Does Hair Dryer Cause Hair Loss?

Categorized as Hair Dryer Guide

Last Updated on March 27, 2022 by Rei

As long as you’re using the hair dryer correctly and not burning your hair. Then no, a hair dryer cannot cause hair loss. There is no proven evidence that a hair dryer could damage the hair follicle itself by just using a hair dryer. That being said, over drying can lead to dryness of the scalp which can cause your hair to become dry and brittle.  

You can easily reduce the damage done by a hair dryer by setting it to a low or medium heat setting. This would also depend on what type of hair you have. Those who have curly/kinky hair should use a diffuser at the lowest setting because this type of hair is the most prone to damage and frizz.

Another thing that you can do to reduce the damage of hair drying is to try to moisturize your hair as much as possible. This can be done by using a hair nourishments product like a leave-on compound/conditioner. You have to keep your hair and scalp moisturized to prevent them from drying out while using a hair dryer. A moisturized hair will combat such damages compared to dry hair.

You should also try using an ionic hair dryer. Ionic hair dryers produce negative ions that allow your hair to dry faster. This would reduce the chance of frying/damaging your hair.

Table of contents

Ways to prevent damage from hair dryers

  1. Invest in a quality hair dryer
High quality hair dryers used to protect hair

For us to prevent damage from using a hair dryer, it starts on the hair dryer itself. A good hair dryer would pay you back ten folds because of the benefits it would give you compared to a cheap drugstore version. 

Make sure that it includes the latest non-damaging technologies. We recommend an ionic hair dryer if your hair is prone to damage and frizz. 

Your hair dryer should also have a cool, warm, and hot setting. This is important because certain hair types need different types of settings.

Another thing to consider when choosing a hair dryer is the attachments. Make sure that the necessary attachments are included. Using the right attachment for your hair type would be beneficial to preventing damage.

  1. Set the temperature based on your hair type. 
A women holding and using a hair dryer on her hair.

A rule of thumb to remember when choosing your temperature is that fine hair is the most vulnerable to heat damage. While thick hair is less so, but you should always be careful not to overheat your hair because blow drying itself causes damage, we can only minimize it.

  1. Apply heat protector products before blow drying.
Heat protectant spray used to protect your hair while using heat tools
“Nov 29: Heat Protection Spray” by andtara is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Even if you’re using the low heat setting, applying a heat protectant is always a good idea. There are a variety of hair protectants available on the market, some come in spray or creams. Try what is best for you. You don’t even have to buy the expensive ones, there are cheap ones that work well. Try looking for heat protectants that have silicon in them, they are especially good for heat protection.

Does cold hair dryer damage hair?

Blow drying cold would considerably reduce the likelihood of damaging your hair compared to a higher heat setting. But the important thing to remember is that hair drying with proper care would not be that damaging to most people. We recommend to use the proper setting for your hair type and apply heat protectant products to minimize the damage. 

Summary

While hair dryers do not cause permanent hair loss, it can lead to heat damage that can make your hair brittle. This can be easily avoided with proper use and the right products. A good hair dryer would be a great investment if your current hair dryer is damaging your hair. With the proper heat setting that is right for your hair type, the likelihood of damaging your hair won’t be that much. A great addition to protect your hair when blow drying is to use heat protectant products that has silicon in them. This would protect your hair from heat damage even more.

By Rei Garnet

I've been a hairstylist and worked for salons for over 8 years and I want to share my passion and knowledge with a wider audience. My goal is to give everyone the best hair they could possibly have.