Skipping the blowdryer before flat ironing

[Evolving78]

the blow dryer has been the devil for me. i am going back to rollersetting and flat ironing the roots. it wasn't so much the heat from the dryer, but it was the pulling and tugging that was starting to cause me some problems. especially if you use a comb attachment.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I am doing the same thing. I air dry in 4 mini buns. The key is basically moisturizing and sealing the heat protect you intend to use. I use grape seed oil and silk elements olive oil spray. My hair is stretched mostly strait and use a low heat on my curling iron. I think that this is the healthiest my relaxed hair has ever been. The only time I plan to use a blow dryer is when I want to have my hair pin strait. When it is done I leave them in 4 loose pony tails. This is my workout style and it stays relatively strait. I wrap before bed to maintain strait look. Most times, I air dry in a bun and wear my bun.

 

[DominicanBrazilian82]

I'm not sure if this applies to natural or transitioning naturals; however, last night was the first time that I purposely allowed my hair to air dry (detangling wasn't too too bad; I only shredded a few) and it was beautiful! I DC'ed with a Dominican product (10-en-1) for about 30 minutes under my heating cap. I also applied a little Silk Amino Acids and Aloe Juice to my Conditioner during application.

As soon as I removed the cap, I instantly felt the difference (even through the plastic). Keep in mind that I am 11 weeks post with thick thick roots. Rinsed well, applied more of my SAA concoction (SAA, Aloe Vera juice, avocado oil and spring water) very lightly, detangled and air dried without braids or ponytails. It dried soft and the closest I've ever felt my hair come to blow dried hair. I totally attribute this to the SAA. I then flat ironed small sections from roots to tip (one pass); allowing the flat iron to steam on my roots for extreme straightening. I also used a heat serum on each individual section giving the heat a reason to penetrate

Point of the story... Possibly other aids (SAA) can assist you with less heat to achieve the straight results you desire.

 

[AudraChanell]

Same here: will be straight most times.
I'm currently transitioning and plan to air dry in a controlled ponytail and use the Babyliss TT iron to STEAM straighten (vs. Flat iron) and bend ends at same time. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS TOOL!!

The most I'll wash is once a week, keep moisturized ends, and cover at night.

 

[AudraChanell]

No blowdryer or flat iron
STEAM straighten *nods*

 

[HairQueen]

I think this is a great question! when I was natural I use to blow dry and then flat iron my hair without a heat protectant, and never really had much damage. but it never grew longer than BSL length. I think you really have to know you're hair and what works best for it.

I plan on flat ironing my hair next month and since I want WL hair Im trying to take proper precaution to protect my hair. I am going to deep condition, shampoo, cocondition and then braid my hair to let it air dry 90 percent, then I am going to blow dry my hair in sections. I will use my heat protector and then flat iron my hair. I will try to flat iron my hair with no more than 3 passes.

hopefully this works I mean I do expect some damage but not too much. I try not to flat iron my hair too much maybe every 2 to 3 months. I will definitely post pictures of my results. if the results arent as straight as I want it to be then I am going to do it the old fashion way blow dry and then flat iron but I'll be sure to keep using my heat protectant or maybe I will try roller setting it first then flat iron it.

At OP, sistawithrealhair has a great tutorial on roller setting and then flat ironing it on her youtube page.

Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch Q using LHCF

Thanks for the tip about the youtube page..I will check it out.

 

[HairQueen]

If you're used to blowdrying then flat ironing, you'll definitely see improvement in the condition of your hair if you air dry and then flat iron rather than blowdrying. Handheld blowdryers, IMO, are the most damaging of heat appliances for hair.

Yes I agree..that is why the blowryer worries me. I want to be a heat straightening natural with as little damage as possible. The only thing is airdrying takes HOURS I was thinking of going under the hood dryer then flat ironing...

 

[HairQueen]

I am 4a/4b relaxed, and after every touchup I would blowdry and flat iron. But my latest touchup, I sectioned my hair into 3 parts, used lottabody setting lotion and sat under dryer til 90 % dry, then blowdried (applied heat protectant & shine serum) It was so much easier to deal with, and my hair had body, shine, and swing, and overall felt better. I had never done it that way before, and the only thing I changed was the lottabody and sitting under the dryer first.

But, I am not fighting new growth so that may or may not work 4 u. But for me, that rollersetting was not the biz bc too much manipulation on hair w/ the parting, smoothing, etc and my results were almost always frizzy if I was post 4 weeks or later, plus you have to be 100% dry to flat iron afterwatds and my hair is way too thick to wait that long under the dryer.

Hmn that's the thing isn't it with 'safter' methods they take so much longer to dry your hair!

 

[HairQueen]

I hardly ever flat iron but after I read somewhere that someone used curlformers to stretch her hair before doing one pass with the flat iron. I tried it and it works beautifully but it's not for me since I am constantly wetting my hair. I think it would be great for someone who washes every two weeks.

I plan to be a two week washer when I am natural (I currently wash weekly as a relaxed/transitioning). I have never tried curlformers are they soft enough to sleep in?

 

[HairQueen]

the blow dryer has been the devil for me. i am going back to rollersetting and flat ironing the roots. it wasn't so much the heat from the dryer, but it was the pulling and tugging that was starting to cause me some problems. especially if you use a comb attachment.

I haven't used a comb attachment in years to scurred if I were to blowdry it would have to be the tension method but I am still worried about how drying it would be. Have you ever tried the tension method?

 

[HairQueen]

I am doing the same thing. I air dry in 4 mini buns. The key is basically moisturizing and sealing the heat protect you intend to use. I use grape seed oil and silk elements olive oil spray. My hair is stretched mostly strait and use a low heat on my curling iron. I think that this is the healthiest my relaxed hair has ever been. The only time I plan to use a blow dryer is when I want to have my hair pin strait. When it is done I leave them in 4 loose pony tails. This is my workout style and it stays relatively strait. I wrap before bed to maintain strait look. Most times, I air dry in a bun and wear my bun.

Me too..I never use the blowdryer as a relaxed head but I wonder how effective the results are minus blowdryer being natural.

 

[HairQueen]

Same here: will be straight most times.
I'm currently transitioning and plan to air dry in a controlled ponytail and use the Babyliss TT iron to STEAM straighten (vs. Flat iron) and bend ends at same time. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS TOOL!!

The most I'll wash is once a week, keep moisturized ends, and cover at night.

I want to try steam flat iron! Sounds great. Does it get hair as straight as a regular flat iron though? Doesn't the water /steam make it frizzy?

 

[DDTexlaxed]

No blowdryer or flat iron
STEAM straighten *nods*

Please show us how to do this. My Maxi glide is the only steam I know.

 

[Nonie]

I hardly ever flat iron but after I read somewhere that someone used curlformers to stretch her hair before doing one pass with the flat iron. I tried it and it works beautifully but it's not for me since I am constantly wetting my hair. I think it would be great for someone who washes every two weeks.

@yardyspice Guilty as charged! But I'll come to the Curlformers later.

I have never used a blow dryer before flatironing. I used to braid and airdry in braids then flat iron wet-to-dry BARE HAIR then I'd apply a serum (not even a heat protectant one *gasp* ) and pass the flat iron again. I'd have smooth, straight hair. Here's a close up of my hair after I pass the iron on hair that isn't blowdried and without product (I AM NOT SUGGESTING ANYONE DO THIS MADNESS!!!)

And these are results from flatironing hair that was simply stretched in braids then flatironed when damp w/o product and then one more time with a serum:

The last time I flatironed, I used Curlformers to stretch my hair. I started with hair that had just been washed & DC and was still wet (I'm 4B):

After Curlfomers, my hair was this stretched:

I wasn't going to put heat on y hair w/o a protectant so I used a spray protectant to wet my hair (coz I like to do wet-to-dry presses) and passed the iron ONCE over each Curlformer section (They were pretty narrow coz I used 80+ Curlformers) and my hair looked like it had been blowdried:

I then parted small sections and applied heat protectant serum to seal my hair and passed the iron once...and my hair was smooth and straight and stayed that way until my wash:

This was me getting ready for the wash at the end of the week:

And reversion as soon as shampoo touched it:

And this is my hair after the wash:

Did I mention that what made my last flatiron my favorite is NOT ONCE did I smell burning protein? None of that "someone's getting her hair flatironed" smell during, after or even when I wet my hair. Protectants rock!

 

[RegaLady]

I use to do this when I was a natural in high school and it worked pretty well. My only concern would be achieving straight ends. But I guess you can do that with the comb chase method when flat ironing.

 

[yardyspice]

@Nonie You were the one I am always lurking in this section and I never remember who wrote what.

Ahem....so what protectants are you using? oke:

I stopped with the blow dryer because of that smell and I am so glad I you mentioned curlformers because they really work and the best part is that they come out great WITHOUT heat.

 

[Nonie]

@Nonie You were the one I am always lurking in this section and I never remember who wrote what.

Ahem....so what protectants are you using? oke:

I stopped with the blow dryer because of that smell and I am so glad I you mentioned curlformers because they really work and the best part is that they come out great WITHOUT heat.

@yardyspice, I airdried my hair in Curlformers with no product. After taking the CFs out, I took each section at a time, wet it well with John Frieda Frizz Ease Head Defeat spray, then passed the flatiron over it once to get the blow dried effect. The directions on JFHD say to spray immediately before applying heat so I felt very safe doing this--even though in the past just water didn't scare me.

When all sections were done, I parted a very narrow section, smoothed John Frieda Frizz Ease Thermal Protection Serum over it to cover well (the idea isn't to use a lot, but to be meticulous about coverage) and then passed the iron once before moving onto the next section.

Even if not using Curlformers, I highly recommend letting hair dry fully before applying the Heat Defeat. Even if you're a wet-to-dry flatironer. I suggest that because then you can be sure that your hair is well coated by the protectant, since you will know all wetness on it is protectant. If your hair is still wet, you wouldn't know if some parts were just water and therefore exposed, yanno?

 

[yardyspice]

@yardyspice, I airdried my hair in Curlformers with no product. After taking the CFs out, I took each section at a time, wet it well with John Frieda Frizz Ease Head Defeat spray, then passed the flatiron over it once to get the blow dried effect. The directions on JFHD say to spray immediately before applying heat so I felt very safe doing this--even though in the past just water didn't scare me.

When all sections were done, I parted a very narrow section, smoothed John Frieda Frizz Ease Thermal Protection Serum over it to cover well (the idea isn't to use a lot, but to be meticulous about coverage) and then passed the iron once before moving onto the next section.

Even if not using Curlformers, I highly recommend letting hair dry fully before applying the Heat Defeat. Even if you're a wet-to-dry flatironer. I suggest that because then you can be sure that your hair is well coated by the protectant, since you will know all wetness on it is protectant. If your hair is still wet, you wouldn't know if some parts were just water and therefore exposed, yanno?

Thanks a bunch!!!

 

[Orchid1992]

the blow dryer has been the devil for me. i am going back to rollersetting and flat ironing the roots. it wasn't so much the heat from the dryer, but it was the pulling and tugging that was starting to cause me some problems. especially if you use a comb attachment.

This.

I also suck at blowdrying my hair and it's pretty much pointless for me to continue to do so while using a brush.

I think that with the help of my fake denman brush (it works like a dream) and indirect drying I can minimize the damage from my flat ironing sessions.

I don't have time to air dry, but if braid my hair, blow dry it with cool hair, and then flat iron it, I should get good results. I'll let you know how it goes, OP

 

[beana]

I agree that depending on your hair texture, blow drying is necessary for smooth flat iron results. For *MY* hair (4a/b natural), I have tried it both ways and notice that without blowdrying my flat ironing jobs don't last as long and lack the movement and body they have when I blow dry my hair prior to flat ironing.

 

[HairQueen]

yardyspice Guilty as charged! But I'll come to the Curlformers later.

I have never used a blow dryer before flatironing. I used to braid and airdry in braids then flat iron wet-to-dry BARE HAIR then I'd apply a serum (not even a heat protectant one *gasp* ) and pass the flat iron again. I'd have smooth, straight hair. Here's a close up of my hair after I pass the iron on hair that isn't blowdried and without product (I AM NOT SUGGESTING ANYONE DO THIS MADNESS!!!)

And these are results from flatironing hair that was simply stretched in braids then flatironed when damp w/o product and then one more time with a serum:

The last time I flatironed, I used Curlformers to stretch my hair. I started with hair that had just been washed & DC and was still wet (I'm 4B):

After Curlfomers, my hair was this stretched:

I wasn't going to put heat on y hair w/o a protectant so I used a spray protectant to wet my hair (coz I like to do wet-to-dry presses) and passed the iron ONCE over each Curlformer section (They were pretty narrow coz I used 80+ Curlformers) and my hair looked like it had been blowdried:

I then parted small sections and applied heat protectant serum to seal my hair and passed the iron once...and my hair was smooth and straight and stayed that way until my wash:

This was me getting ready for the wash at the end of the week:

And reversion as soon as shampoo touched it:

And this is my hair after the wash:

Did I mention that what made my last flatiron my favorite is NOT ONCE did I smell burning protein? None of that "someone's getting her hair flatironed" smell during, after or even when I wet my hair. Protectants rock!

Wow! Amazing!

 

[HairQueen]

I use to do this when I was a natural in high school and it worked pretty well. My only concern would be achieving straight ends. But I guess you can do that with the comb chase method when flat ironing.

Is there REALLY a huge difference in using the comb chasing method? I just think I am going to be way too lazy to do that..looks like too much hard wrk/effort withut me knowing the benefits

Perhaps somebody could explain the benefit - that would motivate me

 

[HairQueen]

This.

I also suck at blowdrying my hair and it's pretty much pointless for me to continue to do so while using a brush.

I think that with the help of my fake denman brush (it works like a dream) and indirect drying I can minimize the damage from my flat ironing sessions.

I don't have time to air dry, but if braid my hair, blow dry it with cool hair, and then flat iron it, I should get good results. I'll let you know how it goes, OP

Yes please let me know how it goes..I look forward to hearing that thanks.

 

[HairQueen]

I agree that depending on your hair texture, blow drying is necessary for smooth flat iron results. For *MY* hair (4a/b natural), I have tried it both ways and notice that without blowdrying my flat ironing jobs don't last as long and lack the movement and body they have when I blow dry my hair prior to flat ironing.

Ok thanks for the feedback I feared as much..erplexed I figured that the people who always use a blowdryer couldn't be just doing it because it was quicker / more convenient. I just hope my hair is one that can still get swang without it and with using my hood dryer instead.

 

[karenjoe]

one day I will try to go with out blow drying & then flat ironing... (after a relaxer).

its much faster when I blow dry & I don't need to flat iron( my new growth is soft)
I section my hair off in small sections
I blow dry on med....

 

[RegaLady]

Is there REALLY a huge difference in using the comb chasing method? I just think I am going to be way too lazy to do that..looks like too much hard wrk/effort withut me knowing the benefits

Perhaps somebody could explain the benefit - that would motivate me

I have to say, it helped me out alot. Before I would fry my ends because thery were crinkly after I flat ironed them. When I did the chase, it left me with pretty straight ends.

 

[Guinan]

Hi

I am transitioning to natural (I think I am a 4a/b, fine hair ) and after thinking long and hard about it I think I want to be a straight hair wearing natural. Not 100% of time but think I will straighten on a regular basis (every two weeks). 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?

Thanks

Ok, so I finally tried flat ironing w/o blow drying. I didn't do my whole head just two sections. The first couple of pics are flat ironed with my hair completely dry, the last two pics are with my hair alittle damp. I actually like the results of not blow drying. I had less breakage and I didn't feel overwhelmed as I usually do after blow drying and then flat ironing. The only thing that I would change is the sealant I used after I washed my hair. It was a little too heavy (I used WGHO). I am going to use coconut oil next time. The other thing I will change is I will flat iron my hair only when it is completely dry. The flat ironing while 90% dry was too scary for me, I didn't like the pops and crackle that I heard.

I DC for 5hrs, then co-rinse w/ Suave coconut conditioner. I M&S w/Aphogee leave-in & sealed w/ WGHO. I then braided my hair (3 braids per section, total head count 12) & secured braids w/ a rubber band. The next day, I took the braids out (the section I was testing), applied my heat protectant (Matrix iron straighter, this stuff is amazing!!!) & flat ironed the section, parting the section into two's. I only did 2-3 heat passes, but could of gotten away w/ 1.

I hope this helps and Good Luck!!

 

[Guinan]

Here is the additional pic of the 90% dry flat ironed hair.

 

[kandake]

Is there REALLY a huge difference in using the comb chasing method? I just think I am going to be way too lazy to do that..looks like too much hard wrk/effort withut me knowing the benefits

Perhaps somebody could explain the benefit - that would motivate me

For me, there is definitely a huge difference. It's the difference between having sleek results vs. crunchy ends.

If you're straightening just to put it in a bun or some type of up do it doesn't matter. But if you intend to wear your hair down then I say it's worth it.

However, if your hair gets straight without it than you can forgo the comb.

 

[Nonie]

Is there REALLY a huge difference in using the comb chasing method? I just think I am going to be way too lazy to do that..looks like too much hard wrk/effort withut me knowing the benefits

Perhaps somebody could explain the benefit - that would motivate me

@HairQueen, I don't use the comb chasing method. I do hold the section of hair I'm about to straighten and stretch it with my free hand though. I think you do need to help open up your coils somehow to make the straightening easier. So if not using a comb you do need to use your fingers, methinks.