TLDR Drying hair with a microfiber towel better maintains hair strength and structure than using a cotton towel or blow-drier.
The study "Insights on the Hair Keratin Structure Under Different Drying Conditions" found that drying hair with a microfiber towel (80% polyester/20% nylon) best preserves the integrity of hair keratin, maintaining its alpha-helix structure and providing 45% higher mechanical wear resistance compared to drying with a cotton towel or a blow-drier, which only had wear resistances of 17% and 10% respectively. The blow-drier and cotton towel methods also led to a decrease in peak temperatures, indicating potential hair damage. These findings suggest that using a microfiber towel to dry hair could reduce damage associated with the drying process.
Cited in this study
6 / 6 results
3 citations
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April 2021 in “Wear” Hair's resistance to wear varies by ethnicity and treatment, with less wear indicating stronger hair.
39 citations
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April 2020 in “Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology” Asian hair is generally straight and thick, with unique disorders and properties, and more research is needed to understand it fully.
13 citations
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March 2019 in “Journal of cosmetic dermatology” Heat damages hair, with Asian hair losing more protein than Caucasian hair.
1 citations
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January 2017 in “Clinical approaches and procedures in cosmetic dermatology” Hair can't be reliably repaired once damaged; prevention and proper product use are key to maintaining hair health.
53 citations
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July 2016 in “Cosmetics” Future hair cosmetics will be safer and more effective.
193 citations
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January 2015 in “International journal of trichology” Dermatologists need to understand hair products to treat hair and scalp issues better.
7 citations
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August 2006 in “Biopolymers” Researchers extracted tiny keratin filaments from human hair by unzipping its outer layer.
71 citations
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December 2005 in “The journal of investigative dermatology. Symposium proceedings/The Journal of investigative dermatology symposium proceedings” Hair keratin-associated proteins are essential for strong hair, with over 80 genes showing specific patterns and variations among people.
