Should i blow dry my hair before i straighten it

For example, some dryers offer features like multiple heat settings, a cool shot to close hair cuticles, and ionic air technology. You can find more recommendations here. Keeping your hair healthy will help you avoid dry ends , resulting in shinier blowouts. And one of the best ways you can do this is by minimizing the amount of heat you apply to your hair, says Shilpi Khetarpal , M. She recommends towel drying or air drying your hair to remove as much moisture as possible.

Khetarpal says. She recommends drying your hair using a small microfiber towel, which not only reduces tension but also decreases friction. The result? Tugging on wet hair with a brush increases your chances of damaging it. Instead, try this tip Dr.

Khetarpal often gives people: Use a wide-tooth comb to easily detangle hair when it is still wet. Khetarpal recommends that people with long hair hold it in their hands and lightly comb the ends before moving up toward the roots.

This is gentler on your roots and can help you avoid hair breakage. Typically, stylists like using a round brush to create a voluminous, bouncy style. Then, you have to decide on the material of the bristles. Vaccaro advises his clients with straight hair to use ceramic brushes because they retain heat to offer more volume.

He prefers using boar-bristle brushes on people with coarse hair because the material provides the right amount of tension needed to smooth their strands. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. Skipping the blowdryer before flat ironing.

Thread starter HairQueen Start date Aug 31, HairQueen Active Member. I have friends who are natural who have been straightening for years and seem to get along just fine. In order to keep damage to a minimum I am thinking I could just use one form of direct heat not two. I don't know for others but for me blowdrying just seems to leave my hair looking dry, thirsty and desperate. I was wondering is blow drying before flat ironing absolutely necessary?

Could I get the same results with parting into 4 plaits and sitting under my hood dryer and then flat ironing in sections afterwards? Or does blowdrying give it some sort of extra swang? I skip the blow dryer. I let it airdry, usually overnight, and the next day I take down a section and flat iron it, and repeat until the whole head is complete. This definitely eliminates a lot of breakage that I would usually get from the blow dryer. And my hair gets just as straight and has as much swang without using it.

The next year I started using the blow dryer again when I flat ironed which still wasn't that often maybe x that year and stayed at basically WL, got lot of breakage from it. The last few months I went back to no blow dryer and my ends are staying thick and strong and I'm not seeing much breakage when I straighten my hair. Last edited: Aug 31, LightEyedMami New Member.

Hair Queen, i was exactly like you Because of not using the blow-dryer first, My hair was not silky straight, but it wasn't horribly dry either. I would suggest trying with just the flat iron and see how it goes Can you tell im lazy? Please show us a pic once your trained. ChocoKitty Well-Known Member. I do not use a blow dryer during straightening. I detangle, section, smooth and braid adding perm rods to smooth the ends and air dry percent.

Also deep conditioning well will ensure that your hair is much more pliable during the process of straightening. LightEyedMami said:. ChocoKitty said:. It isn't necessary at all. I'm still able to get my hair relaxer straight with one pass using the comb chase method and then I go back over it with an additional pass to curl it.

I agree that the blow dryer isn't necessary. I don't own one, so I airdry or sit under the hood dryer, or a combination of the two. I would recommend detangling beforehand, and use more than four braids perhaps 8 ? I am medium-density with fine strands, and I usually make 8 braids. Good luck! I'm getting flash backs when I was small Surprisingly, the round brush used by many is not the best option for smooth, glossy results. A round brush creates a lot of tension for your hair strands, which can cause damage if your hair is wet.

Many round brushes also have metal cores that heat up from the blow dryer and can cause even more damage. For silky smooth results, use a brush with a lot of surface area.

A big brush will give your hair room to dry while still brushing sections out smoothly. Opt for a traditional boar bristle brush or a nylon bristle brush. This tip is especially useful if you are prone to flyaways. If you allow your hair to cool on the brush a bit before moving on to the next section, all your hard work will last longer. Allowing your hair to set a bit will keep your smooth, shiny blowout fresh for up to two days.

They actually help you achieve specific blow drying effects. So, dig out the nozzles from under your bathroom sink and use them to help you achieve the perfect blow dried hair. The right nozzle for you will depend on your hair type. After reading this section, you will be blow drying like a pro in no time! It is best to let your hair dry a bit first. Hair dryers use heat, so it is important to protect your hair with a heat protectant spray before blow drying to prevent any damage.

If you have curly hair, scrunch the heat protectant into your hair to begin lifting your curls. Divide your hair into three or more sections, depending on how much hair you have. You will start in the front near your hairline and work your way back. If you have straight or wavy hair and are trying to achieve a smooth look, then the concentrator nozzle is the choice for you.

Start in the front and work your way back, brushing your hair from root to tip with each section until the section is dry. For added volume, lift your hair up while blow drying. Be patient—this process could take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how much hair you have.

Finish off your blow drying masterpiece with some dry shampoo near the roots. This will help keep your hair clean longer as well as add a bit of blow-out volume near the roots. Feel free to repeat dry shampoo the next day to further preserve your hard work.