I DONT MEAN TO BE NEGATIVE BUT TO ME HEAT IS.....

[prospurr4]

I just play it safe and avoid ALL heat as much as possible. I don't use direct heat at all. However, I do sit under a bonnet dryer (indirect heat) for about an hour to partially dry my rollersets, then I airdry. I use the bonnet dryer on LOW setting, which feels about the same temperature as someone blowing on my hair, so I'm good.

My hair is much healther and free of split ends since I eliminated the heat.

 

[KhandiB]

OOOOOOH Whipz!

I really think that indirect vs. direct heat is subjective. There's really no way to come to a consensus on this topic. You have to do what works for you and don't worry about the next person

I don't about everyone else but length comes eventually because your hair is always growing. Over the course of time, people have setbacks(relaxers, dye, breakage, etc.), go back and forth between being natural/texlaxed/relaxed, or just simply have a change of heart about their hair. Imo, anyone can grow long hair but not everyone can sustain a healthy head of hair in the process. There's absolutely nothing more horrific looking than long haired individuals with unhealthy looking hair. If you stick around here long enough you will definitely see what I'm talking about!

 

[mkstar826]

The sun is not damaging to the hair. The sun is good for us and we need it in order to live. Overexposure to the sun is what's actually damaging. Overexposure to anything has the potential to be damaging. This is why you have to find a healthy balance...

i couldn't agree with your point more. indirect or direct, if it's done too much is going to harm the hair....

 

[charmtreese]

Yeah, thats what i think also....
I think as far as heat, one of them is not better than the other---I think its just manipulation, air force, and how fast the moisture gets sucked out.

Thats a good plan too....I wish dome dryers had a cold setting.

I use my bonnet attachment with my handheld dryer and this does have a cool setting. I normally dry on med for a half hour or so and then the rest of the time I dry on cool.

Using the bonnet dryer to dry my hair in rollers has been a god sent. My hair feels soft and moisturized afterwards. Blow drying always made my hair feel hard and lifeless. I believe that indirect heat is much better for the hair and when used the right way can even be healthy for hair.

 

[Desert Skye]

Hmm..

Like the other ladies have said I just cant stand those hot dome driers burning my hair and head. Thats why at home I put it on a lower setting, its takes longer but its better.My hair takes forever and a day to dry.

I have used both dome and blow driers and I can say that that dome does not seem to be doing any significant damage to my hair. My hair is shiny, bouncy, and thick. I have been using my dome drier for years and I do not regularly trim my hair so if the dome was jacking up my hair, it would have showed up a long time ago.

But when I used the hairdryer, that was another story. For some reason, no matter how gentle I was, it would just rob my hair of moisture and after a few months, I could just see the damage. My hair was crispier than burnt chicken.

So even though the dome dryer is indeed heat, it still allowed my hair to retain moisture and isnt that the concern when using heat? It robs their hair of moisture leading to breakage and brittleness?

 

[Poohbear]

The sun is not damaging to the hair. The sun is good for us and we need it in order to live. Overexposure to the sun is what's actually damaging. Overexposure to anything has the potential to be damaging. This is why you have to find a healthy balance...

My thoughts exactly!!!!!!

 

[Artemis]

Call me crazy or naive or whatever, but I really don't see the nail analogy to heat use. Blowdrying is not taking the dryer and standing with the heat source on one spot for 5 min at a time (--In fact, that sounds MORE like sitting under the hood dryer ). If you are doing that, you need to have all of your heated appliances taken away from you until you are properly trained. IMO if the person who experiences heat damage just admits to themselves that it's because they don't know HOW to use the appliance their on their hair properly (or simply failed to read the instructions included in the box), a lot of the direct v. indirect heat debate would be squashed. How can sitting under a covered heat source on medium or even HIGH (some ppl do this) be better than using a blowdryer on low, warm heat that is constantly moving along the hair shaft, at least 6-8 inches away from the hair (pointed downward) after applying a heat protectant and letting the hair airdry a bit prior to use???!!!! Please explain this... No matter what the heat source is, people, please just use common sense and put the appliance on at a REASONABLE temp. That solves over half the issues right there. But this is a society of not having enough time to wait, and alas, damaged hair is a consequence. I just don't understand why one must blame the tool itself. Temp control exists for a reason...

Any of the articles I have googled in the past on how to properly blow dry the hair say that it takes TIME, PATIENCE, and PRACTICE to get the technique down so as to not damage your hair. Same w/flat irons, curlers, etc. And heat protectants and regular deep conditioners are a basic necessity. The only time I will recommend someone not use any heat on their hair is if they are recovering from past hair "sins" in which the hair can not take much, and that damage needs to be grown out or cut off. But if you take care of your hair and are consistent with your methods and the appliance's temp is REASONABLE (which YOU determine, not me, as I don't have your hair) then heat use is fine. In fact, in most cases as of late (due to the fairly recent technology) heat use can actually help keep your hair healthy. It's been posted on this forum before, but do a search for "infrared heat"...I don't get why this is still such a mystery to some people...Someone please enlighten me.

Whew! I am done venting; sorry, but this topic just really bothers me Back to you, ladies

 

[Artemis]

As a regular blow-dryer, rollersetter, I'm more afraid of the hooded dryer than the blowdryer. I know that the hooded dryer is supposed to be better than the blowdryer but I don't find so at all. When I blow-dry I'm moving the blowdryer all around, up and down. It's not focused on a certain spot.
With the hooded dryer that insane heat trained on one spot for 2 hrs is brutal. The last time I rollerset, I could smell my hair burning and it still wasn't completely dry.
From now, I plan to sit under the dryer for 45 mins. Air dry for a few hrs, Sit back under the dryer for another 15 mins to make sure my ends are dry.
The good thing about rollersetting is that your ends are smooth and they don't snag on the comb leading to less breakage.

Exactly SC

 

[AwesomelyNappy]

Call me crazy or naive or whatever, but I really don't see the nail analogy to heat use. Blowdrying is not taking the dryer and standing with the heat source on one spot for 5 min at a time (--In fact, that sounds MORE like sitting under the hood dryer ). If you are doing that, you need to have all of your heated appliances taken away from you until you are properly trained. IMO if the person who experiences heat damage just admits to themselves that it's because they don't know HOW to use the appliance their on their hair properly (or simply failed to read the instructions included in the box), a lot of the direct v. indirect heat debate would be squashed. How can sitting under a covered heat source on medium or even HIGH (some ppl do this) be better than using a blowdryer on low, warm heat that is constantly moving along the hair shaft, at least 6-8 inches away from the hair (pointed downward) after applying a heat protectant and letting the hair airdry a bit prior to use???!!!! Please explain this... No matter what the heat source is, people, please just use common sense and put the appliance on at a REASONABLE temp. That solves over half the issues right there. But this is a society of not having enough time to wait, and alas, damaged hair is a consequence. I just don't understand why one must blame the tool itself. Temp control exists for a reason...

Any of the articles I have googled in the past on how to properly blow dry the hair say that it takes TIME, PATIENCE, and PRACTICE to get the technique down so as to not damage your hair. Same w/flat irons, curlers, etc. And heat protectants and regular deep conditioners are a basic necessity. The only time I will recommend someone not use any heat on their hair is if they are recovering from past hair "sins" in which the hair can not take much, and that damage needs to be grown out or cut off. But if you take care of your hair and are consistent with your methods and the appliance's temp is REASONABLE (which YOU determine, not me, as I don't have your hair) then heat use is fine. In fact, in most cases as of late (due to the fairly recent technology) heat use can actually help keep your hair healthy. It's been posted on this forum before, but do a search for "infrared heat"...I don't get why this is still such a mystery to some people...Someone please enlighten me.

Whew! I am done venting; sorry, but this topic just really bothers me Back to you, ladies

i agree with this post.

 

[WhipEffectz1]

OOOOOOH Whipz!

Lo siento!!!!

 

[silverlotus]

I totally agree with the ladies who said blow-dryers are worse than hooded dryers. The only exception is that some hooded dryers do have hot spots that can potentially damage your hair.

To me, using a hood dryer is the equivalent of being outside on a hot day. The water in your hair is evaporating slowly and at a lower temp. Blow-dryers, flat irons, etc actually cause the water in your hair to boil, which cause weak spots that lead to breakage. This is JMO, but very few people can use direct heat on a regular basis (no matter how much heat protectant they use) and have super-long, thick healthy hair. Of course, this is just based on my own observations.

OP, if you're unsure just airdry and be done with it.

 

[peacelove]

I am a bit logical. Think about this and if you have a good explanation for me then let me know the real deal...

If the sun is damaging to the hair...
And the sun is the most indirect source of heat I can think of...
Then how is a hooded dryer healthy for you?

And how is sitting under indirect heat (a hooded dryer) for an hour plus for drying or a rollerset any healthier for the hair than a 10 to 15 minute blast of direct heat (blow dryers)?

I hear about girls having alot of breakage with rollersets and what not.

Heat is heat and the less the better. I use heat for deep conditions, air dry for everything else, and flat iron and blow dry every three months.

I mean what is the difference really...


Thoughts are welcomed.

I don't think it is a question of heat being good per say. It is a question of what minimizes the breakage and keeps the hair on your head. For me, airdrying would cause much more breakage than heat would. When I use heat, it seals the cuticle of my hair and the strands don't wrap around each other, and it is that, for me, that gives me the least amount of friction and therefore less breakage and the most growth. Wash and go styles, although they left my hair with lots of daily moisture and no heat, left me with hair snapping in the crown from the curls wrapped around each other, the daily manipulation to encourage that curl, and the product build up. With a straight style, I do very very little to my hair between washes. I barely even need product.

I would never say that the heat is good for me, it is the lesser of two evils. But I always say, if it works for you - stick with it. Just know that what works for some does not work for others. I would not change a routine if you are getting positive results.

 

[Supergirl]

ME TOO! I'm glad u said it first. Heat is heat regardless. I personally dont have the time to sit under a dryer at home for 1-2 hours in one spot. Only when i have a lazy day w/ nothing to do will I do it. Its hard for me to do so at the salon.

I think its the manipulation though. Under the dryer there is no manipulation except for gettin the hair in rollers. When i blow dry, my hair is all over the place, gently pulling and straightening. BUT, it only takes me 10 minutes.

Its a tradeoff I think. I wish someone could do a study of a hair folicle w/ a hooded dryer and a blow dryer and see which one caused the most damage.

Yep, that's a big part of it.

 

[Sistaslick]

I totally agree with the ladies who said blow-dryers are worse than hooded dryers. The only exception is that some hooded dryers do have hot spots that can potentially damage your hair.

To me, using a hood dryer is the equivalent of being outside on a hot day. The water in your hair is evaporating slowly and at a lower temp. Blow-dryers, flat irons, etc actually cause the water in your hair to boil, which cause weak spots that lead to breakage. This is JMO, but very few people can use direct heat on a regular basis (no matter how much heat protectant they use) and have super-long, thick healthy hair. Of course, this is just based on my own observations.

OP, if you're unsure just airdry and be done with it.

I think we all can agree that heat in and of itself isn't the best, period. And technique is very important- if you're blow drying like Artemis E then yeah, your blowdrying is probably not causing you any problems. But y'all know most people ain't blowdrying their hair like that. I guess it would be somewhat misleading to say that one is healthier than the other when neither are super healthy to begin with. But one definitely is easier on the hair than the other, though both have drawbacks.

So, I'm with the post above 100%. Temperature and force/direction of airflow make all the difference. That's why it takes longer for hair to dry under a hooded dryer-- the heat and force of airflow are simply not enough to fully dry the hair and evaporate the water quickly. Same thing with airdrying in room air, the force of air and its heat are not enough to evaporate the water quickly. The damage from drying the hair is mainly in the manipulation and rapid depletion of water from the strands-- this damages the cuticle and leads to problems with breakage and porosity. How often does a hooded dryer produce swollen, big supersized hair? Rarely. Those high porosity characteristics are typical among frequent blowdryers, even with the most careful drying and especially if the hair is blown to 100% dryness.

If your hood is scorching parts of your neck and scalp then obviously it's time to start looking for a new game plan because that ain't cutting it either.

Simply put, rapidly heating anything is going to be damaging to it. (Think your food in a microwave). Slow, even heat is easier on the hair than fast, random blasts heat, and thats true for blowdryers, domes, and flatirons. You'd much rather 2 passes of a flatiron at 150F, than 1 at 300F, a gentle blowing cool handdryer than a moderately hot fast blower, and an even heated dome to one with hotspots.

Then the question becomes, what do you do with your freshly blown or dome dried hair? More heat styling? Most dome styles are done after you get up from under there.

But aside from all of that, just look at the heads of people who regularly rollerset, airdry, and blowdry. You can usually tell who does what.

I liked Gymfreak's analogy about the oven vs. the stove.

 

[Sistaslick]

I would never say that the heat is good for me, it is the lesser of two evils. But I always say, if it works for you - stick with it. Just know that what works for some does not work for others. I would not change a routine if you are getting positive results.

ITA all day long.

 

[Artemis]

I am always happy when Sistaslick posts

I think that what we need to do (esp. for those who want to use heat sometimes or every once in a while, but don't want excessive damage) is think of the heat sources in terms of a continuum...with the premise that too much of anything is a bad thing. If you are on the lighter end of the heat use, then you can afford to do less maintanence/damage control but if you want to use more heat, or higher temps, be prepared to do the necessary treatments to keep the hair healthy.

*Less damaging potential* Airdry >> Hood dryer >> Blowdryer >> Flat Iron >> Marcels >> *More damaging potential*

Something along those lines...I'll let y'all work out the rest..