Something always seems wrong about the way hairdressers dry hair in a salon. At home I dry my hair for one minute and let it air dry the rest of the way. Last week as I was getting highlights, I watched another hairdresser drying another woman's hair. I wanted to scream. She was going so slow, running the brush through the same section of hair over and over (and yes, pulling it) with the dryer trained directly on it. She must have spent 30 minutes drying that woman's medium length hair while customers were piled up.

How often do you go? If your hair gets dried like this once every six weeks or so, I'm guessing no harm is done. It's just a guess, though.

I suppose you could tell her it hurts: too hot and too hard. She'll think you're a delicate flower, but no harm in that. :-)

I'd also tell her that it hurts you and maybe offer to show her how you do it at home.

She will be offended if you tell her she is doing it wrong (which she is), so I would tell her that your scalp is very sensitive. I have issues with my scalp from brain tumor surgery and I tell hairdressers to please go easy. Once I tell them they are great about it.

Hi foggyj,

I hear ya! So often, one hairdresser or another has caused
pain or concern of one type or another when I have been in their chair. I had one guy who had such a heavy hand when using his comb on my wet hair that I thought my scalp would bleed.

If the condition of your hair is good and your hair is healthy, I would trust that being pulled when wet a few times a year will cause it no harm. If it bothers you more than you can tolerate, ask her not to pull so hard, see what she says. It might start a conversation that would be of benefit to both of you.

sooey

Thanks for putting this in perspective. I only go for perms and trims about every 3 months. Having perms, makes the hair even more delicate and subject to damage. I won't get excited about it, seeing as how it's not too frequent. It just kinda bugs me. Thanks for listening to such a trivial problem.

I think the "delicate flower" suggestion is good.
If she doesn't comply, find another salon that will listen.

I may be the odd man out here... but my hairdresser kind of does the same thing. I think it's like a professional blowout. Is she straightening out/defrizzing your hair as she's drying it? You kind of take the brush with the hair dryer right on it and go through it. I think it's supposed to be done that way. I think some use special attachments and/or special blowdryers.

Honestly, if it bothers you, I would ask why she is doing it the way she does. I think she may have a good reason. If you really don't want it done, just aks her not to dry your hair. Or, if she's pulling too hard, let her know. Although I think the hard tension helps with less frizz.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Blow Out Hair

I'm one of the shyest people going, but seriously, I wouldn't let a hairdresser hurt me, I'd say something. If they don't like it, find another hairdresser.

For example, if I'm getting my teeth cleaned, am I going to let the hygenist hurt me? No, I tell them if what they are doing hurts.

Just do it. ; )

Just raise your shoulders or wince quietly once so you don't embarass her and she will probably ask if something is wrong or is it too hot.

Ditto to Dee Can.

Really: It's HURTING YOU! And just because you go to the hairdresser only a few times a year that makes it OK and a trivial problem?

A Brazilian wax is supposed to hurt. (not that I will ever get one! doing the eyebrows was enough!).
A blowout is not.

It's not the hairdresser's own hair she's pulling. She doesn't have any idea of how her pulling strength is affecting you.

I speak up when my stylist keeps the blowdryer on a section too long -- yes, it does hurt my scalp.

Just tell her, and in a polite way, as I know you would. She will not feel offended, esp. if you go with Carla's advice to ask her why she's drying your hair with such a hard pull. Don't you think she wants you to be a happy client? Don't you want to walk out feeling as good as you look?

I don't see anywhere that foggyj said it's hurting her.

She is concerned about the damage to her hair. I agree with those that say that, since it's only on the occasions when she gets her hair done, it probably isn't causing damage. If it were every day or multiple times a week, yes, perhaps.

I simply told my hairdresser "please do not use any hair spray or other hair product and I would like to leave with my hair wet - please do not blow dry". I then asked if I could come back if I had an issue with the cut.

She has cut my hair for YEARS. She towel drys, and she & I have come to an agreement about the blow dryer - she uses her fingers only for about 2 minutes & then I am out of there. No spray, no curling, etc etc.

I misunderstood and thought foggyj was being hurt by the hair-pulling. My apologies.

However, I would still say something (nicely) if my hairdresser was pulling and stretching my hair, if it was permed, especially. It may be just once every few months but if the stretching and pulling breaks the hair or causes other damage, it's still damaged and you can't 'unbreak' or 'unstretch' it. Especially if it's only getting trimmed every three months, the damage isn't getting cut off very regularly.

I'm really sensitive to things like that I guess which is why I now cut my own hair - ha.

I agree with Carla. Shes just doing a blowout.

I go every 5 weeks and get my hair tinted,blown out and styled with either a flat iron or curling iron or sometimes both. Not something I do at home but it looks so good after she does it I go as long as I can without washing my hair. They normally use a lot of product to protect your hair. Conditiones,smoothers oils etc.

The only thing I can't stand is hairspray so I have asked it not be used. No problem.

If you don't want it then just say so. She can just fluff dry it or even put you under a dryer if you prefer. But don't expect it to have that shiny smooth, just been to the salon finished look.

Thanks everyone. No, it not a question of hurting. (it doesn't, I would certainly tell her, if that were the case.) You're right, once the hair is damaged, there's no "unstretching". I'm going to tell her how I read about (what she's doing), and see what she says. I thought it was because she was in a hurry, and wanted to get my hair dryed quickly, hence, almost laying the dryer on the brush. Anyway,..... I don't have to wear a bag on my head, so i guess it's ok. LOL

My apologies, too, then -- when I read that she pulls the hair hard with the brush, I couldn't imagine it NOT hurting!