Heat-damaged hair, dead-hair ends...Unfortunately, these hair problems are familiar to many women. Have you ever thought that by drying your hair in the wrong way you just worsen your hair condition? Check out this complete guide on how to properly dry your hair!
Rule #1: Gently Wet Your Hair With a Towel
After using a hair treatment mask for damaged hair and washing it off, the first thing you need to do is remove excess moisture from your hair. Because of it, the cuticle (the protective layer of the hair, consisting of transparent keratin scales) swells, which leads to increased hair brittleness and increases the risk of split ends. Therefore, the shorter the contact with water, the better.
Rule #2: Don't Give Up Using a Hairdryer
It may seem strange, but using a hairdryer is a better decision in terms of hair health than letting your strands dry on their own. The reason is mentioned above: the longer the hair contacts with moisture, the worse the cuticle feels, thus, the faster your hair becomes dry, the better. For the hairdryer not to become a cause of hair breakage, regulate its temperature!
Rule #3: Use Thermal Protectors
Thermal protectors are applied to towel-dried hair. These sprays, foams, or lotions perform several functions at once. Firstly, they lock in moisture inside the hair where it is needed. Secondly, they envelop each hair, reducing the risk of overdrying or overheating it.
Rule #4: Dry Your Hair in a Cool Air Mode
Hot air has an undeniable advantage: it quickly evaporates excess moisture. However, hair dried in this way becomes overdried, but it perfectly keeps the shape that was given to it. Therefore, using a hot hair dryer is a good idea if you‘re going to style your hair in a particular way.
However, high temperatures also have an obvious disadvantage: hot air evaporates not only excessive moisture but also necessary moisture, which leads to hair damage. Besides, if the moisture quickly evaporates, it lifts the cuticle scales, which means that the hair becomes more brittle and less shiny. That’s why hairstylists recommend using a hairdryer in a cool mode whenever possible.
