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.
First, let your hair dry naturally, about 70-80% of the way dry. Then, with your dryer on the coolest setting (don't touch that hot setting!), blow your hair dry, keeping the dryer about 6-inches away from hair at all times and moving it around continuously. Voilà: gorgeous, healthy hair, without the heat.
The towel absorbs moisture from your hair and cuts the time it takes to air-dry your hair. This is important because wet hair is extremely fragile, meaning it's a good idea to remove extra water from your hair quickly—but gently.
People with fine, wavy, straight, thin, curly, and dyed hair are the most likely to benefit from air-drying. “It's healthier for people with this hair type because [air-drying] lacks heat, and it's not directly on the scalp,” Sturdivant-Drew says.
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.
It'll Retain Moisture & Look Smoother
According to Ayler, air drying hair helps it retain moisture, which is another reason why it might appear smoother. “High heat from blow dryers can dry out your hair and leave it feeling straw-like if used improperly and without the right combination of products,” she says.
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.
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.
Washing, drying and styling your hair in one evening is a lot. It takes ages and you get all hot from using the hairdryer. But, when you leave your hair to air dry it goes frizzy and then you have to spend longer styling it (rock, hard place).
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.
Friction-free
Having hair wrapped up in a towel allows the towel to gradually absorb the moisture without the rough-housing of rubbing it dry. Less friction on hair (which remember is weaker when it's wet) means less breakage and split ends. Less friction also means less frizz.
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.
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.
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.
He said that when hair is wet it swells, which means water puts pressure on the cuticles which could cause them to break and create split ends. 'The hair is made up of a cortex, which is the area that pulls the shape of your hair and then cuticles around the side, which are a bit like roof tiles, Dr Moore told.
Your Hair Dries Quickly After a Wash
Does your hair seem to air-dry in no time after a wash? That's one of the hallmark signs of high porosity hair. The porous nature of the strands lets the water enter the hair shaft more easily, but it also quickly escapes so it takes less time for hair to dry.
Rubbing your towel on your hair is the most common cause of frizz; instead, use a T-shirt, pillow cover or microfibre cloth—these are softer on the hair and do the least damage on wet strands, which is when they're at their weakest.
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.
Braid your hair before going to sleep. This old trick works every time and is one of the best ways to wear your hair when sleeping. It not only protects your hair – stopping it from tangling and breaking – but also gives you gorgeous beachy waves the next day and cuts down on frizz.
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.
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.
When hair is wet, proteins form weaker bonds (hydrogen bonds), than when the hair is dry (protein-protein bonds). This makes the hair easier to damage. That's because when damp hair is combed, it stretches. Unfortunately, when hair is stretched, it doesn't snap back into shape like a rubber band can.