When used timely and moderately, blow drying is better for scalp and hair. Air drying (like over washing) over an extended period can cause scalp to compensate, over produce oil leaving hair more oily, and causing you to fight the imbalance with more and more shampoo for oily scalp and hair.
It's been said it strips your locks of natural oils and can lead to breakages and frizzy hair. However an expert says it can in fact be more damaging to let your hair dry naturally - and in fact makes it greasier.
Product Build-Up: Using too many styling products or not properly washing them out can lead to greasy roots while the ends remain dry. Improper Washing Routine: Washing your hair too frequently can strip natural oils, leading to dryness, while not washing enough can cause oil accumulation.
Blow drying hair can help to eliminate greasy build-up as the heat absorbs the scalp's oils. Drying the hair at the root can plump the hair follicle which can, in turn, absorb oil. If you do choose to blow dry, make sure you use the lowest heat setting possible to avoid heat damage and ALWAYS use a heat protectant.
It depends on how much oil your hair produces. If you find your hair has oil on the roots after about a day of washing, the hair is oily. If your hair takes a very long time to accumulate oil, it's not oily (dry).
Excessive washing
Over-washing can make your hair look greasy because it strips the hair of its natural oils. This loss of natural oils causes the body to overcompensate by producing more sebum. Over-conditioning can also lead to greasy hair because it weighs down the hair and this in turn increases oil production.
Underwashing. While overwashing your hair can cause it to overproduce in the oil department, under washing can also cause oily hair. Most of us are familiar with this culprit—go a few days or a week without washing, and we gradually notice grease start to form on our healthy scalp.
Experts agree that air-drying isn't necessarily better for the overall health of your hair. In fact, leaving your hair to air-dry could be causing preventable damage.
Generally, he says, the range is somewhere between once a day and once a week. “If you have very fine or thin hair, you may need to wash more often, while those with thick or curly hair may need to wash less often,” says Dr Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, a double board certified dermatologist and hair health expert.
💧WASH YOUR HAIR: every 2 to 3 days
But if you still notice your roots are still a bit greasy in between washes, spritz on a dry shampoo to absorb excess oil.
Warm water helps to soften the grease, but it doesn't wash it away on its own. You need to use a shampoo to properly clean your hair and scalp.
The thicker your hair and the less oil, the less you need to shampoo. “Some people with dry hair or curly hair can wash much less frequently without problems,” Goh says.
One of the best & easy ways to dry your hair after washing, rather than waiting hours, is to leave it alone until it's about 75% dry. Once you've let nature run its course and your hair is slightly damp, grab your hair dryer and blow-dry your hair the remainder of the way.
Is it bad to go to sleep with wet hair? The short answer: Yes, it's bad for your hair to go to bed when wet. “Wet hair strands are much more fragile than dry hair strands,” explains Dr. Michele Green, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist in New York City.
If your hair is greasy after just one day, it could be due to factors such as overactive sebaceous glands, the use of heavy hair products, hormonal fluctuations, or even your diet.
Rinsing the hair with water in between washes can keep it looking fresh without stripping the hair of its moisture. Hair is more likely to be dry when it is: thick.
The quick answer is that your scalp may be overcompensating for the natural oils stripped away during washing. But it could also be due to overwashing, using the wrong products, or even product build-up.
Oily hair isn't healthy or unhealthy by default. People with an oily scalp can have healthy hair or dry, brittle hair. Your hair needs oil to be healthy, but too much oil can lead to buildup on the hair and scalp. Oily skin may also contribute to a condition called seborrheic dermatitis.
"If you blot tissue paper on the scalp of a normal hair type two days after washing, it will leave a small translucent area," says Dr. Lombardi. "An oily scalp type will be more saturated, and the hairs will clump, and dry scalp type you may not see anything on the tissue paper."