Blow dryers are commonly considered an additional tool for hair care and styling. Most women – and some men – use hair straighteners to achieve a straight look to their hair.
However, some hair drying techniques can dry and straighten your hair at the same time.
Here is How Blow Dryers Straighten Hair:
When using a blow dryer, the heat it produces tends to break down the hydrogen bonds in your hair, which strips away its proteins and natural oils. The heat changes the texture of your hair, which lets you style it however you want, including straightening it.
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How Do You Straighten Hair With A Blow Dryer?
When using a blow dryer, it does not automatically straighten your hair.
You must apply certain styling techniques to style your hair with a blow dryer.
Some people, especially those with wavy hair, must apply hair straightening products for the blow dryer to work.
Here is how to straighten hair with a blow dryer:
Prep Your Hair:
Prep your hair by drying it using a towel.
As an additional step, apply a protecting balm to your hair before styling it to protect it from heat damage.
Divide Your Hair Into Sections:
Depending on how thick your hair is, divide it into sections.
Use a comb to this, and clip the section of hair that you will be blow-drying last.
Keep Your Hair Damp:
Take a spray bottle and fill it with water.
Use it to spritz some water on the clipped sections of your hair to keep it damp.
Remember that you cannot straighten your hair if it is dry, so keep the rest of your hair damp while you are blow-drying one section.
Comb Your Hair Using A Round Brush While Drying:
Get a round brush and comb your hair with it, starting from the underside of your hair.
Brush your hair from roots to ends and use the dryer to go in the same direction as the brush.
Keep repeating this process for all sections of your hair until your hair is completely dry and straightened.
Apply Hair Firming Spray:
This is optional but if you have a hair firming spray, spritz it all over your hair to keep it in place.
Can You Use A Hair Dryer WITHOUT Straightening Your Hair?
If you have curly or wavy hair and want to keep it that way, you can still use a hair dryer.
It helps if you use the right hair dryer for your hair type. Generally, a ceramic or ionic hair dryer works best for curly or wavy hair as these dryers will eliminate frizz and reduce static.
It will also help make your hair shinier.
When blow-drying curly hair, keep the heat medium or low. It may be tempting to put it on a high heat setting for a faster drying time, but it can reduce your curls.
Before blow-drying curly or wavy hair, prep the hair by lightly squeezing it to remove excess water. You can apply a leave-in conditioner to protect your hair from heat damage.
In addition, you can apply a leave-in detangler, which will help seal in moisture.
Like blow-drying hair for straightening, it is important to divide your hair into sections and work through each section as you blow-dry.
Also, remember to dry curly or wavy hair only 80% of the way and let the remaining 20% air-dry. This will prevent your hair from drying out and becoming frizzy.
How Well Do Blow Dryer Straightener Attachments Work?
Many blow dryers come with a few attachments that you can use for styling your hair. Each attachment has its purpose and works for a certain styling need.
In general, blow dryer straightener attachments do work, and they work very well.
Most blow dryer straightener attachments work well and function as expected. The only way an attachment would not work is if your blow dryer and its attachments are from a known unreliable brand.
Do Professionals Use Blow Dryers To Straighten Hair?
Professionals use different tools for styling hair. They may also have different preferences on tools or devices to use to straighten hair.
Some professionals use blow dryers to straighten hair, while some use a hair straightening iron.
Blow dryers straighten the hair when used simultaneously with a brush to remove tangles. This technique is effective for straightening the hair and adds volume and body.
Blow dryers work by producing and releasing air to change the texture of hair, making it easier to style any way you want. You can straighten it or curl it while blow-drying.
Hair straightening irons are shaped like tongs. They have flat inner plates with a heating coil.
These tools work by changing the structure of hair using heat that is released by the heating coils.
Professionals generally use blow dryers to straighten hair if it is being styled only for the day. They can also use a hair straightening iron to straighten hair for a day, but it causes more heat damage than blow dryers.
For long-term results, professionals use a hair straightening iron while applying a keratin lotion. The keratin lotion helps it to set.
Using a hair straightening iron with keratin lotion effectively straightens hair which can last for several months and even up to a year.
Is Blow-Drying Hair Straight Better Than Straightening?
Blow-drying hair straight can produce similar results as straightening the hair.
It really depends on how long you want your straight hair to last.
If you want to straighten your just for the day, blow-drying it straight is better. Doing this will give you straight hair for a day while leaving you with the option to style your hair for the next few days.
Remember that if you straighten your hair for the long term, you cannot curl it as it may cause damage. Straightening is better if you want straight hair that can last for months.
Is Blow Drying Hair Better than Using A Straightening Iron?
A blow dryer and a straightening iron both work well and can produce good results when straightening hair. However, they work differently.
A blow dryer releases hot or cool air to dry the hair. While it is generally used for drying hair, adding some attachments or using it with other tools can make it effective for straightening hair.
Some blow dryers already come with attachments when you buy them, while some have to have attachments bought separately.
On the other hand, a straightening iron delivers heat through heating coils covered by titanium or ceramic coating. This heat that is being delivered changes the structure of the hair.
Between the two, a straightening iron can give you faster results when straightening hair. However, it causes more damage than a blow dryer.
If you prioritize your hair’s health as you should, blow-drying is better than a straightening iron.
Blow drying your hair is less damaging to your hair because it distributes heat evenly. It is constantly moving through the hair strands.
A hair straightening iron gets the job done faster, but it can cause significant heat damage to your hair. When you use it, you are applying twice the amount of heat and concentrating it on sections of your hair repeatedly.
A hair straightening iron can make your hair brittle over time, causing it to fall out. It can also cause split ends and dryness and stunt your hair’s growth.
If you want to straighten your hair, a blow dryer is more recommended than a hair straightening iron. It is effective and causes less damage to your hair than other tools and hair treatments.
Sources:
How To Straighten Your Hair With A Blow Dryer In 7 Simple Steps
A Definitive Guide For How To Blow-Dry Curly Hair