Are Infrared Tools Actually Less Damaging for Hair?
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I air-dry my hair whenever possible — not necessarily to avoid damage but because I work from home and I’m lazy. If I’m not going anywhere, I’m not going to spend up to 20 minutes blow-drying my hair just to sit at my desk.
Because of this, my hair is pretty healthy (or so I’m told by my stylist). So when I do usehot tools, I’d like to inflict as little damage as possible. That’s whyinfraredtechnology in hot tools, a growing category, recently caught my attention. Brands claim these tools dry and style hair more efficiently with potentially less damage.
My first experience with an infrared tool was with theSutra IR Infrared Blowout Brush, which I tested for a hair-tools story earlier this year and have continued to use. I’ve used someblow-drybrushes over the years that feltwaytoo hot on my fine hair, and my teens have had visible breakage from using one frequently. This one can get up to 450 degrees, but I find it smooths and shapes my hair well at much lower temperatures. I’ve been using it on almost-dry hair (it’s recommended to use it on hair that’s 70 percent dry) when I want to look more polished, and I haven’t noticed any new breakage or othersigns of damage.
So how exactly is infrared heat different from conventional heat? I asked hairstylist and SRI Labs consultantJessica Roseand trichologist Laura C. Vople, founder ofManeink Trichology and Scalp Spato help me sort out the science and what it actually means for the health of hair.
Infrared is all about heat distribution
You may have heard infrared tools described as drying hair from the inside out, but that’s somewhat of an oversimplification. With traditionalhot tools, the outside of the hair heats up first, and then eventually that heat works its way into the hair’s cortex. When the outer cuticle layer gets too hot, its protective scales lift up, which allows water inside the strand to escape, leaving hair dry and more vulnerable to breakage. “Infrared technology uses longer wavelengths to penetrate the hair shaft and distribute the heat more evenly,” says Volpe. “This allows for more efficient styling with less prolonged exposure to high surface temperatures, which can minimize stress and damage to the cuticle.”
That even heat distribution throughout the strand can speed updrying time, too. “With traditional heat, you’re blasting the outer layer of hair while waiting for the inside to catch up,” Rose says. With infrared, there’s no lag time for the heat to reach the cortex.
Thatmaymean less damage
“As a stylist, I think of infrared as a gentler way of transferring heat,” says Rose. And, in theory, that means less damage due to more even heat distribution, lower surface temperatures, less stress on the cuticle layer, better moisture retention in the hair, and less time under the dryer. Research has shown that conventional heat styling can damage the hair fiber, particularly at higher temperatures, but it’s worth noting that I couldn’t find any peer-reviewed studies that directly compare infrared tools with traditional ones to determine whether infrared causes less structural damage.
In the case of styling tools you use on dry hair, such as aflat iron, the even heat distribution may mean you’ll get your desired look at a lower temperature and in fewer passes. Plus “infrared plates allow for a smoother glide with less friction and unnecessary stress on the hair shaft,” says Volpe.
But infrared is not a free pass
Any time heat is involved in styling, there’s potential for damage, regardless of the technology. “Infrared alone doesn’t automatically make it damageproof,” says Rose. “The temperature, the amount of time, and the technique are just as important.” That means the usual heat-safe rules still apply: Use aheat-protecting productwhile hair is wet; set to the lowest temperature possible to get the job done; don’t linger in any one spot too long; don’t keep going over already-dry sections with the blow-dryer.
Infrared tools to try
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This is the infrared blowout brush I have. In addition to the IR, it also has 360-degree airflow and a cool-air function to set styles.
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Sutra also makes an infrared flat iron to heat hair more evenly, while titanium plates and ionic technology keep hair sleek and smooth.
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Infrared and ionic technology combined make this a powerhouse blow-dryer for healthier, frizz-free hair.
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This thermal brush with infrared technology is meant to be used on dry hair for smoothing and styling.
More hot tools we’ve written about
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My favorite curling iron for effortless waves.
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A dryer and styler in one that is good for puffy, frizz-prone, and coarse hair.
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An infrared dryer that was named Best in Class for fragile hair.
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