Are Wet to Dry Straighteners Bad for Your Hair?

Written by Shehnaz Shirazi

Updated on November 05, 2023

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Suppose you’re a working woman like myself, and you need to wake up early in the morning to be ready for a busy day at work.

In that case, this scenario is undoubtedly familiar.

You’re leaving the bathroom in a hurry, your wet hair hasn’t dried yet, and you’re wondering whether you should blow-dry your hair or have your breakfast because you don’t have time for both.

We all have been there.

That’s why some of us have thought about getting a wet to dry straightener to knock out two styling processes simultaneously, drying your damp hair while styling it.

Who wouldn’t love to save their time? No one, of course, in their right mind.

The question that comes to mind shouldn’t be whether you should use these devices to straighten your hair, but it is instead whether or not they are safe.

Before we jump to a conclusion, let’s take a look at the issue from different angles.

How Do Wet to Dry Straighteners Work?

What different manufacturers promise you is to have a device for straightening your hair.

At the same time, it is still wet through employing a unique venting system that dries your hair by extracting the excess water and converting it into steam.

The steam is then released through the holes placed in the plates.

However, if you got the notion that you can do this to your wet her without causing it severe damage, well, you’re wrong, lady.

Even straighteners that are advertised as such are designed to be used on damp or slightly wet hair.

The point I’m aiming to make here is that just because you can straighten your wet hair doesn’t make it less damaging to do so.

The straightening police won’t come knocking for you, but trust me on this; you’ll spend years trying to get your hair less frizzy but more healthy. This leads us to the next question.

What’s the Difference Between a Blow-Dryer and a Wet to Dry Straightener?

You get it, heat is dangerous for your hair, but what makes blow-dryers generally better than flat irons is that they don’t use heat directly on your hair.

They dry your hair at a distance, while a hair straightener applies heat straight to your hair and at a much higher temperature.

These scorching temperatures can result in breaking your hair, coarsening its texture, and producing more frizz.

Of course, you won’t notice such changes unless you regularly use a hair straightener. Still, we’re just putting things in perspective.

You might be wondering if these hair straighteners are that bad, why do people tend to use them?

Read on to find out…

Wet to Dry Straighteners: Advantages

Because their harm is not pure harm, these straighteners promise you tempting advantages over other iron flats. To name a couple:

Saves Time

As mentioned, these devices are used to both dry and straighten your hair in the process.

Typically, you would blow dry your hair first before you straighten it, which is not the same as styling with a wet to dry flat iron. Accordingly, straightening damp hair can be a huge time saver.

Guarantees Lasting Results

Getting an excellent wet to dry straightener also ensures keeping your hair smooth and straight for long periods.

It will keep your hair frizz-free and shiny because it doesn’t retain the excess moisture; neither does it stroke your hair out of the rest. It helps keep things balanced.

Those are often the two reasons that prompt people to get wet to dry hair straighteners. Tempting much? Well, read on to learn what you’re sacrificing in exchange.

Wet to Dry Straighteners: Disadvantages

These are primarily attributed to the fact that straightening wet hair is generally harmful.

First off, wet hair is too fragile, and it could break easily, especially at such high temperatures. The damage of straightening wet hair will linger on for long periods, more than you might imagine.

Secondly, when your hair is wet, mainly if it’s not moisturized well, it uses the water to get its required moisture.

However, a straightener that heats up to high degrees causes the water to evaporate. Hence, it rids your hair of all the moisture it’s already lacking!

Additionally, as the water turns into gas, the gas expands. The water that stays in your cortex will burst out, severely causing damage to your hair and making it frizzy.

Finally, since the results are often tempting, people tend to overuse these hair straighteners more aggressively and frequently, resulting in severe damage in the long term.

How to Get the Most Out of Wet to Dry Straighteners

In this section, we will help you optimally use straighteners for hair styling purposes, while ensuring rationing your hair healthy and undamaged.

The first thing is to keep your hair well moisturized. This way, it wouldn’t depend on water as the primary source of moisture.

You can achieve that by either using a high-quality conditioner or hair oils that suit your hair.

Secondly, combing your hair the right way is enough for a proper hair-styling technique.

Make sure to use a wide-toothed comb to break the strands and let the necessary moisture flow into them while ridding you of excess humidity.

Thirdly, pay attention to how you use the towel. Personally, I’d recommend using a cotton t-shirt instead of aggressively towel-drying your hair.

Fourthly, one further step to remove excess moisture is through shaking your hair. It also gives it added volume.

The next step is to section your wet hair into strands and apply a heat protectant. If you want to blow dry it, you’re ready to go.

If you’re using a flat iron, it’s preferable to carry through with the rest of your hair care routine to let your hair dry first.

If you follow these steps carefully, you can make sure your straightened hair looks beautiful and remains healthy.

Choosing a Wet to Dry Straightener: Ceramic or Titanium Plates?

Like most flat irons, these straighteners for wet hair come with either ceramic or titanium plates. We’ll help you understand more about the two.

Ceramic Plates

Ceramic plates are gentler on the hair since they generate far-infrared heat. They are also better for frizz-prone hair because they produce negative ions that counteract the positive ones.

It is generally known that ceramic plates also ensure a shinier look and better heat-protection.

Titanium Plates

On the other hand, flat irons with titanium plates are often known for being fast-eating, lightweight, and sturdier. However, you don’t need them if your hair isn’t naturally thick or coarse.

Editor’s Choice: Remington Wet2Straight Flat Iron

If you’re determined to have one of those wet to dry straighteners, we recommend this one from Remington.

Remington Wet2Straight Flat Iron

It has a unique style, heats up fast, doesn’t pull your hair and cause as much damage as others would, does the straightening job correctly, and comes at an affordable price.

This hair straightener allows you to dry and straighten your damp hair simultaneously. It has a wet/dry styling indicator.

When the indicator shows green light, it signifies the device is ready to straighten damp hair. When it is an amber light, it can be used for dry hair. In both cases, it’s a good investment.

Plus, it has a unique venting system that helps you style your hair by smoothly removing the water without damaging your hair.

We appreciate that it has both ceramic and titanium plates, combining the merits of both. What else is there to look for?

Final Thoughts

Dear reader, we both know that you can’t apply heat to your hair without damaging it to an extent, and we know you’re dying to get one of those wet to dry straightening irons.

I can relate because straightening our hair is a feeling that’s out of this world!

It’s alright to get one, only if you understand how they work and promise to follow our steps on using them without damaging your hair.

Don’t use them if not necessary, invest your money in the right straightener, not one of those cheap yet unsafe ones, and keep shining!