Ladies who diffuse or sit under the dryer?

MixedUpCurlyChick · 11-02-2009, 09:00 PM

My hair takes forever to dry. As it grows, it takes longer. So I'm contemplating getting a diffuser to use for a few minutes after I wash it to speed up the process. I have only used heat on my hair twice in the past yr or so but I don't want to walk around with wet hair this winter.

How many of you ladies use diffusers or sit under bonnet dryers to help your hair dry quicker? Have you noticed major damage? And umm...how exactly do you use a diffuser?

I've had one used on me at the salon...it didn't seem like it was any different than using a hair dryer in terms of technique but Idk. Its been a while since they used one on me. Any thoughts?

empressri · 11-03-2009, 09:39 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGISJoht2Kw

I don't do it year round, only if I'm wearing my hair loose and if the weather is cooler. I keep the dryer on low. And you don't dry your hair completely with it.

newme · 11-03-2009, 03:31 PM

I sit under a hooded dryer for a bit when it's cold. Last year I was constantly cold because I wet my twa everyday. My hair is longer now and takes even longer to dry than before so I try to sit under the dryer for 20-30 minutes. It doesn't completely dry my hair but takes the chill off. I've heard that diffusers are better because you can dry your roots but not your hair but I don't have one and frankly I'm too lazy to diffuse after spending so much time twisting my hair.

CoilyOne1812 · 11-03-2009, 03:32 PM

I have one of those ionic hand dryers with a diffuser which is supposed to dry more quickly than the other kind. I think that's true, but who knows because my hair dries quickly anyway. Mine has Hot/Warm/Cool temperature settings and High/Low Speeds. I tend to use it only Cool/High. Sometimes I start on Warm if I'm still dripping heavily. I concentrate the air on my roots and diffuse until my hair is somewhere between damp and dry. I'm not very particular, I just know you're not supposed to dry to 100%. I don't let the diffuser touch my cottony top layer of hair at all, but I'll actually put my under layers in the cup of the diffuser because they're wetter and the curl there is harder to disturb.

I don't really notice a great difference between diffusing and air drying in terms of damage, but I'm not the most observant either.

april-epiphany · 11-03-2009, 03:45 PM

i have a conair infiniti diffuser, before my hair was long enough to pineapple i diffused every morning. i thought my hair was severly damaged but my hairstylist said it wasn't even now that i have highlights. it might be due to the fact that i keep my hair hydrated. i use shea butter and gvp paul mitchell the detangler(added castor oil in) as my leave ins. now i only difusse twice a week.

luvmylocs · 11-03-2009, 04:52 PM

i use a diffuser to take some of the moisture out of my hair without a problem.

when i twist and curl or just roller set my hair i use a soft bonnet dryer (i have a hard one but i'm usually so sleepy i put the soft one in the bed with me). i've not had any damage.

to me the damage comes from extreme heat applied directly over a particular area while trying to straighten it (i.e. blowdrying with the comb attachment or flat ironing). i know some folks can do these without damage.

when i diffuse i'm moving it around, not just holding it over one area, the soft bonnet dryer is not super hot heat and it's uniform and i'm not manipulating the hair while the heat is blowing on my hair.

MixedUpCurlyChick · 11-04-2009, 01:06 AM

Thank u for all the great replies!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by empressri

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGISJoht2Kw

I don't do it year round, only if I'm wearing my hair loose and if the weather is cooler. I keep the dryer on low. And you don't dry your hair completely with it.

So in the vid, it looks like you're coming really close, but not touching the hair? When the hair dresser used it on me, she was a lot further away but it took FOREVER!

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvmylocs

i use a diffuser to take some of the moisture out of my hair without a problem.

when i twist and curl or just roller set my hair i use a soft bonnet dryer (i have a hard one but i'm usually so sleepy i put the soft one in the bed with me). i've not had any damage.

to me the damage comes from extreme heat applied directly over a particular area while trying to straighten it (i.e. blowdrying with the comb attachment or flat ironing). i know some folks can do these without damage.

when i diffuse i'm moving it around, not just holding it over one area, the soft bonnet dryer is not super hot heat and it's uniform and i'm not manipulating the hair while the heat is blowing on my hair.

That makes sense. I just flat ironed over the weekend and I feel like I need 10 DTs to get it back now lol. When you say "soft bonnet" are you referring ti the one that attaches to your handheld dryer? I was thinking about trying that one but I wondered if the bonnet close would be too close to my head and cause frizz

@Coilyone: Girl, u are lucky! Myhair takes 8+ hrs to dry. I'm just trying to speed up the process without losing my hair lol.

@April: what is a pineapple or the pineapple method? I've seen this talked about many times but didn't know what it was...

april-epiphany · 11-04-2009, 03:33 PM

a pineapple is a high lose poneytail. i have layers in my hair so i do 3 pineapples 1 up top 2 in back, i use those little black satin covered elastics. this is a very good sleep style for preserving your curls, i just take em off and fluff in the morning.

MixedUpCurlyChick · 11-04-2009, 07:09 PM

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh I do this too but I use silk scrunchies. Where can I get a satin covered elastic? Thanks for clarifying!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by april-epiphany

a pineapple is a high lose poneytail. i have layers in my hair so i do 3 pineapples 1 up top 2 in back, i use those little black satin covered elastics. this is a very good sleep style for preserving your curls, i just take em off and fluff in the morning.

april-epiphany · 11-04-2009, 07:54 PM

http://www.scunci.com/product_detail...10&pid=92&lp=6
i get em at walmart.

MixedUpCurlyChick · 11-04-2009, 08:19 PM

Thanks!

luvmylocs · 11-05-2009, 02:50 PM

when i say soft bonnet i mean the kind that has an accordian type hose and a soft bonnet you attach, not the kind you attach to a blow dryer. i got mine at sally's...i think

MixedUpCurlyChick · 11-05-2009, 09:51 PM

I think I saw one tonight at CVS...it was by Revlon. I wasn't aware there was anything like that. Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvmylocs

when i say soft bonnet i mean the kind that has an accordian type hose and a soft bonnet you attach, not the kind you attach to a blow dryer. i got mine at sally's...i think