“What tends to happen, particularly in humid weather, is that the cuticles don't seal properly, which leads to frizz.
On top of breakage, air-drying can also increase frizz, build-up, and mildew, especially for afro-textured and curly hair.
The best way to dry your hair is to let it air dry under the fan as much as possible. However, some experts believe combining air and blow-drying is healthier than just air drying. It is good to let your hair air-dry seventy percent of the way and then blow-dry till they become dry ultimately.
Hair is most vulnerable to damage when it is wet.
The results documented in the published paper referenced above show that letting hair dry naturally causes the cortex (the thickest layer of hair) to swell and become weaker, as the swelling puts pressure on the delicate proteins that hold hair together.
While excessive heat can cause damage to the surface layer of the hair, air-drying can cause trauma to that inner lipid layer, which will make your strands weaker as a result. Over time, something called hygral fatigue happens, i.e. repeated swelling of the hair.
There are four primary factors that cause frizz: the environment, diameter of the hair fiber itself, level of curl, and the amount of damage. Avoid long and hot showers, excess exfoliation, and hot tools like traditional hairdryers and flat irons to prevent frizz.
Keratin hair treatment, also known as a Brazilian blowout, is a salon hair treatment designed to smooth frizz and tame unruly hair. It involves applying a keratin-based solution to the hair and then using a flat iron to seal the formula into the hair cuticle.
Once the air-drying process starts, any manipulation of the hair is going to create frizz—even touching it with your hands. O'Connor says that there should be minimal touching until the hair is at least 75 percent dry. Both experts also share that the type of brush or comb you use on wet hair is important.
Letting hair air dry is best for healthier-looking tresses.
People with oily hair or who use hair care products daily should consider washing their hair once every 1–2 days. People with dry hair can wash their hair less frequently. Those with textured or coily hair should only wash it once every 1–2 weeks.
Usually, it takes an hour or two for damp hair to dry completely. However, this time may vary depending on the hair length and porosity. Highly porous hair can take an entire day to dry. It's because porous hair quickly soaks water and takes longer to dry.
Why it works: Hot air expedites the drying process and actually forms whatever style you're going for--whether it's sleek and straight or bouncy and curly. Cold air, however, seals the cuticles of your hair, which sets your style in place and adds shine.
Frizz occurs when hair is lacking moisture and becomes, resulting in the hair being dry as a result, whereas damage occurs due to an overuse of hair processes that disrupt the hair cuticle (the hair's protective layer).
Because hair is not a living tissue with regenerative ability, it cannot heal and repair. You can use oils, conditioners, hydrolyzed proteins or other ingredients to disguise the issues temporarily but it's akin to using makeup on the face.
Why does hair get dry as we age? As we get older, our hair texture changes dramatically. Hair will slowly become drier, coarser, and thinner over the years. The truth is that as we grow older, the oils that our scalp relies on for nourishment decrease, resulting in drier, frizzier hair.
Conditioning your hair is so important if you want to fight the frizz. Using a good hair conditioner helps your hair to retain its natural moisture and protection after shampoos strip it (even the most moisturising one is going to strip away at least some moisture unfortunately).