How Does an Ionic Hair Dryer Work?

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There are a lot of different hair dryers on the market now, and they differentiate themselves with different features and buzzwords like Tourmaline, Infrared, Ceramic, Ionic, etc.

But how many of these features are actually useful? Take ionization, for example. Does this feature actually improve the hair dryer, or is it just a way to make certain models stand out?

Ionizing driers are supposed to dry your hair faster, lock in moisture, give your hair a lasting shine.

So how does an Ionic hair dryer work? Is it a genuinely useful feature to have, or just more noise?

When it comes to ionic hair dryers, it’s all about the static electricity.

You can break down the functioning of an ionic dryer into three simple steps.

The ionic dryer heats up and produces negative ions.
Negative ions interact with positive ions to counteract static electricity.
The effect conditions and softens your hair

Read on for more information on the ionic hair dryer, and see if it’s worth including in your hairstyling routine.

Contents

Three Ways in Which Ionic Air Dryer Works

Unlike common blow dryers, the ionizing function of ionic air dryers has conditioning properties that leave your hair smooth and shiny. It is a truly fascinating device, and this section explains its functioning in three simple ways:

The ionizing function of ionic air dryers has conditioning properties.

Step 1: The ionic dryer heats up and produces negative ions

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When your hair is wet, it is full of positive charges; this explains why it is sometimes difficult to style it with common blow dryers producing positive ions. Ionic air dryers utilize cutting-edge technology to produce negative ions, thus overcoming the challenges associated with static electricity that makes it difficult to style your hair.

This device comes with a metal that, when heated, produces negative ions that are released into your hair.

Step 2: Negative ions interact with a positive charge to counteract static electricity

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Once you trigger the ionizing function, the dryer releases negative ions into your hair. These then interact with the positive ions to counteract the static charge. This makes your hair easy to style.

In addition, the ions break down the water molecules to give you a shorter drying time than traditional dryers.

Also, negative ions reduce the styling temperature to save you from dry, sensitive skin, and fragile hair. High heat is often the issue when it comes to damage from hair dryers.

Step 3: Conditions and softens your hair

As the device releases negative ions into your hair, they coat your hair cuticles, locking in moisture.

The result is smooth and shiny hair.

Additionally, the coat prevents your follicles from absorbing more water molecules allowing them to maintain their shine for a long time.

This is contrary to ordinary blow drying, which only holds style for a short time.

Why Get an Ionic Dryer?

So, why should you invest in an expensive ionic dryer while you can get a blow dryer as cheap as $20?

Turn Down the Heat

Unlike your ordinary dryer, which is known to be harmful to your hair, Ionizing hair dryers are much less harmful, and can even condition your hair.

The ionic dryer neutralizes the static charge, which makes it easy to style your hair and thus reduces the drying temperature and time.

Therefore, it protects your hair strands from extended exposure to a lot of heat, which would leave them dry and fragile.

Moisture Lock-In

Secondly, the ionizing feature coats your hair which locks in moisture and prevents your hair from absorbing moisture. The effect is long-lasting smooth and shiny hair, reducing the frequency of hair styling with heat.

Apart from being beneficial to your hair, Ionizing hair dryers tend to be long-lasting and will run for a long time before you will need to replace them.

Furthermore, compared to other dryers, Ionizing dryers are high-powered to dry and will soften your hair in the shortest time possible. They are great choices for professional stylists, as they save time and speed up the process.

Not only does it allow you to serve many people at a time, but also it saves you from events of your dryer blowing due to overworking. Generally, ionic dryers like the T3 Cura we looked at are long-lasting.

Compared with non-ionized dryers, they have a cheaper life cycle cost.

What to Look for When Purchasing an Ionic Hair dryer

Now that you understand an ionic dryer, what key features should you consider before purchasing one? Here are four factors:

1. Heat and Speed Control

Any hair stylist will agree that a good blow dryer should allow you to adjust the speed and heat setting to suit your hair. So, you want an ionic dryer with great customizable features that accommodate your hair type.

For example, if you have soft and thin hair, a dryer that allows you to adjust it to very low heat levels would be ideal.

On the contrary, thick and coarse hair will require higher heat and speed levels, so you also want to consider this.

2. Material

Another important feature you should consider when buying your ionic dryer is the material used. You want to go for a material, such as ceramic, that distributes heat evenly.

Heat distribution is great for styling as it gives consistent performance and prevents over-processing or under-processing parts of your hair.

Another great material for ionic dryers is tourmaline, which increases the emission of negative ions adding to the dryer’s functioning.

3. Power Rating

Most brands calculate the power rating of their dryers in wattage. So, as you look for a suitable dryer, you want to look at the wattage. Ideally, a good dryer should range from 1500 to 1800 watts.

An ionic dryer with a lesser power rating is slow and will blow with long hours of operation.

4. Weight And Design Of The Dryer

A lightweight and ergonomically designed ionic dryer is a good idea. You want to be able to effortlessly direct the airflow where it’s supposed to go, without feeling like you’re doing your gym routine.

An ideal dryer should weigh less than one pound.

As mentioned above, we really like the T3 Cura Ionic Hair Dryer . If you can stomach the cost, it is an excellent choice.

T3 Cura LUXE Hair Dryer, Digital Ionic Professional Blow Dryer, Frizz Smoothing, Fast Drying Wide Air Flow, Volume Booster, Auto Pause Sensor, Multiple Speed and Heat Settings, Cool Shot

T3 Digital IonAir Technology:...
5 Heat & 2 Speeds Settings: Offer...
Volume Booster Switch: Boosts texture...
Auto Pause Sensor: Intuitively pauses...
Lock-in Cool Shot Button: A burst of...

Ionic Hair Dryer User Guide

As you dry your hair using an ionic dryer, take precautions to avoid causing damage to your hair. First, avoid overprocessing your hair, as this makes your hair fragile in the long term.

Also, ensure you use heat-protective products to protect your hair from heat damage. Below are steps to follow when styling your hair using an ionic dryer:

After you have washed your hair, wrap your head with a soft towel to drain the water.
Once the water has drained out, and your hair is only damp, apply heat protective spray.
Ionic dry your hair in sections, ensuring all parts are covered.
When your hair is ¾ way processed, apply heat protective spray and blow dry cream to help seal your cuticles and to give it a shine.
Finish ion drying your hair and be careful not to overprocess it.

Conclusion

As you become more conscious of the harmful effects of blow drying your hair, it is important to shift to alternative methods that protect your hair. An ionic hair dryer may be just what you need!

Unlike ordinary blow dryers, an ionic hair dryer works to protect your hair by using ions to dry it at a lower temperature level. It locks in moisture, conditioning your hair and giving you a long-lasting sheen.