How Do Ionic Hair Dryers Work?

Healthy SELF, SELF Magazine

I was shopping for a new hair dryer and noticed that there is a wide price range ($20-$250) as well as some pretty bold claims being made by these products. In particular, I noticed many of the more expensive hair dryers (and flat irons) are labeled "ionic." The listed benefits of "ionic" ranged from "helps hair dry faster" to "makes hair shinier" and even "makes hair healthier." It's not often that you see "hair dryer" and "healthy" in the same sentence so I decided I needed to do a little research to help decipher some of these claims.

Related: The Healthiest Cities for Women

What does ionic really mean?
An ion is a charged component that a chemical can be broken down into that can have a negative or positive charge. Your hair has both negative and positively charged places on it, which helps certain hair care products work better and the water in wet hair is positive; ionic dryers that emit negative ions cause globs of H2O molecules to divide into smaller particles that evaporate faster, says Edward Borish, Ph.D., a chemist in Columbus, Ohio. The result is less frying time. Conditioners contain positively-charged ingredients that attach themselves to the negatively-charged sites on your hair which allow them to stay there and treat your hair, strengthening it. Ionic appliances claim that they are releasing ions onto your hair to offer some benefit but as I said above if your hair is bombarded by ions it's actually interacting with what's on your hair (water and or product) not the hair itself so the ions might help the styling products you are using work better hence giving you better results.

Related: 21 Good-For-You Snacks

Bottom Line
Some of the higher end and more expensive appliances using materials like ceramic and tourmaline heat up faster and get hotter than traditional appliances and because ionic ones help water evaporate faster they all result in a shorter dry time which does less damage to the hair and who doesn't want that? However, if you use heat protecting products and aren't worried about drying time you can certainly get a quality hair appliance without breaking the bank!

More from SELF:

• 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
• Yoga Moves for Flat Abs
• 38 Antiaging Foods
• Gwyneth Paltrow's Arm and Ab Workout

Photo Credit: Condé Nast Digital Studio
Close