Air Drying Could Be More Damaging

When comparing Air Drying and Blow Drying, one might mistakenly assume which method is more harmful. Although it may seem unexpected, scientific studies indicate that air drying can potentially cause more damage to the hair's internal structure than blow drying. This is applicable only when the blow dryer is used correctly.

Air Drying

Air drying, often considered the gentlest method for drying hair, can actually be more damaging than using a hair dryer on a low heat setting, contrary to popular belief.

When hair is left wet for extended periods, the water causes the cortex, which is the thickest layer of the hair, to swell. This swelling can lead to weakened hair structures and a condition known as hygral fatigue, where the repeated swelling and contracting of the hair cuticle causes it to become fragile and more prone to damage.

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Why Air Drying Can Be Damaging:

• Extended Moisture Exposure: When hair remains wet, it swells, exerting pressure on the cell membrane complex (CMC), potentially causing lasting damage.

• Weakened State: Wet hair is at its most fragile and prone to breakage.

• Friction & Breakage: Slow drying often leads to more rubbing against clothes, towels, or pillows, causing tiny tears and split ends.

• Scalp Health: Long periods of moisture on the scalp can sometimes lead to issues like irritation or fungus.

• Environmental: When your hair is wet, it is more susceptible to the environment around you. Your hair will soak up all the impurities of the air around you.

How to Minimize Damage:

• Shorten Air Dry Time: Don't leave your hair soaking wet for hours; use a microfiber towel to gently blot moisture out. The more moisture you can remove will cut down on drying time, if you choose to air dry.

• Hybrid Approach: Use a hairdryer on low heat for the first 80% of drying, then allow the rest to air dry. - You could also let your hair air dry 80% and then use a blowdryer to finish off the dry.

• Do Not Sleep Wet: Never go to bed with wet hair, as this causes significant breakage. Sleeping on wet hair also can cause mold or mildew on your pillows.

• Apply Protection: Use a leave-in conditioner to help protect the cuticle.

When to Air Dry:

If you have hair that is in its natural state, meaning it hasn't been subjected to any chemical processes such as coloring or bleaching, allowing it to air dry is typically a safe and effective method. Air drying in this case can help maintain the natural health and texture of your hair, as it avoids the potential damage that can be caused by heat styling tools.

Air drying, while often considered a gentler alternative to using heat styling tools, can still have an impact on the hair's cortex. This is because the hair shaft tends to swell when exposed to moisture for extended periods. Your scalp is also at risk of irritation and fungus, due to extended periods of time of exposure to moisture.

Our hair is highly vulnerable to damage when it's wet.

Shampoo and warm water open the cuticle layer, making the hair more susceptible to friction, such as rubbing against clothing or a pillow, which can lead to breakage. The longer the hair remains wet, the more likely it is to sustain damage.

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Chemically Altered Hair

If your hair is bleached, highlighted, colored, or chemically treated, using a hairdryer becomes even more essential. The cuticle is already compromised, so drying your hair swiftly is vital to avoid additional damage.

Blow Drying

Blow drying can lead to more surface damage to the cuticle, particularly when the heat setting is excessively high or the dryer is positioned too close to the hair. The intense heat can deplete moisture from the outer layer, resulting in a rough hair shaft that is susceptible to split ends and breakage.

Over time, this surface damage can build up, causing dullness and a loss of natural shine. However, if the blow dryer is used properly—at a low or medium temperature, kept at least 6 inches from the hair, and constantly in motion—the risk of cuticle damage is greatly minimized.

On the other hand, air drying typically allows the hair's surface to stay smoother and less disrupted, which can help preserve a shinier and softer look. However, air drying has its downsides: although the cuticle stays mostly intact, the hair shaft swells as the cortex absorbs water and remains swollen longer. This exerts prolonged pressure on the delicate proteins, such as keratin and the cell membrane complex, that are crucial for hair strength. Repeated cycles of swelling and shrinking, known as hygral fatigue, can eventually weaken the hair's internal structure, making it more prone to breakage, frizz, and reduced elasticity.

Choose What's Best For You

No matter how you decide to dry your hair, a quality microfiber towel can significantly speed up the process by absorbing water efficiently. A towel turban should remain on your head for just a few minutes until your hair is slightly dry, rather than for two hours.

Next, it's time to blow-dry:

Ensure you apply heat protection before starting and dry your hair at a medium temperature or lower. Avoid setting the hair dryer too hot, as this makes blow-drying no gentler than air-drying.

It's advisable to hold the hairdryer so the air flows from roots to ends, even if it

means drying your hair upside down. Otherwise, your hair may become tangled and frizzy. It's beneficial to dry your hair in sections, beginning at the roots and moving downward, using a round brush or flat brush to add some tension will help you be able to enhance smoothness and volume.

Conclude with a cool blast to seal the cuticles and maintain your hairstyle's shape and volume throughout the day.

When you use a blowdryer at a distance (15cm) and a good heat protectant, there is going to be less damage caused to the hair strand.

Heat Control Technology: The temperature at which you blow dry your hair is crucial! In contrast, air drying keeps hair wet for a longer time, which, as noted in this study, can cause the cuticle to swell, resulting in frizz, breakage, and potential damage to the cortex.

Protect Your Scalp: Allowing your hair to air dry can keep your scalp damp for an extended period, which might result in issues such as fungus or dandruff. Utilizing a high-quality tool can help dry the scalp efficiently and safely, minimizing the likelihood of these problems. It's important to note that prolonged moisture exposure can be as harmful as excessive heat, especially concerning the hair's inner structure.

Hair dryers are frequently used and can lead to hair damage like roughness, dryness, and color fading. It's crucial to know the best methods for drying hair to avoid damage.

As the temperature rose, hair surfaces tended to sustain more damage. However, there was no observed damage to the cortex, indicating that the hair's surface may act as a barrier to protect the cortex from harm. The cell membrane complex was only damaged in the group that dried naturally without using a hair dryer.

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Scalp Health

Concerning scalp health, one possible downside of air drying is that it can sometimes promote fungal growth, especially of the Malassezia species. This fungus flourishes in moist settings, and keeping the scalp damp for long periods creates an ideal condition for it to proliferate. An excess of Malassezia can lead to common scalp problems like dandruff, itching, and irritation, potentially disturbing the natural balance of the scalp microbiome. Conversely, blow drying, when done carefully, helps remove moisture from the scalp more quickly, making it less conducive to fungal growth and fostering a healthier scalp environment overall.

Overall, it is advisable to use your hair dryer on a low to medium setting, maintain a 6-inch distance from your hair, and keep the dryer moving to avoid heat concentration. Using a heat protectant product can also help protect both the cuticle and internal proteins. Air drying can be a suitable option for short durations or for those with very fine or fragile hair, as it reduces heat exposure. The healthiest strategy might be to combine both methods to enjoy their benefits while minimizing risks to the hair and scalp.

The Swelling Effect

When hair is wet, the cortex (the inner layer) takes in water and expands. Since air drying causes hair to dry slowly, the intricate proteins remain in an expanded state for a longer duration. This repeated cycle of swelling and shrinking is referred to as hygral fatigue, which may result in lasting structural damage and reduced elasticity, causing hair to look frizzy and brittle.

In 2011, The Annals of Dermatology released a groundbreaking study called “Hair Shaft Damage from Heat and Drying Time of Hair”, which examined two different methods of hair drying. An excerpt from the study states: “The hair shaft swelled when wet… and the cell membrane complex (CMC) was damaged only in the naturally dried group… although the hair surface showed more damage with rising temperature, using a hair dryer from a distance of 15 cm (approximately 6 inches) with continuous motion resulted in less damage than allowing hair to dry naturally.”

Research published in The Journal of Cosmetic Science has revealed additional drawbacks of air drying. It has been frequently noted that the cell membrane complex (CMC), known as the "glue" that binds hair cells, is especially susceptible to remaining wet for extended periods. "Extended exposure to water causes the hair fiber to swell, exerting pressure on the fragile cell membrane complex."