For the hair fanatics, hair dryers are among the top beauty inventions to have ever appeared on the face of the earth.
Why is it so?
It’s because they help you to dry and style your hair fast. Of course, you can dry your hair without using a dryer. But their efficiency makes them a necessity in many households.
To be clear, the hair dryers in today’s market are so advanced. With tons of bells and whistles, from heat settings to high power watts, these devices are undeniably useful for that get-ready-quick morning routine.
While we enjoy their modernity and the benefit they bring, these gadgets have really come a long way. And this begs the question, when was the hair dryer invented?
A Brief History: Who Invented Hair Dryers?
The first hair dryer, an invention by a French hair stylist, Alexander Godfrey, appeared in 1890. It used static technology, which means that a person could only use it by sitting under it.
In 1911, a US inventor, Gabriel Kazanjian, created the first blow dryer, which became the first ever hand-held unit in America’s beauty history.
In 1920, National Stamping and Electric Works under White Cross Band also invented handheld hair dryers. Unfortunately, these dryers were super heavy and difficult to use.
As time went on, the U.S Racine Universal Motor and Hamilton Beach companies improved these hair dryers by making them small and lightweight.
The year 1930 saw the entrance of the first hood and bonnet hair dryers to the market. But they weren’t nearly as advanced. Initially, they were made of metal, which means they were quite heavy and a bit hard to handle.
Then, manufactures moved to plastic construction in attempt to optimize the weight for ease of use.
By 1950, they’d come up with more rigid and lightweight hood dryers with plastic helmets that wraps around the head. The improved version became widespread in salons and common in most homes.
Unlike their counterparts, hooded hair dryers provide healthy hair since they run airwaves instead of hot air. Besides they leave your hands free, you can do something else while drying your hair.
From 1970 to this day, hair dryer technology has improved in terms of material used for design, power consumption, weight, and built-in features. In fact, the units in the market today are lightweight, portable, and very easy to use.
Types of Hair Dryers since Invention
Now that you know whom and when hair dryers first appeared, it’s time to familiarize with the common types available in today’s market.
Let’s get to it.
1. Ionic hair dryers
All ionic hair dryers use the ionic technology to release negatively charged ions that break down water molecules into tiny particles. This speeds up the evaporation process making the hair to dry faster.
And their benefits are?
They save your time as they have a drying effect that works in minutes. They are durable and long lasting. And they lock in more moisture, which leaves your hair smooth and shiny.
However, handheld and ionic hooded hair dryers are not good for styling. Therefore, they aren’t an ideal option for someone that has thin or short hair.
2. Tourmaline hair dryers
Tourmaline is a pyro electric and piezoelectric mineral that generates an electric charge in response to an applied force.
Its heating element uses tourmaline powder to emit both infrared heat and negatively charged ions. Because of this, it’s ideal in the manufacturing a strong infrared hair dryer.
The good thing about a tourmaline dryer is that it generates heat gently and equally. So it won’t cause heat damage to your hair. Also, it dries hair faster than an ionic and ceramic dryers do.
Probably the only biggest issue with a tourmaline dryer is that it isn’t suitable for thick and frizzy hair.
3. Ceramic hair dryers
Its heating material is made of ceramic or clay porcelain. The heat released from the device distributes evenly to your hair, hence zero chances of hair damages.
Just like a tourmaline hair dryer, this one emits infrared heat and negatively charged ions, which help to lock in moisture into your hair as it penetrates into hair shaft.
Its advantage is that it is good for both styling and drying any hair type. It also provides even heat hence cant cause heat damage. If you dry your hair frequently, this is the best dryer for you.
4. Titanium hair dryers
Its heating element is made of titanium metal, which tends to hair dryer is faster than other types of dryers. Generally, a titanium hair dryer is easy to use mostly because it’s lightweight.
As good as this type of hair dryer is we don’t recommend it to people that have thin or small hair. That’s because the heat element can damages hair.
The Cost of Hair Dryers
Whether hair dryers are cheap, less expensive or expensive, the bottom line is they all get the job done.
Keep in mind that while these devices do the same job, there may be differences between one dryer and another.
For example, some hair dryers under 100 have varying speed and heat settings, not to mention material used for the heating element.
It’s wrong to say that the higher the power the higher the cost. Because, in any case, we’ve seen some brands create cheap dryers that feature high wattage. In other words, it safe to say that cost varies from brand to brand, and not exactly based on the number of features or amount of power.
Even a hair dryer costing as low as 50 dollars can serve the purpose quite well. And the best part is? They are suitable for people that are on a budget, who don’t mind compromising on a number of features here and there.
Frequently Asked Questions
While there are so many questions around hair dryers, especially on their design, technologies, power, and efficiency, here are the most common ones that many people ask.
1. Can hair dryers damage my hair?
The answer is twofold: yes and no.
Safe if you use it correctly, dangerous if not handled properly. In other words, don’t use a heat setting above 45 degrees, don’t dry the same point for long, and keep the dryer at least 15 centimeters from your hair.
Because you want to get the most out of a hair dryer, choose an option that suits your hair type. Seriously, it doesn’t make sense to buy a hooded hair dryer for curly hair if you have thick hair.
2. What is the right hair dryer to buy?
Hair dryers works differently on different hair types. Understand your hair type first then look for a dryer that fits that hair.
Drying time is also a key factor to consider. Dryers that use less time to dry are less likely to damage your hair.
3. Are all hair dryers the same?
No, each dryer is unique with different technologies, heating elements, and other features. Take ionic hooded hair dryers, for example.
They use ionic technology, which release negative ion to your hair, drying them faster so you can get ready in time.
Final Thoughts
Hair dryers have evolved over time to become the lightest, portable and effective units that we see in salons and use at home.
What’s more?
Not only do they save your time, they also leave your hair healthy and shiny.
To get the most out of this beauty technology that dates back to 1890, choose a type that best suits your hair type, and use them correctly like we’ve advised.