Braids come in many different styles according to your natural hair type. But maintaining your hair is equally important. If you’re wondering – can I blow dry my hair in braids, you need to know the proper way first!
You can blow-dry your hair in braids, but a few safety measures are important. Make sure the heat setting is cool and avoid putting too much pressure on the strands. Blow drying your braids can make them look smoother and cut down on the damage.
Knowing the ins and outs of protecting your hair can ultimately result in a better hairstyle. So, here’s everything you need to know about blow-drying your braids!
Factors to Consider Before Braiding Your Hair
You need to make sure your hair is washed well before you think about blow-drying it. Braid the section of your hair when it’s dry before moving to another one. Depending on your hair type – straight, wavy, or curly; the blow-drying process may differ.
1. Use a Heat Protectant
Grape seed oil works amazingly as a heat protectant while blow-drying. Make sure the product you use doesn’t contain silicone or alcohol. Always aim for natural products if possible!
2. How Prepping Your Hair Can Improve the Braiding Process
Preparing your hair for braids can make the process easier and produce more stunning results.
3. Hair Types that Require Special Consideration
Depending on the patterns of your curls, your hair can be – straight, curly, wavy, or coily. Avoid oily products for straight hair, use lightweight mousses for wavy hair, and steer clear of silicone and sulfate in curl products.
4. Recommended Dryness Level before Applying Nourishing Products
Only apply moisturizing products when your hair and scalp feel dry. Too much moisture can ruin the balance and harm your strands.
5. Protein Treatment and Leave-in Conditioner
Moisture and protein are two essential elements for healthy hair. So, give your hair protein treatments once a month in addition to deep conditioning. Leave-in conditioner can also help to nourish your hair.
6. Difference Between Braiding Preparation for Different Hair Types
Your braiding technique and process will depend on your hair type. Straight hair requires fewer hair care products, whereas curly and coily hair should be treated with ample amounts of nourishing elements.
To Blow Dry or Not to Blow Dry Before Braids
You can try many different braiding techniques depending on your hair texture. Blow-drying, heat-styling, and moisturizing – are some of the beauty tricks that can help your braids last longer.
It’s always recommended to install braids and twists on dry hair. Your hair is most fragile while wet, and braids put a lot of tension on the strands.
If you’re braiding wet hair, there’s a chance of bacteria buildup on your scalp.
Always make sure that your hair is completely dry before you move on to braiding it!
Should You Air Dry Braids
Since there’s no heat involved, air-drying braids can ensure a safe and natural process. Your hair will retain its natural curls or waves without any excessive heat.
Air-drying can help your hair to hold moisture for a longer time.
Risks of Air-drying Wet Hair
Air-drying wet hair is a convenient way to dry your hair without using any heating tools or products. However, frequent air drying can pose some risks to your hair’s health and appearance. Here are some of the risks of air-drying wet hair:
1. Damaged cell membrane complexes
Air-drying frequently can cause harm to the cell membrane complexes of your hair strands. The cell membrane layer may swell and weaken your hair over time. This can lead to split ends, breakage, and a generally unhealthy appearance.
2. Frizzy hair
Air-drying may also result in frizzy hair, especially if you have curly or wavy hair. The lack of control over the drying process can result in uneven drying, causing frizz and flyaways.
3. Increased risk of fungal and bacterial infections
Wet hair is a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, which thrive in warm and moist environments. Air-drying your hair can prolong the time it takes for your hair to dry, leaving it susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections.
4. Increased exposure to environmental pollutants
Air-drying your hair outdoors can expose your hair to environmental pollutants like dust, pollen, and pollution. These pollutants can cause damage to your hair, making it look dull and lifeless.
If you’re looking for an alternative to air-drying, blow-drying your hair is a quick and effective option that can save both your time and effort.
You can also try towel-drying your hair before air-drying or blow-drying to minimize the time your hair is wet and reduce the risks associated with air-drying. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what works best for your hair, but it’s important to be informed about the potential risks involved.
Some People Prefer Blow-drying before Braiding
If you want to speed up your braiding process and make it smoother, blow-drying beforehand can help significantly. You’ll be able to part your hair easily and lay down the braids as you want.
Your hair will be perfectly cool, dry, and prepared for braiding if you blow-dry it the day before your braids. Besides, blow-drying makes sure that you don’t have too much moisture left in your hair that might tug at your scalp.
Even though blow-drying may cause harm to your braids if you don’t do it carefully, there are many benefits to it –
Benefits of Blow-drying Hair Before Braiding
1. Reduce Tangles
You can make your hair more manageable by blow-drying it. It’ll reduce the tangles and make your hair easier to twist into braids.
2. Easier to Lay Hair the Way You Want
Besides reducing the tangles, your hair will be easier to part and braid after being blow-dried. This makes the braiding process smoother and faster.
3. Smoother and Sleeker Braids
Blow-drying loosens the curls – giving your braids a sleek and smooth appearance. Regardless of your hair texture, the braids will have a shinier and put-together look!
4. Prevent Flyaways in Curly Hair
Curly hair can have flyaways due to being damaged or for baby hair growth. Blow-drying can prevent this from affecting your braids.
5. Less Damage
Because wet hair is so delicate, braiding dry hair may be able to reduce damage. When braiding your hair, blow-dry it with cool air instead of heat to minimize damage.
Risks Associated with Blow-drying your Hair Before Braids
You should be aware that blow-drying your hair carries several serious risks. These include –
1. Heat Damage
Too much of a high temperature from the hairdryer can cause significant heat damage to your hair. Your hair will feel dry, brittle, and weak after the excessive heat, and it could even cause hair loss.
2. More Breakage
The harm caused by blow-drying your hair goes beyond just the heat. You run the risk of causing breakage and hair loss as you comb through your hair to dry it.
3. Dryness
Blow-drying can also cause a lack of moisture. The heated air can strip your hair’s natural oils away, drying out the cuticles and making your hair look drab and unruly.
when to avoid blow-drying your hair
It’s important to know when you should avoid blow-drying your hair.
Here are some situations when you should avoid blow-drying your hair:
- Wet hair: It is not advisable to blow-dry your hair when it is soaking wet.
- Damaged hair: If your hair is already damaged from coloring, heat styling, or chemical treatments, it’s best to avoid blow-drying altogether or limit the use to the lowest heat setting.
- Sensitive scalp: If you have a sensitive scalp or suffer from conditions like dandruff or psoriasis, it’s best to avoid blow-drying your hair.
- High humidity: Blow-drying your hair in high humidity can cause the hair to become frizzy and unmanageable.
- Hair loss: If you’re experiencing hair loss or thinning, it’s best to avoid blow-drying your hair.
Steps You Should Follow for Blow-drying before Braiding
Here’s a list of simple and easy steps you can follow for a better braiding process –
- Deep Cleanse your hair
- Moisturize it thoroughly
- Use a heat-protectant product
- Section your hair and start blow-drying
- After each section dries, braid it before moving to another
- Repeat the steps for each section
Challenging to Braid Straightened Hair
Straight hair is usually smoother, silkier, and trickier to deal with than curly hair. Here’s why you may be finding it more challenging to braid straightened hair –
1. Maintaining A Grip
It can be more difficult to braid straightened hair than it is to braid curls naturally. You could find it more difficult to keep your hold on your strands. As a result, you’ll need to apply additional tension to your hair to achieve your preferred style.
2. More Sensitive to Blow-drying
Low porosity straight hair tends to build up product in the scalp. So, make sure to use a purifying shampoo before drying it.
Wavy hair also needs to be washed with refreshing shampoo before being blow-dried, to make sure that the waves are flawless!
Benefits of Stretching Your Hair Before Braiding
Stretching your hair helps ensure that your braids are seamless while also relaxing its natural curl pattern, similar to blow drying.
Heat-free Ways of Stretching Your Hair
You should try avoiding heat while stretching your hair to reduce the damage. Excessive heat is always bad for your scalp and the strands.
1. Banding
One of the simplest ways to stretch natural hair is through banding. The moist curls are stretched into a looser position when you band your hair. Your hair maintains its straightened form while it dries.
2. Two Strand Twists
All you need to do is divide your hair into multiple sections and separate each into two halves. Keep twisting them until they’re done from root to end. Unleash the twists when they’re dry, and you’re ready to braid!
Wrapping it Up
Braids are delicate hairstyles that need to be handled with care. If you’re still wondering – can I blow dry my hair in braids, you can always consult your hairstylist.
Blow-drying is a process that needs to be done carefully because a bit of excessive heat can cause damage to your strands. Make sure you’re drying your hair safely and following the steps correctly!
