Towel to Dry Hair

Hair wrapped in a towel
Photo: StoryTime Studio/Shutterstock
Q: Can I use any towel to dry my hair without damaging it? Any tips you can give on how to towel dry hair?
 
A: As long as you know how to properly dry the hair, you don't really need special linens for the job.
 
The key is to remember the way the hair is constructed: each strand of hair is covered with overlapping scales (like roof tiles) called the cuticle layer. When you dry the hair, you want to avoid doing anything that is going to rough up this cuticle layer.
 
That means that once you've rinsed your hair (or simply come from the shower where you've gotten your hair wet). You want to run your fingers through the hair from the scalp to the ends and squeeze out the excess water.
 
Then, use a clean, dry towel and pat the hair at the scalp to blot as much moisture as you can and further dry the hair.
 
Continue by pressing the hair between folds of the towel (if you have very long or very thick hair, you may need to use two towels) to remove water in the length of the hair. For shorter hair, simply grasp and squeeze segments of hair in the towel to soak up moisture.
 
Finally, you can wrap the head in the towel and allow it to remain for 10-15 minutes so that as much moisture as possible is wicked away.
 
Of course, there are products on the market designed specifically to aid in drying the hair safely, and they are fine if you want to use them. Having a designated hair towel could be useful for some individuals, but it isn't necessary to have a specialty hair care product to do a good job of towel-drying the hair safely.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
How to wrap a towel in a turban-fashion
 
Fragile wet hair
 
Should you not brush hair when wet?