How to dry your hair faster with a hair dryer

The quick routine

This routine moves most of the water quickly in the rough-dry, when no styling is needed, and saves the slower, controlled work for the last part.

1. 1

   Squeeze water out in the shower, then wrap hair in a microfibre towel for five to ten minutes.

2. 2

   Detangle gently with a wide-tooth comb.

3. 3

   Rough-dry on high airflow and medium heat without a nozzle, moving the dryer constantly and lifting hair with your fingers.

4. 4

   Stop when hair is about 80% dry.

5. 5

   Clip hair into four to six sections.

6. 6

   Fit the concentrator and dry each section with a brush, nozzle pointing down the hair.

7. 7

   Finish with the cool shot.

Get water out before you start

Every bit of water you remove with a towel is water the dryer does not have to evaporate. A microfibre towel or cotton T-shirt absorbs well without roughing up the cuticle as much as rubbing with a terry towel. Squeeze and press rather than rub. Leaving hair wrapped for a few minutes while you get ready makes a noticeable difference on long hair.

Some people let hair air-dry partly before blow-drying. That saves dryer time, but if you want a sleek finish, hair that has dried too much on its own may set with kinks or frizz that the dryer then has to undo.

Airflow matters more than heat

Hair dries through evaporation, which needs both heat and moving air. Cranking the heat up while airflow stays the same does speed drying, but it also raises the risk of heat damage. Moving more air at moderate heat is the gentler way to go faster. That is why modern high-speed dryers, with small fast motors, can dry quickly at lower temperatures than older dryers with a higher wattage.

Use the highest airflow setting for rough-drying and a medium heat setting. Save high heat for short bursts on thick sections, and switch to lower airflow when styling so you have control. Our wattage explainer explains why watts alone do not tell you how fast a dryer is.

Technique tips that save time

• Lift the roots first. Roots take longest; dry them early while you flip your head or lift with fingers.
• Point downwards. Airflow from root to tip dries and smooths at the same time.
• Work in sections at the end. Small sections dry through; big ones leave damp hair underneath.
• Keep the filter clean. A clogged intake reduces airflow and makes the dryer run hot.
• Do not hold the dryer too close. A few centimetres away dries faster and more evenly than pressing it to the hair.
• Use the right nozzle at the right time. No nozzle for rough-drying, concentrator for styling.

When the dryer is the problem

If your dryer seems slower than it used to, check the filter first. Older dryers lose performance as motors wear and filters clog. A dryer that cuts out mid-dry may be overheating; our guide to why a hair dryer stops working covers the causes.

If you are buying a new one, look at airflow figures where listed, such as litres per second or cubic metres per hour, as well as wattage. Our guides to the best hair dryers for thick hair and the best hair dryers in the UK focus on drying speed, and the lightweight guide helps if arm fatigue slows you down.

Fast drying and hair health

Faster is not automatically gentler. The aim is less total heat on the hair, which comes from good towel drying, strong airflow and moderate temperatures, not from blasting hair on maximum heat. If your hair is fine, coloured or fragile, a heat protectant and a lower heat setting are worth the extra minute or two.

For curly hair, faster drying with a concentrator can disturb curl pattern; use a diffuser on low airflow and accept a slightly longer dry. Our diffuser guide explains the technique.

Note:Keep the dryer moving and away from the scalp. Never block the air intake or outlet while the dryer is running.

Frequently asked questions

How long should it take to blow-dry hair? It varies with length and thickness. Short hair may take a few minutes; long, thick hair much longer. Good towel drying and rough-drying cut the time for any length.

Does a higher wattage dryer dry faster? Often, but not always. Airflow matters as much as heat. A high-speed dryer with strong airflow can match or beat a higher-wattage dryer.

Is it bad to blow-dry on the highest heat? Frequent high heat can dry out hair. Use high airflow with medium heat for most of the dry, and save high heat for short bursts.

Should I rough-dry without a nozzle? Yes. Without a nozzle the airflow covers more hair at once. Fit the concentrator for the final styling stage.