Does It Matter If You Wrap Your Hair To Dry -

Keeping your luxurious locks healthy and strong requires plenty of upkeep, including ensuring you don’t damage them. We all know you should avoid frizz and let the moisture soak in after you wash your hair. Heat can cause damage, but are you expected to let your hair drip down your back and shoulders? Does it matter if you wrap your hair to dry, or should you pat it dry and leave it alone? We’ve got the answers you’re looking for.

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Towel Drying Technique Matters

Wrapping your hair is just half of the battle. Most people towel dry their hair slightly before wrapping it. We all remember the old commercials of someone flipping their hair over and vigorously drying it.

However, that towel drying technique can cause severe damage, including breakage and frizziness. Instead, gently pat your hair dry to remove excess moisture. Your hair shouldn’t be dripping wet, but it’s okay if it’s still damp.

Benefits Of Wrapping Your Hair

After you pat your hair dry, it’s best to wrap it in a towel. Many people prefer either cotton or microfiber towels. They also sell fantastic hair wrap towels designed to keep your wrap in place so you don’t have limited mobility.

You’ll enjoy healthier hair. Hair has more time to absorb moisture, leading to less breakage. Most people notice that their hair isn’t as frizzy when they wrap it to dry. Ensuring you don’t use heat to dry your hair is a great way to prevent heat damage.

Our Picks

Hicober Microfiber Hair Towel, 3 Packs

Jseng 2PC Microfiber Hair Drying Caps

On The Other Hand…

There are several benefits to air drying your hair or wrapping it to dry. Sometimes, that’s not going to happen. For example, you may not want to go outside with wet hair in cold weather.

It won’t instantly fry your hair if you blow dry it every so often. You can use heat on your hair without causing severe damage. Make sure to use a heat protectant when you can. These absorb quickly into the hair and help prevent damage.

You can also use the cool setting on your blow dryer. The air flow still helps dry your hair, but you don’t have the heat that causes damage.

Downside Of Wrapping Your Hair

While there are several great things about wrapping your hair to dry, like not damaging it with heat, there are a few downsides to consider, too.

Wrapping your hair with a regular towel usually isn’t recommended. Regular towels can make your hair frizzy and cause split ends. Instead, you should buy a microfiber towel to wrap your hair. Try using a cotton t-shirt if you want a more affordable option.

Wrapping your hair can also take longer than alternative methods. The wet towel constantly puts moisture against your hair and creates a damp environment, which means it can take longer to dry. This can be less than ideal if you need your hair to dry faster.

The damp environment also creates the perfect environment for bacterial growth. It’s important to always use a clean towel. Consider wrapping your hair to dry for a little bit until it’s barely damp. Then, let it air dry the rest of the way. This offers the convenience of wrapping your hair when it’s wet enough to be annoying, without the bacteria that come with keeping your hair in a damp environment for long periods.

Always remember that it’s the friction from rubbing your hair to dry that causes the damage. There tends to be more with standard bath towels, but you can also cause damage with a cotton t-shirt if you rub your hair to dry it.