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The decision to use a hair dryer is never an easy one. On the one hand, it gets your hair dry quickly and efficiently. But on the other hand, it can take a long time to blow-dry your hair correctly as well as be damaging for the health of your scalp and split ends. So how do you decide? Well, first, let’s cover some pros and cons of using a hairdryer:
Pros of using a hair dryer
- A hair dryer is a great tool for shaping and styling your hair. If you want to change your hairstyle and give it more volume, shape, or layering, this will be the quickest and easiest way to do so.
- Hair dryers add volume and control to fine, limp strands. If you have thin hair and it falls flat quickly, a hairdryer can be used to add some lift at the roots, so your hair looks voluminous and healthy.
- Hair dryers are effective at managing frizz. Hair dryers with ion technology emit negative ions that help fuse moisture to the hair follicle, sealing split ends and helping curls or wavy strands stay smoother for longer periods.
- A blow dryer can make your hair look shiny, sleek, and well-groomed. It’s also easy to use–just plug it into a socket, turn it on, and comb or brush your tresses with the attachments that are usually included with the device.
- Hair dryers can be used on curly or wavy hair as well as straight hair. When curling or waving your hair with a curling iron, sometimes certain areas of your head don’t get as curled as others. You could use a brush and blow-dryer to fix that problem.
Cons of using a hair dryer
- A good hair dryer is expensive to buy and maintain. The cheapest one you can find will cost around RM50, but that doesn’t include all the different kinds of attachments that come with it or the special brushes. To use a hair dryer correctly, you need a diffuser, a concentrator nozzle, and a brush or comb attachment.
- Hair dryers can be bulky and cumbersome to store in a small bathroom. They also take up a lot of counter space when left out. If you don’t have a lot of storage space or counter area in your home, this could be an annoyance for you.
- Hair dryers have the potential to damage your hair due to direct heat exposure. Hot air can dry out and damage fragile strands. People with curly or wavy hair tend to be more at risk for split ends and other hair problems when using a hairdryer since their hair type is already more prone to frizziness and damage.
- Hair dryers can be loud and distracting, especially if you’re trying to talk on the phone or watch TV while doing your hair. You wouldn’t want a blow dryer that’s too quiet because it might not function well, but if yours is too loud, it could get in the way of other activities you’d like to do in your free time.
- Hair dryers can be hot to touch after they’ve been running for a long time. If this bothers you, make sure to use the attachments included with the device or else your hands could get burned if they’re too close when it’s in use.
Alternatives to the use of a hair dryer
If you’re trying to figure out if using a hair dryer is right for you, keep these alternatives in mind:
Styling with your fingers
Some people find it much easier to style their hair by simply combing it or brushing it with their hands instead of using a hair dryer. If you want to change your hairstyle and add volume, shape, or layering to your hair, fingers are a great way to do that quickly.
Styling with a flat iron or curling iron
You can easily use a flat iron or curling iron instead of a hairdryer in order to get the same results. Curling irons work great for curly hair, while flat irons are good for smoothing hair. However, it takes longer to use a curling iron or flat iron than it does to use a hairdryer.
Styling with rollers
If you want to add volume, shape, or layering to your tresses but don’t want them to look sleek and smooth, you could use rollers of different sizes and put your hair up into a bun for fifteen minutes to let the curls form.
Using a conditioner or styling cream
If frizziness is your main concern, leave it in some conditioner or apply styling cream before drying your hair with the hairdryer, so it doesn’t dry out.
Styling with natural heat
If you have thick or curly hair, you could simply let your hair dry in its natural state without using any additional tools at all. Sometimes the tresses will dry without looking frizzy or unkempt.
Styling with a towel
You could also skip using a hairdryer or any other type of hair styling tool at all and simply wrap your head in a towel for ten minutes after you wash your hair and before bed. This will lead to slightly damp but still styled and frizz-free strands in the morning.
Caring for your hair more carefully
If you’re taking good care of your strands, they’ll be healthier and less likely to fall victim to damage from a hairdryer. Make sure that you use a shampoo and conditioner for dry or damaged hair if that’s what yours is like, as well as a good leave-in treatment or serum.
Conclusion
In conclusion, hairdryers can make your hair look sleek, smooth, and well-groomed. They’re also easy to use by simply plugging them in and styling with the attachments. However, they can also be expensive, cause problems for those with curly or wavy hair due to frizziness, take up a lot of room in the bathroom and run at very high speeds, so they could be distracting. Learn more on how to choose the right hairdryer here.