Hairdryer or Air Dry? What’s Best for your Hair
Hairdryer or Air dry? Which one of these is best for your hair?
There are so many misconceptions surrounding what’s best for your hair and what is not. This often makes it very difficult for people to opt for the right practices and products to get healthy hair and if they make the wrong choice they end up with rough and damaged hair.
Nobody really wants that right? One of the biggest misconceptions is that air drying your hair is less damaging than using hair drying which is completely false. Both of the processes have their good share of benefits as well as disadvantages too.
Hair Anatomy Explained!
Let’s understand the anatomy of hair first. Hair is made up of proteins in structures named cuticles. Until and unless moisture soaks in it or the structure becomes physically damaged, the structure remains protected and strong.
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So the overall health of your hair is linked to the scalp of your hair. Hence, it is very important to protect the structure and so only those practices should have opted that do not damage the cuticle.
Our hair can get damaged when the scalp is either dried for too long or it is wet for too long or even simply if it is rubbed aggressively.
Here the importance of choosing the right way to dry your hair plays an important part. One has to find a suitable way that can maintain a balance between the moisture and dryness of hair to prevent the scalp from damaging and eventually our hair getting damaged.
Problems with Air Drying
It is always thought that air drying is the best process for drying your hair which is only true to some extent. It is already known to everybody that letting your hair dry naturally takes a lot longer than simply using a hairdryer.
This leaves the hair wet for too long and moisture sits in the hair which makes it swell more. The longer the hair swells, the more it exerts pressure on the proteins that are helping to keep the hair intact. This eventually leads to the scalp getting damaged and the hair looking unhealthy and rough.
Moreover, we often rub our hair while air drying with towels which can also have an adverse impact on the hair. It can lead to hair snapping and ripping.
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Even merely moving around with wet hair for long can result in abrasion and eventually causing the hair to be entangled in knots. Hence, air drying to some extent is not the best method to dry your hair!
Problems with Hairdryer
Using a hairdryer is not problematic at all for hair but if it is used extensively with high heat then it can badly damage your hair. If you put your hair dryer too close to your hair and at high temperatures, it can lead to your hair getting over-dried and overheated.
This means that all the moisture from your hair is soaked in by the hairdryer and you are left with a dry scalp. The protein structures in the scalp can weaken or eventually break because of the high heat. Dry hair has its own extensive list of problems too such as dandruff outbreaks and split ends occurring.
Although it is a much quicker process for drying your hair, if it is not done the right way, you will end up with lifeless and rough hair!
Do’s and Don’ts of Air Drying
Many hairdressers are of the opinion that both air drying and hair drying should be used when one is drying their hair. First, let about 60% to 70% of your hair dry naturally and then use a hairdryer.
This balances out the advantages and disadvantages of both of them and the person are left with good and dry healthy hair. However, certain precautions must be taken when doing both of these together. Using a towel or clips for air drying are highly not recommended Along with do not tie up your wet hair ever while drying. This can lead to more swelling of hair roots.
The Right Way to Use a Hairdryer
There are many precautions one should take when using a hairdryer. First, it is beneficial to only use the coolest setting on the hairdryer. This will prevent the hair from getting overheated with the hot settings. Always put the hairdryer at a certain angle and away from the hair as much as possible. This also reduces the hair becoming over-dried or the protein structure getting destroyed! It also gives the hair its natural shine!
The Final Recommendation
These both processes let your hair dry eventually but they both come up with their benefits and problems. It is a matter of fact that the opinion that air drying is much more beneficial than using a hairdryer is completely false.
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Using a hairdryer at the right temperature and angle is much more beneficial than leaving the wet hair to dry naturally for a long time. Air drying lets more and more moisture build up in the hair which eventually leads to more oil production in the scalp.
The oily scalp has its own set of problems and a person will be left with spending thousands on products just to cater to the oily hair problem. Hence, using a hairdryer the right way is quicker and much more beneficial! So ladies if you still don’t own a hairdryer, go get one!
Filed under: Makeup & Hair, Tips and Myths
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