Hair dryers are primarily used to quickly dry wet hair and to style it.
Drying Hair
The most basic use of a hair dryer is to remove moisture from wet hair, speeding up the drying process. This is particularly useful for people with long or thick hair that would otherwise take a long time to air dry.
Styling Hair
Beyond just drying, hair dryers are essential for styling. As noted by Murdock, blow-drying "helps to pre-mould your hair into a style." It works by removing moisture from the hair, which helps to reduce frizz and create natural body and shape. This makes it easier to style hair into various looks.
Benefits of Blow Drying for Styling:
- Frizz Reduction: The heat from the dryer helps to smooth the hair cuticle, reducing frizz.
- Volume Creation: By lifting hair at the roots with a brush while drying, you can add significant volume.
- Shape and Style: Blow drying can be used to create waves, straighten hair, or shape it into specific styles.
- Preparation for Further Styling: A good blow dry creates a foundation for other styling products and techniques.
How Blow Drying Affects Hair:
The heat from the dryer has a direct impact on the hair's hydrogen bonds, which are responsible for its shape. When hair is wet, these bonds are easily broken and reformed. The heat from a hair dryer accelerates the process of breaking and reforming these bonds, allowing hair to be molded into a particular style, making it easier to control. This is why a hair dryer is considered an essential part of most haircut services, as it creates the foundational shape before using styling tools and products.
Summary
The use of a hair dryer goes beyond simply drying hair. It helps in managing frizz, adding volume, creating a specific hairstyle, and preparing hair for further styling, all thanks to its ability to remove moisture and mold hair through heat. It plays an important role in various hair care routines and styling processes.
