is blowdrying really the enemy?

[gingertea]

hello ladies

I'm still very new here. I've been reading, researching, and taking notes from this fabulous source of info that makes up the forum in order to develop my own routine to really kick start my hair growing journey. And I hav come across a few techniques that I see from ladies who look like they are experiencing much success in their journey-
1. They all say they air dry & co wash a couple times a week. How do they accomplish this? Air drying takes a long time and there is no guarantee every spot will dry Correct me if I'm wrong but can't constantly damp or wet hair get like a mildew? Or just smell funny? And I guess the alternative is a rollerset under a dryer but that too takes forever How do yall keep up with that regimen and still go to work, take care of ur family etc. without it consuming ur whole day??
I would appreciate anyone sharing their experience or advice

 

[Charz]

YMMV Your mileage may very.

Some people may have great success with blow drying. I know that my hair could not handle being blowdried on a regular basis. I like to wear my hair in it's natural state and I do not want heat damage. Also my hair is colored so I have to be extra careful.

Rollersetting doesn't take me that long. Maybe an hour and 15 minutes under the dryer. I have a Pibbs 514 though, I know that other dryers may take longer.

I don't like airdrying. It leaves my hair rough and it does not feel moisturized no matter what.

 

[~Sparklingflame~]

I blow dry 2x a month or so and I have no problems. Moderation along with proper moisturizing is key.

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

I wash at night so my hair is dry by the morning. I don't think blowdrying is bad for everybody but some peoples hair can't take it. My hair can take blow drying but I don't have a need to do it plus it's time consuming.

No your hair will not mildew if you wet it often but it may smell if you baggy wet hair.

 

[africanqueen456]

Most people do their hair at night so it will dry in the morning..Thats what I did when I relaxed. I would let my hair air dry andit would take like 2-3 hours or do a braidout on wet hair. Direct heat takes the moisture out of the hair and dry=breakage. So using heat more than once a month when beginning your healthy hair journey is not the business! I would reccomend that you lay off the heat and try to learn what you hair likes and doesnt like then if you want try to incorporate heat into your reggie if needed.Like sparkling said everything in moderation. Dont do double heat,blowdry and flatiron, and if you do blowdry do not do it on the highest setting abnd use a heat protectant.

 

[jerseygurl]

Blowdrying isn't all that bad. I blowdry maybe twice a month and I do it on warm. So I'm able to flatiron afterwards. I also like airdrying so I alternate.

But I agree with Africanqueen in that you should be dependent on blowdrying until you figure out what your hair likes and needs.

 

[Your Cheeziness]

Blowdrying success depends on how healthy and moisturized hair is. Developing a process of detangling and a slippery heat protect reduces manipulation breakage. It's not bad when done properly on healthy hair.

 

[lboogie2679]

When I first began my hair journey I encountered the same issue with trying to figure out how to build a regimen. I was unable to let the heat go and this made progress difficult. I think its really important to learn what your hair likes. I experimented with tons of styles and products. I found that doing my hair at night is the best. For styles like bantu knots and braidouts my hair has to be at least 75% dry so it will come out right the next day. Frequent co washing does not work for everyone so keep in mind that its alot of trial and error to figure out what is best for you.

 

[iri9109]

i airdry because i wear my hair curly all the time (and dont have a diffuser). i think blowdrying can be the enemy when you dont do it properly, and/or do it too often. i did a blowout one time, and i moisturized, sealed, and banded my hair over night and let it so that it was kinda stretched out already, and not super wet, so when i blowdried (on low and cool b/c im paranoid lol), i wouldnt have to do it for that long or apply alot of heat and risk frying my hair or sucking all the moisture out of it...my fro felt soft and moisturized, and lasted for about a week before it started to really revert ...and i had no heat damage

 

[LivingDol1]

air drying doesn't work for everyone.

roller setting is good but it's very time consuming....

i've been air drying and blow drying as of late. i will wash my hair at my own convenience and sometimes i will either just wash n go... or let it air dry over night in a bun... when i wake up, it's never dry. always damp.

after 2-3 days, i will co wash, detangle and blow dry my hair using a heat protectant...

so i guess on an average i blow dry my hair once a week or week and a half... i can't keep my hair curly for more than 4 days without washing or else it's a pain to detangle. my hair is easier to manage when it's straight. it is also far less likely to frizz up when it's blown out straight.

i think i'm pretty responsible with my hair. i don't have serious breakage or heat damage. i don't use high heat. i keep it on low. i do have some split ends but you know what? it's impossible to eliminate them all, especially if you have long hair. you'd have to shave your head!

 

[Quailbird]

Any other blowdry users that can chime in?

 

[dyamonds10]

I blowdry 2x a month and flat iron....I did this during my first transition and I am doing this during this transition. When I was natural, I would blow dry and flat iron once a month.

Good technique, the right products, deep conditioning and patience really keeps your hair healthy and growing.

 

[A856]

suggestions for a heat protectant ladies???

 

[shunemite]

Not all blow drying is bad, especially if done in the direction of the cuticle. I agree with the other ladies in that you'll have to see what works for you. Personally, my hair is fine and has no medulla in its layers so I can air dry within a matter of a few hours doing chores around the house. If I'm in a hurry, then it's the hooded dryer. I don't blow dry. But I have those alternatives that work for ME. Other people's hair is very thick and will NOT dry in a matter of hours.

 

[Rae81]

I used to blow dry and flat iron my hair weekly, and I had a issue with dry scalp and dandruff . Once I stopped blow drying my hair I noticed the dandruff was gone. I just started blow drying my hair again and toe dandruff was back. So I'm back to doing my braid outs

Sent from my HERO200 using Long Hair Care Forum App

 

[prettybyrd]

I swore off the blowdryer in 2000. I would use it only with a diffuser in order to wear curly natural styles, or to blow out my hair before a braid set. The poor blow dryer had become such a demonized hair tool, I never admitted using it, and eventually stopped using it even with the diffuser. I would occassionally use it to do length checks, but my hair would be too rough after, and feel dry. I blamed the BD, when I should have been blaming my methods...or lack thereof.

A few months ago, I decided to give the old BD a second chance. I tried it on cool and loved my results! I also noticed a lot less hair in my combs and brushes that week when I would take down my french braids, moisturize and rebraid. I love how sleek my braids are after I've straighted and dried my hair versus trying to plair it wet. For me, wet plaiting just feels like a setback waiting to happen. All that popping, pulling, and tangling were just awful!

My hair tangles like crazy, and I think - just my thought - that the shed hair I was missing with my comb and brush - my hair is very thick - was blown out with the blow dryer. Since I've been using the BD again, I have continued to notice significantly less breakage, ssk's, and shed hair that is not realeased from my strands causing tangles and knots.

I think that the BD is not the enemy, excessive heat, and poor usage are the enemies.

ETA - I should say, I do not use the BD on wet hair. My hair is always air dried or dried partially under the hood dryer before I blow dry it. And I'm natural, so I'm not aiming for a bone straight-straight, but just straight enough to plait without damaging my hair. Since doing this my strands are very strong and healthy!

 

[prettybyrd]

suggestions for a heat protectant ladies???

I like this one. I prefer serums to liquids. It smells like men's cologne; but I love the smell About effectiveness...I use heat and still have hair, so I guess it works well! This was recommended to me by a stylist I went to a while back. It's cheaper than Chi, so I grabbed it up!

 

[abcd09]

suggestions for a heat protectant ladies???

For a few months I used heat because of bad dreading problems due to a protein mishap and I used CHI silk infusion and the heat protectant spray they make and my hair came out soft. My hair doesn't really like direct heat either (splits easily). I probably shouldn't have gone that long wearing my hair down though. Just remember to moisturize.

 

[~NanCeBoTwin~]

I honestly do not think blow drying is the enemy. The main thing in my opinion is taking care of blow dried hair. Keeping the hair moisturized and not to overly use heat after the initial blowdry. I blowdry mainly now, but I tend to mostly airdry spring thru summer if I'm not in the shop regularly.

 

[Artemis]

Blowdrying isn't bad for me because I am not blowdrying to suck out all the moisture out of my hair or overheat it. It's in technique, and takes practice. If done properly it can benefit some people's hair because it makes it easier for them to manage and style.

Anything that is done improperly or overused can be bad. Even airdrying. There is a proper method to that, too. I never figured it out for my hair, so it's not my method of choice.

 

[Mrs.Green]

Blowdrying success depends on how healthy and moisturized hair is. Developing a process of detangling and a slippery heat protect reduces manipulation breakage. It's not bad when done properly on healthy hair.

I blowdry once a week and flatiron at times during the winter. I didn't do that in the beginning of my journey. I protective styled and airdried. My hair does not like being airdried so when the winter rolled around I blowdried on medium heat with a heat protectant and flat ironed along with rollersets. That works perfect for MY hair. You have to do what works for you.

Moisture+a good heat protectant is key. I use Fantasia IC *pink bottle* or Chi Silk Infusion for heat protectant.

 

[Hysi]

I'm glad this thread came up. When I was relaxed I never BD, air dred only or rollerset. Now that I'm natural, I've found that in a sense Bd works better for me even though I don't like it. I tried air drying, but it was very time consuming as a natural. I noticed that when I BD, my hair doesn't revert as fast and it only takes me about 10 or 15 mins to BD. Since the weather has changed, I have been wearing my hair straight. I use good heat protectants and serums and want to try the one posted earlier one n only ceramides, but.... once a week BD & flat iron. Is this going to spell trouble for me in the long run?

ETA: my hair is fairly straight after BD and not so bad for the flat iron.

 

[MaryJane3000]

I blowdried my hair for the first time by myself yesterday and I noticed a big difference in the way y hair felt when compared to how my mom used to blow dry my hair when i was younger. I use a paddle brush and medium heat and constantly keep the blow dryer moving. My mom used to use the hard plastic nozzle attachment. I barely lost any hair. Before I used to have big hair balls lol. I didnt get the straightest hair, but its straight enough for me. I used these japanese hair rollers afterwards to roll my hair and create big waves. I also use Got2Be Angel Blow-Dry spray that protects your hair up to 425 degrees. I think the combination of the right technique and the right products makes the world of difference. But that is obviously a reoccurring theme on this board, lol.

 

[LyCall]

Bumpimng...!

I recently blowdried for the first time at home using Paul Mitchell the conditioner leave in and chi silk infusion as the heat protectant after my DC. I did not have the time to rollerset at usual as I had to go out to a party and didnt have much time. I rough dried my hair first on cool moving the drier around my head whilst finger combing till 90% dry, then using a bore bristle round brush I finished off drying in sections still on cool. I then added more Chi silk infusion took my GHD's and did one pass through large sections to smooth the hair.
My hair has never felt better and looked healthier, I have just moisturised and sealed lightly keeping my hair in a ponytail the rest of the week, and it still feels as moisturised, soft and smooth as when I finished the blow dry.
My question is, do you think that my hair could withstand this kind of manipulation once per week after my DC?
I may stick to occasions only as I protective style for work, and im doing ok progression wise and wouldnt want any setbacks

TIA ladies

 

[LyCall]

Bumping again...
Anyone? Still new here so any advice is appreciated

 

[pjbapb]

I have been blow drying daily for a while now. I don't blow it dry as a matter of fact, I leave my hair more wet than dry. I simply use the concentrator tip and blow the hair damp in the direction of the cuticle. I always try to leave my ends a little bit damp so that I'm not blowing them into oblivion. I only use a comb attachment when I am thinking about dry twisting or straightening, BUT I just saw THIS thread yesterday and I am considering starting to dry my hair the way Irresistible does from now on. Kind of intimidating though.

 

[MiWay]

I blowdry every 7-10 days, and flatiron regularly in the colder months. I am a new natural, and airdrying has been disasterous.

If I blowdry and flatiron, I put on a good heat protectant, like Sabino. I was also using Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructurizer; I don't think that's a heat protectant, but it seems to work like one and my hair had more bounce than the Dominicans gave me.

Blowdrying just makes my hair so much easier to manage, whether I'm flatironing or doing twistouts. As long as you protect your hair and your hair can handle it, I don't think it's a bad thing at all.

I am definitely concerned about heat damage now that I'm natural, so I am toying with the idea of blowdrying on cool and setting my flatiron to a lower temp (right now I use it on 350-370) to see if I will get the same results.

 

[Artemis]

I blowdry every 7-10 days, and flatiron regularly in the colder months. I am a new natural, and airdrying has been disasterous.

If I blowdry and flatiron, I put on a good heat protectant, like Sabino. I was also using Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructurizer; I don't think that's a heat protectant, but it seems to work like one and my hair had more bounce than the Dominicans gave me.

Blowdrying just makes my hair so much easier to manage, whether I'm flatironing or doing twistouts. As long as you protect your hair and your hair can handle it, I don't think it's a bad thing at all.

I am definitely concerned about heat damage now that I'm natural, so I am toying with the idea of blowdrying on cool and setting my flatiron to a lower temp (right now I use it on 350-370) to see if I will get the same results.

Counteract your worries by using Nexxus Emergencee (see if you can get the professional version) or Joico K-pak every few weeks. Follow up with your best moisturizing deep conditioner and you're good to go. No worries

Depending on your hair texture (fine medium coarse, etc) medium heat on the blowdryer should be fine and not damaging at all. Flat iron temp seems fine as well.

 

[brucebettye]

I do blow dry my hair but it is not that often maybe every 3 months. I normally airdry my hair because it is easy. I don't think blow drying your hair is the enemy. You just need to protect your hair when you use heat.

 

[Artemis]

Bumpimng...!

I recently blowdried for the first time at home using Paul Mitchell the conditioner leave in and chi silk infusion as the heat protectant after my DC. I did not have the time to rollerset at usual as I had to go out to a party and didnt have much time. I rough dried my hair first on cool moving the drier around my head whilst finger combing till 90% dry, then using a bore bristle round brush I finished off drying in sections still on cool. I then added more Chi silk infusion took my GHD's and did one pass through large sections to smooth the hair.
My hair has never felt better and looked healthier, I have just moisturised and sealed lightly keeping my hair in a ponytail the rest of the week, and it still feels as moisturised, soft and smooth as when I finished the blow dry.
My question is, do you think that my hair could withstand this kind of manipulation once per week after my DC?
I may stick to occasions only as I protective style for work, and im doing ok progression wise and wouldnt want any setbacks

TIA ladies

You're only using the cool setting?! You're fine, though I think that if you are "rough drying" properly, you might want to consider starting out at medium heat to about 75% dry and then finishing with cool setting from there.

That's good you are using the GHD on large sections of hair, and just one pass. That flat iron gets pretty hot. But it sounds like you are using it correctly.

In case you're worried, just use a reconstructor like K-pak or Aphogee 2 min every few weeks and you'll be fine. Depends on your hair texture though (if your strands are a fine medium or coarse).

HTH