Hooded Dryer For Conditioning=Damage?

[lonei]

Hi ladies, I just read an old thread about deep conditioning using a hooded dryer. It maintains that any longer than 15 minutes under the dryer with conditioner just melts the conditioner and damages the hair

. The only time I use the dryer to condition is when I just relax with ORS Olive Oil. It suggests that you go under the dryer for 15 minutes with their replenishing pak

. I normally go under the steamer when I wash my hair.

1. Can you go under the steamer with freshly relaxed hair?

2. Is it better to invest in a heat cap?

 

[cardinalfire]

You want the conditioner to melt, that's the purpose of using heat. Then when the conditioner is rinsed out, it cools and seals the holes in your cuticles, which leaves it soft. When you are deep conditioning, you should only be using a low or medium setting anyway. As with everything, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. The main thing is to follow the instructions of the product that you are using. You might want to modify it later based upon your results.

Sorry I couldn't answer your questions though.

 

[patience]

This is the first that I've heard of this. I used to fall asleep under the dryer when I deep conditioned. I would usually do a minimum of 30 minutes. I never had any problems. I did it with the hard and soft bonnet dryers...

I don't know about heat caps, but I have put on a plastic cap and then wrapped my head in a hot towel for about 15 minutes. It worked okay, but I liked the dryer results better.

 

[cardinalfire]

PS your hair is gorgeous. I don't know if I've even seen a weave that looked that good!

 

[lonei]

[ QUOTE ]
cardinalfire said:
PS your hair is gorgeous. I don't know if I've even seen a weave that looked that good!

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you so much, babe, god bless.

 

[lonei]

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patience said:
I don't know about heat caps, but I have put on a plastic cap and then wrapped my head in a hot towel for about 15 minutes. It worked okay, but I liked the dryer results better.

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you make the towel hot?

 

[patience]

[ QUOTE ]
lonei said:
[ QUOTE ]
patience said:
I don't know about heat caps, but I have put on a plastic cap and then wrapped my head in a hot towel for about 15 minutes. It worked okay, but I liked the dryer results better.

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you make the towel hot?

[/ QUOTE ]

I use a hand towel or a thin regular sized towel. Wet it, squeeze out most of the excess...put in the microwave for about 15 - 30 seconds and voila! be careful taking it out though. I then wrap it around my hair/plastic cap and clip the towel with a butterfly clip to keep it in place.

 

[lonei]

Thanks patience

 

[Falon]

I thought you had to stay under the dryer for at least 20 minutes for the cuticle to swell and the conditioner to be absorbed. Now I'm confused. I thought sitting under the dryer for at LEAST 20 minutes and up to 30 minutes (on low of course) while deep conditioning was a good thing for the hair......Someone please clarify this. I hope I'm not damaging my hair.

 

[sengschick]

The towel always seemed to cool off too fast for me. I use a heat cap, rather than a hooded dryer b/c I don't like the blowing heat.

As far as heat is concerned, I follow the Ouidad rule. This is from her site: Cover your entire mane with a plastic cap and apply heat using a hood-style dryer or bonnet attachment for a hand-held dryer to adequately warm your hair in about 20 minutes. (Allow extra time for very thick or long hair.) It's important to heat your hair thoroughly to relax the cuticle proteins and allow the absorption of key ingredients to reconnect the internal molecular layer, restoring its inner weight. Be sure to use low heat and maintain the level for the full twenty minutes.

She has more tips for deep conditioning: Ouidad

 

[Lindy]

[ QUOTE ]
Falon said:
I thought you had to stay under the dryer for at least 20 minutes for the cuticle to swell and the conditioner to be absorbed. Now I'm confused. I thought sitting under the dryer for at LEAST 20 minutes and up to 30 minutes (on low of course) while deep conditioning was a good thing for the hair......Someone please clarify this. I hope I'm not damaging my hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't worry Falon... that's what I've been doing for the past year and my hair has been doing just fine!!

I do find that there are some conditioners that seem to work better with heat and other conditioners that work better w/o, but that's kind of a trial and error thing.

 

[Brooke007]

I think I know the thread you're talking about. I don't know about the freshly relaxed question but if you are concerned about the effects of too much heat in conditioning the heating cap will not be a better alternative as it will be administering the same heat to the hair only on contact.
[ QUOTE ]
You want the conditioner to melt, that's the purpose of using heat.

[/ QUOTE ] I disagree the purpose of using heat is that the heat opens up the cuticle to receive the conditioning effects of the conditioner. If the conditioner melts you may also be breaking down the structural chemical components of the conditioner by the excessive heat and you may not be getting the full benefits of the conditioner. Although some conditioners are "heat activated" and improve with heat usually when a conditioner requires heat it is meant to change the way your hair recieves the conditioner (opening cuticle).

I'm not willing to give up heat during conditioning altogether but I have reduced my usage and the temperature.

 

[queenofmean68]

I have never heard that before. I usually sit up under the dryer until all of my hair is warm to the touch, then I rinse with tepid/cool water to close the cuticle. I do this weekly and never had any problems.

 

[lonei]

This is so confusing!! So ultimately, my main questions are:

[ QUOTE ]
lonei said:

1. Can you go under the steamer with freshly relaxed hair?

2. Is it better to invest in a heat cap?

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