Can Excessive Hair Dryer Usage Cause Hair Loss?

There are many reasons why people experience hair loss, and one common cause is the frequent use of hair styling tools. From straighteners to curling irons, these devices can damage hair and lead to excessive shedding. With the rising popularity of such equipment, it’s important to understand how they may be contributing to hair loss.

Hair dryers are a great invention! They help us to dry, volumise and style our hair. If you’re noticing an abnormal amount of hair loss while blow-drying your hair, it’s only natural to wonder whether there’s a connection.

A hair dryer, if used correctly, can cause minimal damage.

The reality is that as long as you’re not burning your hair or irritating your scalp with your hairdryer, it won’t cause hair loss. While using your hairdryer on its low or medium settings can help minimise the amount of heat directed at your scalp, even using it on a higher setting shouldn’t cause a problem as long as it doesn’t get too close to your scalp.

To use your hairdryer correctly, keep your hair 12 – 15 inches from the nozzle. The surface of your strands should not be burnt so that you can maintain your hair’s healthy conditioning. If you put the blow dryer too close to your hair, then your hair is likely to get super dry and brittle. The proteins in your tresses will lose their nutrition, causing split ends and frizz.

That being said, there can be blow-drying side effects. Daily blow drying can cause your hair to lose moisture, which can cause your hair to become dry and brittle. But this won’t affect your natural hair growth cycle. Giving your hair a few days’ breaks from the hairdryer can help bring some of the moisture back.

Visit your dermatologist if you are facing hair loss and are wondering whether its cause is excessive use of a hair dryer for proper and timely management.