Will blow drying hinder my hair journey?

[Researching]

Hello!

I was wondering if blow drying will hinder my hair journey. I'd like to get to BS and lower if possible. How many of you brawstrap and lower ladies put down the blow dryers all together, meaning you won't ever blow dry your hair? I'm willing but it will be difficult because I'll have to hunt for a stylist who is willing to roller set my super thick APL hair. It already takes 3 hours to relax, blow dry, and flatiron. It would probably take 5 to roller set.

 

[caribeandiva]

C'mon BSL and longer ladies!

I'm only SL so I can't answer.

 

[Chromia]

I don't think it will hinder your journey as long as you use a heat protectant. PinkSkates uses a blow dryer with a diffuser. Longhairdontcare2011 on youtube uses a blow dryer also. They are the 2 I can think of right now, but I'm sure there are more ladies who do this and have hair that is BSL, MBL, WL, or longer.

ETA: I'll answer your question but I'm not full BSL yet. I have a blow dryer and heat protectant that I use when I have somewhere to go and I can't wait for my hair to air dry.

 

[The Princess]

Im not BSL yet. When I go to the shop, I just get my hair blowdried. She uses a CHI blowdrier, and its gets straight enough for me, due to the fact, I keep it in a bun anyway. So yeah it possible, but like I statd Im not BSL yet though.

 

[knt1229]

Sorry OP I answered your poll before realizing you are asking BSL or longer ladies. I'm not BSL or longer. You may want to edit your post title or the poll.

Anyway, I voted that I don't use blow dryers.

 

[Thiends]

How often would you be blow drying?

 

[Researching]

I only plan to blow dry when I go to my stylist to get my hair relaxed which will be every 10 weeks.

 

[MarieB]

Yep....voted before I read the OP. Anyway, I'm almost APL, and I blow dry at least once a week (from about 80 per cent air dried) and I always use a heat protectant. I've gone from just below NL to my current length in about 15 months, and I've been trimming.

 

[belldandy]

i am bsl.
i got dominican blowouts twice a month b4 my hair journey, it grew from CBL to a few inches short of apl. I was also using blue magic and my chi to further straighten it. I was putting so much heat on my hair...

Then to get to apl and bsl I stuck to just roller setting occasionally, wash and gos and begin trying to growm my hair (reggie is in my fotki under journals).

This year, I am on a no heat diet (except when I deep condition) bc i want to make wl.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

I only blow dry when I relax (3x a year). Otherwise, I air-dry. I'm bsb.

 

[belldandy]

like the others said, invest in a good heat protectant too if you are going to use heat!

 

[bluevalentine]

i think it varies from person to person, depending on your hair and how often you would be blowdrying. if i blow dry more than once per month, i am not able to retain more length. frequent blowdrying (for me), leads to more split ends and dryer hair which in turn leads to more trimming/cutting of my hair. its taken me forever to realize that i just can't get away with blowdrying too much, no matter what heat protectant i use.

i haven't put down the blowdryer all together though, but i try not to use more than once per month. also, i'm currently about an inch below brastrap.

 

[JJamiah]

I blow dry weekly, BSL here

 

[Researching]

Thanks ladies! Can you recommend a good heat protectant?

 

[Researching]

I blow dry weekly, BSL here

JJamiah. Your hair is so pretty! What is your hair type? And what heat protectant do you use?

 

[Aviah]

Voted that I don't use blow dryers. In fact I use them very seldom. About twice-3x a year.
Blow drying with heat tends to make my hair DRY. I'll do cool air, or medium heat about once a year or less.

 

[JJamiah]

JJamiah. Your hair is so pretty! What is your hair type? And what heat protectant do you use?

Thanks so much Researching, I am a 3c I use the following:

Aphogee Leave in always

Aphogee Green Tea Reconstructorizer
OR
Chi Keratin Mist

Argan Oil
OR
Silk Elements MegaSilk Heat Protection Spray

I use very little of it all!

 

[Researching]

Thanks so much Researching, I am a 3c I use the following:

Aphogee Leave in always

Aphogee Green Tea Reconstructorizer
OR
Chi Keratin Mist

Argan Oil
OR
Silk Elements MegaSilk Heat Protection Spray

I use very little of it all!

Thanks a bunch! My stylists is going to think I'm crazy when I come in with all these products, but oh well.

 

[JJamiah]

Thanks a bunch! My stylists is going to think I'm crazy when I come in with all these products, but oh well.

well remember it is only 3, the last are either or's.

Sometimes unless I am relaxing, I come all ready shampooed and just need to wash out the deep condition.

 

[Researching]

well remember it is only 3, the last are either or's.

Sometimes unless I am relaxing, I come all ready shampooed and just need to wash out the deep condition.

Oh okay. I'm going to try Aphogee Leave In, Aphogee green tea and Silk Elements.

 

[anon123]

My hair is getting fewer knots the more I blow dry. For the past four months I have been blow drying at least every other week. My blow drying is not really hot like others, and my hair doesn't get anywhere near straight. I just stretch it out to a floppy afro. But this is enough for my purposes. Honestly, I don't even use a heat protectant most most of the time.

All in all, blow drying is helping me retain length. I'm an inch or two below bsl.

 

[Luscious Locks]

Please do not blow dry your hair. I've been blow drying my hair twice a week for the past 4-6 weeks after m bi weekly washes and it's made my hair so hard. It just makes it crunchy. My blow dryer is ionic too.

I have a good regi and good products, but that blow dryer will suck out the moisture and softness from your hair.

Just roller set. That's what I'm going to do from now on.

HtH

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I'm MBL natural type 4. I think if you're relaxed you may want to shy away from too much heat and when you do use heat make sure you have heat protectant.

Right now I'm in a wash and go phase with my mini twists so I've been air-drying alot. But I have had phases where I blew my hair out then flat ironed back to back for months and I still retained length. My strands are *very* coarse and thick so they can really handle high heat and still keep its curl.

You sort of have to find out what your hair can handle what it likes and dislikes to see where you should go with your hair. The heat protectant I use is IC Fantasia Heat Protectant in the Pink bottle both the serum and spray are great in my book

 

[Ms Lala]

OP it really depends on your hair texture. My hair is dense but each strand is pretty fine, I used to think my hair was coarse so I was pretty rough w/it. When I blow dry I have less knots but on the other hand it caused serious breakage. I haven't used heat in almost a year and my hair is much healthier. I recently cut a couple of inches so I think my hair is between BSL and MBL. Unfortunately I think the only way to know what your hair can handle is through trial and error. I save the blow dryer for special occasions and days when I may be super short on time.

 

[Researching]

I think the most difficult thing about this journey is that I have to learn so many things for myself. I'm learning that what works on others won't necessarily work on me. I have been on the journey for 8 weeks now. My hair has grown two inches but I won't know how much I have actually retained until the end of May when I relax. I hope that I have done the right things with my hair. I guess I'll have to be patient. I'm just nervous that the combination of relaxer, blow drying, and flat ironing will destroy my three months worth of work. But then again I just have to learn what my hair can take.

 

[Vintageglam]

OP have you tried getting one of those blow-dryers with the comb like teeth attachments and blow-drying weekly on cool/ warm to stretch the hair out? I know that some people do this. You have to detangle really well before hand and use a small amount of heat protectant and section off the hair into 4 - 6 sections and then just blow dry gently?

Heat appears to be the common bad denominator (along with poor manipulation) so but cutting down the heat to warm cool you may still be able to manage your hair without the heat damage?

 

[Pooks]

Sorry I'm only APL so shouldn't have voted :-/
Disregard one of the 'I don't blow dry' votes...

 

[JJamiah]

Everyones hair is different, you must choose your battles and wisely. I don't flat Iron as much due to my weekly Blow Drying.

I only trim once every 4 months

My hair isn't hard or crunchy, and I use very good conditioners. I steam and use proteins. I go week to week to see what my hair needs and doesn't. Everyones hair withstands things differently.

 

[hillytmj]

I only plan to blow dry when I go to my stylist to get my hair relaxed which will be every 10 weeks.

If you only relax every 10 weeks, this means you'll probably relax and expose your hair to a blow dryer only 5 times in a year. I'm currently MBL and relaxed and I have a similar routine where I only have direct heat (blow dry/flat iron) styles done 4-5 times each year.

IMHO, if your hair is healthy and you take EXCELLENT care of it the rest of the time (regular cleansing, DC's, no direct heat, trim as needed, low mani, etc), I think it's okay. On the other hand, if your hair is damaged and you're trying to grow it in healthy and retain length, I would say skip the blow dryer altogether. Pre LHCF, I went 2 years with no direct heat to get my hair back healthy and strong with great results. I've increased direct heat to only 4-5 times a year with no setbacks, but I still think it's best to limit the direct heat if you're trying to grow long hair (whether you're relaxed or natural.)

 

[Browndilocks]

I'm a firm believer in roller setting. When I want to get that length on point, I just suck it up and roller set. It becomes second nature after a while and the results are well worth it. There are no short cuts to long hair IMO. Patience and TLC are the key.

ETA: I dont want to make it seem like I never use a blow dryer because I do. Just when I have to, which is usually no more than once every 2 or so months. I wash my hair every 5 to 7 days and unless its super urgent, I sit under the Pibbs with rollers every time. Frequent blow dryer use (more than twice a month) is not good for your ends.