave in, usually the Sunsilk Captivating Curls(green bottle) or Hair One -Jojoba. I then seal in the moisture with Sabino Moisture Block, put on a silk scarf, and get under my bonnet dryer for 30 min on low.

My hair seems to like this and dries so much smoother than just reg air dry. I think it really depends on your hair though.

 

[Butterfly08]

What is pibbs?

It's a salon quality dryer. There have been at least 3 lhcf organized purchases - I believe there is one going on right now. I literally joined right when the first one began and I got the 512 version for $180 and free shipping. I think they have a pretty good deal going on right now, not sure of the price though.

Loves it!

 

[Neith]

I think it's highly unlikely to eperience significant damage from a dome dryer.

For one thing, it's not NEARLY as hot as flat irons/curling irons. You are sitting under it and it's not burning you (hopefully), so it's not burning your hair.

Not to say it's impossible to get damage, but imo you're probably ok as long as you keep your hair moisturized/conditioned. Even if not, I just don't see it causing anything but maybe a touch of dryness in healthy hair.