Usually i avoid any heating/quick drying methods but today I was in a hurry and really needed to dry my hair but being afraid of drying it out with a blow dryer I decided to try using a small old portable heater we have. It has numerous settings and I used a low heat one, my hair dried in 10 minutes roughly and I felt it constantly through the process and it never got hot but I'm not sure if that means no damage occurred. I am definitely not recommending this but it did work and did not leave my hair feeling like it did last year when I blow dried. In all honesty it felt and looked better than air drying...and I'm curious about its effects. I have no problem air drying but if this method causes no damage and looks better why not? Its a very light warm breeze, not hot at all. Like a summer breeze in August so I think it may honestly not be damaging. What do you all think?
-animosity
Don't worry about it too much. As long as you're not sticking your head right up against it, there shouldn't be any damage. I've been known to just use a blowdryer with the heat-free setting if I'm in a hurry, and I've never noticed any damage from that. There are so many factors in our surrounding environment that are much more damaging to hair, and we shouldn't lose any sleep at night concerning ourselves over it. Stay well, Animosity, and keep that awesome hair growing. =)
-James
When in a hurry, I have a blow drier with a button I can push for a non-heat blow dry. The air coming out is similar to a warm summer breeze. I don't feel that it's going to cause harm to my hair, and, it drys the hair faster than air drying. You might see if you can find a similar drier.
DavidH
I use the electric heater below to dry my hair in the winter.
It's a gentle fan heater in which the air coming out is only warm (never use a radiant heater). Also, I sit at least 5 feet away and allow 30-60 minutes to dry.
There won't be any damage as long as the air reaching one's hair feels only warm.
The real danger with blow dryers is that they get hot enough to burn one's skin, but one's hair of course won't notice the temperature.
Ed
I use a hair dryer set on low heat all the time with no ill effects. I leave it just slightly damp. I have to watch out for tangles afterwards, though.
for me in the winter time, the indoor humidity is so low, around 5% that my hair dries almost too quickly if you can believe that. If I have to leave before it dries I turn on the car heater and air conditioner compressor and turn the interior of my car into a giant sit-in rolling hair dryer. It's dry in about 20 minutes that way.
I've done this several times when I didn't have time to air dry. I haven't really noticed any il-affects myself, so i'll have to agree with everyone else, it shouldn't really harm it.