Dryer and straightener – Features, differences and care

Dryer and straightener – Features, differences and care

Although they are excellent for shaping and taming your hair, hairdryers and straighteners have long-term effects that can damage them.

The hairdryer and straightener are powerful tools for styling everyday locks, but like everything that is done in excess, their prolonged use has consequences. Heat devices enhance the good effects, but the strands that suffer from their action require greater care. Therefore, it is important to invest in a few more steps in your hair routine when deciding to have them as allies.

If you have the habit of finishing your hair with devices such as a hairdryer and straightener, it is essential to understand the long-term reactions to their use. In addition to styling, high temperature is also responsible for drying out and weakening hair. This occurs because heat weakens the cuticles that protect the hair fiber, facilitating the loss of nutrition and hydration. Eventually, hair becomes damaged, dull and extremely sensitive.

But after all, which of the tools is more harmful? Check below the instructions regarding the dryer and straightener, as well as tips for a good hair routine combined with the devices.

Dryer x Straightener

Have you ever wondered which tool is responsible for the most hair damage? Even though both use intense heat to their advantage, depending on the objective, it is possible to find a better alternative. In this case, the dryer continues to be less aggressive than the straightener. The reason is the device’s better heat distribution, while the board acts by concentrating all of its high temperature on the surface it comes into contact with. Therefore, the probability of drying out and breaking the hair is much greater.

Despite this, it is not necessary to completely stop using either one. Both the hairdryer and the straightener can have their negative effects minimized by adopting a good and healthy hair routine, and without reducing their modeling power. If you don’t give up on braces, it’s essential to add hair protection and treatment tips to your daily care routine.

Necessary care with dryer and straightener

Discovering the negative effects of hairdryers and straighteners is not the end of the world. Although the problem requires greater attention, there are several alternatives that make the process much less aggressive, protecting the hair from the intense action of heat. With discipline and care, there is no need to give up valuable tools for styling your locks. Check out 5 valuable tips to prolong your use:

1 – Invest in a good thermal protector

The key to caring for heat-damaged hair is heat protectant. It is crucial to apply a leave-in conditioner before using any dryer or straightener, as the product is capable of creating a thermal barrier that preserves the hair fiber. Thus, protection is guaranteed, as well as the prolonged effect of the device. Furthermore, the leave-in, when of good quality, can also prevent the hair from becoming stiff, fading, loss of shine and hair loss.

To use the product, apply it before turning on the dryer or straightener, on both dry and damp hair. If you want to use both devices, you need to apply the leave-in twice, before drying and before straightening.

2 – Don’t wash your hair every day

Did you know that constantly washing your hair can be harmful? This is an even greater warning when they go through the constant action of heat devices. If you brush or style your hair after every wash, exposure to high temperatures causes even greater damage. Furthermore, daily use of shampoo destroys the natural oils in your locks, leaving them dry and opaque. It’s important to give your hair a rest of two or even three days between washes. If necessary, use a dry shampoo.

3 – Invest in treatment

Another very important factor in the hair routine influenced by dryers and straighteners is a good intensive treatment base. In this case, it is possible to adopt powerful repair masks for hair care, which can replace and alternate the days of using conditioner, providing the necessary proteins and nutrients.

However, avoid applying the product to the roots, as the region does not need treatment, in addition to the scalp suffering from pores clogged by the creams. Repairing masks should be applied strand by strand and massaged gently, followed by a good rinse. Likewise, a great tip is to invest in a keratin care line, which helps repair your hair without damaging the strands. Keratin helps in the treatment of dry, damaged hair, with split ends, without volume and frizz.

4 – Be careful with the temperature of the dryer and straightener

This is a detail that often goes unnoticed when using devices, but which matters a lot when the consequences of prolonged use become apparent. Most dryers and straighteners allow the temperature of the tool to be regulated, and functionality is crucial to keeping hair healthier. Very high temperatures cause hair breakage, however, extremely low temperatures require more work on each strand, prolonging the effect of the device and its likely damage.

Therefore, it is important to reduce the temperature of the device when dealing with more sensitive parts of the hair, such as the delicate strands around the face. For thicker strands, normally in the center of the head, it is possible to use higher temperatures. When combining leave-in, it is essential to remember that most products only ensure hair health up to 230ºC, therefore, the limit must be respected.

5 – Seek professional treatment

The dryer and straightener do not require expert handling, but hair that constantly passes through their effects does. Therefore, any sensitization caused by the strands must be analyzed by a professional, who can offer a specific and safe treatment for the strands. Furthermore, he can also recommend the best products for your hair routine, ensuring the good effects of the devices and the repair of the hair. When doubt strikes, visit a beauty salon!

Did this subject interest you? If so, also check out Burnt hair – How to prevent and treat damaged hair

Sources: Derma Club, Salon Secrets, Extraordinary Beauty

Images: In Detalhe, Tua Saúde, Madeixa, Vix, Zoom, Folha de Londrina, Extra Globo