Blow Drying Hair - Soaking Wet

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Recently I have received several questions about blow-drying soaking wet hair.

I've asked whether it's okay to crank up the blow dryer while hair is still soaking wet.

Blow Drying Hair - Soaking Wet

One of the biggest mistakes hair consumers make is blowing dry hair that is too wet or still dripping with water.

Blow Drying Wet Hair Isn't Advisable

There are a couple of reasons why blow-drying soaking wet hair isn't advised.

These reasons include:

1.  When hair is soaking wet, the benefits of applying leave-in conditioners and styling products may be neutralized.

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2.  If tresses are still dripping when blow-drying begins, any products which are applied may be unnecessarily diluted and may drip off the strands.

3.  Hair is much harder to manage when it's dripping wet than microfiber blotted first.

4.  The key to a perfectly balanced blowout requires equally hydrated hair from side to side.  This isn't possible when hair is soaking wet.

Hair should be towel blotted for at least 5-10 minutes to remove excess moisture.

Always allow hair to be balanced with regard to existing moisture.

Note: Some people worry if they towel blot hair, there won't be enough moisture remaining for a good blowout.

If any section of hair dries out too quickly, it can easily be re-moistened with a spritzer bottle.

5.  When hair is still dripping wet, it will require a much longer blow-drying time than when the first towel is dried.

Strands should be heat dried only as long as necessary to minimize potential heat damage.

6.  Using a brush to blow dry hair stick straight or with curls or waves would be more difficult with soaking wet tresses.

7.  Since tresses are most fragile when wet, the more moisture remaining, the more fragile the strands remain.

This can lead to breakage, rips, and stretching of the cuticle.  It can also result in the outer layers of the cuticle shredding.

Curly Hair Dries Faster Than Other Types

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Curly hair dries faster due to the structure of the hair, which is always partially open.

Wavy hair dries quickly, although not as quickly as curly hair.

Straight hair, especially when medium to thick, will dry the slowest.

Ultimately a blow dryer should be used on hair that has first been microfiber blotted, wrapped in a hair-friendly cloth for 5-8 minutes, and then air-dried for another 5-8 minutes.

Except in emergencies, it's never a  good idea to use more than one blow dryer on ultra wet hair simultaneously.

The potential for heat damage would be much higher.

Over-drying tresses may cause them to dry out and be more prone to ripping and breakage.

Additional Blow Drying Information

Celebrity Hairdresser's Tips: Blow Drying Your Hair

Blow Dryers: Best Features