Sitting under the dryer is one of the most dreaded past times of anyone that’s ever gone to a hair salon. So when you decide to maintain your locs at home, naturally you don’t want to subject yourself to such torture. However, by air drying your locs you may be putting your locs at risk and causing more problems than you realize. In this article, I am going to share with you the biggest risks of air drying and tips for properly drying your locs at home.
Top 3 Risks of Air Drying Locs
For the purposes of this article, air drying is defined as not sitting under a concentrated heat source (dryer) to remove moisture from your locs. Air drying is never the professional recommendation for locs at any stage because of the potential for the following reasons:
Flat Locs

Flat Locs from Air Drying
One of the most common causes of flat locs is residual dampness left inside the locs from air drying. Due to the fact that hair takes on whatever shape it is dried in. When you allow residual water to remain inside the locs and then compress on them by laying down or putting on a hat/scarf it will lead to them becoming flat.
Mildew & Odor
If you constantly air dry your locs and they do not thoroughly dry, fungus can develop within the center of your locs which will lead to a mildew odor. Not to mention, removing the mildew odor can be a very tedious, sometimes unachievable task.
Unraveling & Failed Styling
When the locs are not “set” into place with a concentrated heat source they will unravel or loosen at the roots much quicker than locs that are properly dried. Also, when you’re styling your locs, especially when you want curls, if the locs do not fully dry, the style will not last and will fall within a few days (if not hours). Typically, curly styles that are properly dried will last for weeks!
So now you may be wondering, “how do I dry my locs without sitting under the dryer for a long time?”. Well, I am glad that you asked because as someone who also hates sitting under the dryer, I have a few suggestions for you!
How to Properly Dry Locs
To help prevent flat locs, odors, or your retwist from unraveling, you want to ensure that you are properly drying your locs with these 3 tips:
Use an Ultra-Absorbent Towel
After you shampoo your locs, if you use a towel that is designed for use on hair, it will absorb at minimum 3x more moisture than a cotton towel or t-shirt. This will also minimize your drying time whether you sit under the dryer or air dry. Also, the towels designed for hair do not shed so they’re lint-free and you won’t have to worry about lint-buildup in your locs.
Use a Bonnet Dryer
A lot of times we neglect the ends of our locs once our hair gets long, especially when it comes to sitting under the dryer. The solution— a bonnet dryer. The bonnet dryer covers your locs from roots to ends so that all of the locs dry evenly. Also, you want to remember to use low-medium heat for drying your locs so that your locs don’t end up hard and crunchy.
Remove Excess Moisture
Instead of completely air drying your locs for hours (or days), use a concentrated heat source, such as a Bonnet Hair Dryer Attachment, for a minimal amount of time (30 minutes or less) to remove excess moisture and then continue to air dry. This is especially important if you plan to let your locs dry overnight.
Blog Comments
Carol Thompson-McIntosh
May 8, 2017 at 11:38 am
For curly locs should it be curled when locs are dry and not wet?
Jocelyn Reneé
May 8, 2017 at 11:42 am
Wet and they need to fully dry for the curls to last
Carol Thompson-McIntosh
May 8, 2017 at 11:42 am
This information was very informative I now know how to dry my locs proberly.
Camila Maria
May 21, 2017 at 11:20 am
Is this especially important for starter locs?
Jocelyn Reneé
November 26, 2018 at 7:10 am
It is especially important for starter locs to be dried completely. You don’t have to worry too much about mildew and such at the beginning stages but if you want your locs not to be flat and/or have a lasting retwist, it is important to utilize a hair dryer.
Jackie
May 25, 2017 at 6:44 pm
Excellent tips Queen Jocelyn! Thanks for sharing! 😉
Marley
June 14, 2017 at 5:22 pm
Than you for all your post you’ve taught me a lot and helping me through my process.
Donna
November 21, 2017 at 8:59 am
I understand the importance of drying your locs. Thank you this has been informative.
Jessica
October 6, 2018 at 7:36 pm
Is it good to use a cool air to dry my locs vs the hot air from a hand dryer?
Jocelyn Reneé
November 26, 2018 at 7:08 am
What’s most important is fully drying your hair. The cool is will take a lot longer to fully penetrate the locs and dry them completely, but, on the other hand, if the air is “too hot” is can overdry your locs and make them brittle.
Biche | ChickAboutTown.com
February 26, 2020 at 11:28 am
I hate to say: I air dry my locs, but I live in a tropical climate where it is very hot, and I try to wash my locs earlier in the day instead of at night.
Linda
May 22, 2020 at 12:15 am
I have decided to enter the sister lock Journey. I am looking for a Loctician in the Maryland area (Baltimore County). Do you have any suggestions?
Jocelyn Reneé
May 27, 2020 at 11:11 pm
I don’t. All of the consultants that I am familiar with in this area are fully booked. Check the Sisterlocks website you should be able to find a trainee in the area though.
Beverly Robinson
June 27, 2020 at 10:18 pm
When I use the comb to retwist my starter loc’s some of the hair in certain ones just won’t twist…It twists at beginning and end of loc..the rest is just straight. Is this normal?