There are a variety of effective and healthy methods to drying your hair. Drying your hair doesn’t have to be damaging if you use the right techniques and don’t rush.
Blow drying, diffusing, air-drying, roller setting, and wrapping are all possible options that could work for you depending on your hair type, texture, and patience level!
I will outline a quick overview of the various methods to help you understand them and implement them into your long, healthy hair routine.
Blow Drying
Blow drying can be the least healthy method of drying your hair.
However, there are ways to alleviate the potential damage. Make sure to use the lowest possible heat setting for your type of hair and texture.
The curlier and coarser your hair, you will probably need higher heat to get the desired effect.
If you’re blow drying for straightening, you should be careful with any additional tools you use to finish your style such as flatirons and curling irons.
Your hair should be blow dried in sections and perfectly detangled before you start. Using a setting lotion, serum, and/or leave-in conditioner should make it easier to blow dry.
You can additionally lessen the amount of heat on your hair by choosing to air dry prior to blow drying.
Related: Blow Drying Thick Hair
Air Drying
Air drying your hair is very healthy provided that it is something that works with your hair texture and lifestyle.
No one really enjoys leaving the house for work with wet hair! However, if you do have time on the weekend, you can choose to air dry your hair before you blow dry it or straighten it with a flat iron.
Always make sure your hair is detangled. If it is relaxed, detangled and pin it up. If it is natural, braid it to lengthen in preparation for straightening. If you’re natural and don’t intend to straighten, you can also diffuse your hair if you’re running short on time.
Diffusing
Diffusers are made to keep the hair from moving around while it is being dried. It is most commonly used by women with curly hair because it dries the hair while keeping the curls in place.
Just as with blow drying, you should still try to diffuse your hair on the lowest heat setting after you’ve applied your styling products. Still looking for an option to have straight hair without the blow dryer?
Roller setting
Roller setting is one of the healthiest options for drying your hair. Roller setting is the process of rolling your sopping wet hair and sitting under a hooded dryer.
The time it takes to rollerset depends on hair type, texture, and length.
Roller setting can be time consuming and difficult to learn but the benefits are far worth it.
I strongly encourage you to learn how to rollerset your hair. If you’re relaxed, it will be even easier for you. If you’re natural, you can still rollerset your hair.
It will just be more of a challenge. Click here to read my step by step method to roller setting.
Wrapping
Wrapping hair can also be as healthy as roller setting for drying hair.
This is the process of wrapping your sopping hair around your head as if it were a giant roller. Then sitting under a hooded dryer until it’s dry. This results in straight hair.
I would not recommend this for those of you with natural hair. It is very difficult to wrap natural wet and curly hair.
Conclusion
These various options of drying your hair should give you some general ideas on how you’d like to adjust your own hair care routine.
You can alternate the various options. For example, one week you could blow dry your hair; the next week, you could rollerset.
These methods can also be combined to give you the type of hair result you’re looking for. Good luck with trying out healthier methods for hair drying!