So while direct, excessive heat can cause damage to the surface part of the hair strands, air-drying can cause trauma to that inner layer. When the cell membrane complex layer swells, it can weaken the hair over time, explains Dr. Longsworth. It can also cause something called hygral fatigue.
Air-drying your hair can be a great way to give your locks a much-needed break from heat-styling. However, if your hair is on the thicker and coarser side, it may be best to start with a protective product and use a blow-dryer to keep your hair from absorbing too much moisture and causing breakage.
Sounds like a case for air-drying, but get this: The study found that while the heat of a dryer can cause more damage than not using one, using a hair-dryer at the right distance and temperature can actually cause less damage than letting hair air-dry. That's because when hair comes in contact with water, it swells.
You can let your hair air dry after a shower rather than spending ages with the hairdryer, likely damaging your hair. When your locks are soaking wet, blow-drying can actually trap water inside the hair strands, where the water boils.
Towel-drying your hair is important to help remove water, so hair can dry faster. Yet, the wrong technique can result in extra frizz, tangles, and poufiness. The right ways to air dry hair include gentle drying techniques. It's best to use your towel to squeeze water out from your hair.
You want to gradually dry your hair instead of sucking out every bit of moisture. Always keep your hairdryer six inches away from your scalp and keep moving it around for the best results. Or you could add a diffuser attachment to your hairdryer as it spreads out the heat and creates an even air stream.
Once you finish washing your hair, gently squeeze out excess water, starting from the scalp and moving towards the ends. Your hair will still be damp, but it shouldn't be dripping wet. Next, gather a section of your hair and gently blot it with a towel. The trick is never to rub your hair, instead gently squeeze it.
It turns out letting your hair air dry after you've washed it is causing more damage than you think. According to Dr Tim Moore (the Australian Vice President of Smart Devices) leaving your hair wet for extended periods of time is putting excessive pressure on your strands resulting in split ends.
"If your hair takes a long time to dry, it typically means it's highly porous," she explains. "For example, if it takes a day to dry or it takes a longer time than average to blow dry your hair, then you know you have high porosity hair."
"However, wet hair — like wet skin from sitting in a bath or pool too long — can affect your hair [health]." When your locks are wet, the hair shaft softens, which weakens strands and makes them more likely to break and fall out while you toss and turn on your pillow.
Though sleeping with wet hair won't give you a cold, Dr. Shah says that it does increase your risk of developing a fungal infection of the scalp. Fungi, such as Malassezia, can lead to conditions like dandruff or dermatitis, according to Shah, who recommends going to sleep with dry hair when possible.
“Air drying dense hair for extended periods of time can be more damaging than using a blow-dryer at low heat and at a safe distance,” says Longsworth. “But even low density [i.e. thin] hair that is washed or wet every single day is susceptible to damage.”
“Get as much moisture out as you can with a towel, and let your hair air-dry for a 10 to 15 minutes after you towel-dry,” advises Becca Sible, educator for amika. Brush up on the other common hair myths you should stop believing.
The cortex of your hair can swell and break the longer your hair is wet. Since your hair will be holding excessive moisture for hours or even days, this can lead to more pressure and cause damage. Another downfall to air drying is when you sleep on wet hair, it can cause bacteria to form on the scalp.
After washing your hair, most people rub their hair dry to remove excess water, or wrap a towel around the top of their head. This is not the best practice. Instead, gently pat your wet hair with a towel and loosely wrap the towel around your hair keeping it on for several minutes to remove excess water.
In general, though, it usually takes around 2-4 hours for hair to air dry completely. What is this? If you need to speed up the drying process, you can use a blow dryer. Just be sure to use it on the lowest setting to avoid causing damage to your hair.
Hair has too much moisture (and also loses moisture easily) which can lead to frizz, tangles, dryness and breakage.
Use a silk scarf or cloth and tie it like a hairband to make sure your hair does not touch the pillowcase. Once you wake up, flip your hair upside down, gently separate the hair and flip it back up. Resist the urge to brush your hair, as it causes more friction and frizz,” recommends Sabanayagam.
However, most agreed that it is perfectly acceptable to go out with wet hair if you are going to class (if you're a student) or if you are simply running errands. Most likely, everyone around you will be too busy to notice or care.
Damaged hair is brittle and can feel like straw.
Brittle, straw-like hair with inconsistent textures throughout the strand is often due to UV exposure, glycation, and damaging chemicals in waters like chlorine and hard water.
There are four primary factors that cause frizz: the environment, diameter of the hair fiber itself, level of curl, and the amount of damage. Avoid long and hot showers, excess exfoliation, and hot tools like traditional hairdryers and flat irons to prevent frizz.
Showering in very hot water can actually reduce natural oils in the hair, causing frizz to start.
Air-drying is not bad for your skin! There's no reason you would need to towel off after getting wet, other than the water may get on your clothes or make you a little colder. And as we've covered, air-drying can actually have benefits, so the answer is really quite the opposite!
using heat-based drying and styling tools too frequently. shampooing too often. using a shampoo with harsh ingredients, such as sulfates, that are drying for your type of hair. not using a conditioner often enough or one that's designed for your type of hair.