There are many options to choose from when shopping for a blow dryer. Travel size, full size, cold shot, speed settings, and heat settings are just a few of the conveniences to consider. To give yourself the most control over the heat damage your hair receives, choose a blow dryer with many heat settings. Unless you are trying to achieve a style that requires high heat, you can reduce the risk to your hair by blow-drying on a lower heat setting.
Blow dryer attachments such as diffusers can also help by reducing the intensity of the blast of hot air. Diffusers are useful for styles that take advantage of hair with a natural curl, as the diffused air encourages (rather than blasting) the curl.
Don’t forget that other heated styling devices, such as straightening or curling irons, can add to the heat-related damage done to your hair. To avoid this, use these additional devices sparingly and only when the same results cannot be achieved with a round or flat brush and a blow dryer.
Tips and Techniques
In general, the less time blow-drying takes, the less damage you are exposing your hair to. Knowing important preventative and timesaving techniques is an important step in having healthy hair.
How you position the blow dryer can have a dramatic effect on your hair. Holding the blow dryer too close, for instance, exposes hair to much more intense heat. In order to reduce the damage caused by such exposure, be sure to hold the blow dryer at least six to eight inches away from your hair. It’s also important to hold the blow dryer so that the air flows down the hair shaft; doing so keeps the hair cuticle smooth, which makes hair shinier and more manageable.
Sectioning your hair will ensure that you are not causing damage by over-drying, and will shorten your styling routine. To use this technique, divide the hair at about the level of the ears, leaving the lower part down; coil the rest on top of your head and fasten with a clip. Dry the lower section first, holding the hair taut with a brush if you are straightening it. When the section is relatively dry, unclip the bulk of the hair and pull down another section, clipping the rest up again. Blow-dry the new section over the previous section. Repeat the process of dividing and blow-drying sections until all the hair is dry. For fine hair, you can divide your locks into large sections for faster drying and less heat exposure; thick or curly hair will require smaller sections and more drying time.
Another good way to reduce heat-related damage is to leave your hair slightly damp, allowing it to finish drying naturally. For those who would like to allow their hair to air-dry, but cannot seem to find the time, this technique has the advantage of reducing the required drying time. The technique will also ensure that you do not damage your hair by over-drying. This technique works best with straight or wavy hair; for straightening curly hair, you’ll want to dry the hair completely.