First, we need to understand: what are the components of hair that hair care essentially aims to protect?
1.Keratin
Keratin is the main component of hair, determining its strength and resilience. Protecting keratin can prevent hair from becoming weak and prone to breakage.
2.Moisture
Moisture is an important part of hair. Maintaining an appropriate moisture content ensures the softness and shine of the hair. Lack of moisture can lead to dryness and frizz.
3.Cuticle
The cuticle is the outermost layer of the hair, responsible for protecting the internal structure. Healthy cuticles can tightly align to prevent moisture loss and external damage.
4.Cortex
The cortex contains keratin fibers and pigments, affecting the color and elasticity of the hair. Protecting the cortex can enhance the overall strength and appearance of the hair.
5.Natural Oils
The natural oils secreted by hair help maintain moisture and shine, while also providing a certain level of protection.
Among these, keratin and the cuticle are the most sensitive to blow-drying temperatures. Excessive heat can cause irreversible damage to them. Therefore, ensuring fast drying while effectively protecting keratin and the cuticle becomes the core task of hair care with hair dryers.
Properties of Keratin
Keratin can be divided into two types: α-keratin (found in hair, wool, etc.) and β-keratin (found in feathers, nails, etc.). The structure of α-keratin begins to break down at approximately 60–65°C (wet) or 70–75°C (dry), while β-keratin has slightly better heat resistance, with structural damage occurring above 80°C. To ensure the stability of the keratin structure, it is recommended that blow-drying temperatures be kept below 60°C.
Impact of the Cuticle
Research literature (e.g., Robbins, 2012) indicates that when hair is treated in a water bath at 65°C, the α-helix structure begins to unravel. When the temperature of hot air exceeds 70°C, the cuticle will lift, leading to damage to the keratin structure. Therefore, it is advisable to keep blow-drying temperatures below 60°C.
Temperature Control Recommendations
In summary, the temperature for hair care blow-drying should be kept below 60°C to minimize damage to the hair. At the same time, to improve drying efficiency, it is recommended to maintain the blow-drying temperature between 50°C and 60°C. Our company's hair dryer is set to a warm air temperature of 55±5°C, based on test values taken at a distance of 10 cm from the laboratory outlet; actual usage may cause temperature deviations based on distance changes.
To avoid temperatures that are too high (which may damage the hair) or too low (which may reduce drying efficiency) due to distance variations, and to minimize the impact of temperature differences on scalp comfort, we employ a TOF distance sensor to monitor blow-drying distance in real time. This data is used to control blow-drying power (reducing power for close distances and increasing power for farther distances) to maintain a constant blow-drying temperature of 50°C to 60°C, while enhancing scalp comfort.
