If you’re about to pack for your next hotel adventure, don’t forget to include this item—your personal hair dryer, yes. Because that shiny gadget sitting in your hotel bathroom probably represents the dirtiest object in the entire room.
Hair dryers are a communal item at hotels, which means they are not really cleaned, and are typically the last item someone thinks to sanitize. Gross? Sure. Risky? 100%.
That Item is Essentially a Germ Blower
Using a communal dryer could cause your hair to blow and the bacteria, allergens, and even pathogens that are blowing too, according to trichologist Jacqui McIntosh (don’t worry, there are hair and scalp specialists, and yes, she is one). Not the relaxing spa experience you are going for.
Because hair dryers are not wiped down between guests, unless they are following strict sanitizing protocols (spoiler alert: usually they are not), it has become a nice cozy home for all of this family of invisible visitors.
Wait, What’s Their Problem?
- Low-Quality Hair Dryers with Big Attitude
Do not expect to have anything fancy like temperature control, or anything shiny and amazing like ionic technology / negative ion technology (they put out high heat and low power, wow that’s seriously old school and impolite on your hair’s health.)
- Hotspots = Inconsistent Hair
Some areas blast out lava levels of heat (burn your scalp off hot), with other areas barely provide warm air. You could seriously affect how your hair wears its natural oil, or leave you with brittle hair, split ends, or just a bad hair day.
- Minimal Airflow = Longer Dry Times
You could be standing under the hotel hair dryer for an eternity – baking your scalp while hair takes forever to dry. That God awful prolonged heat exposure enhances the damage on the outer layer of your hair (the cuticle) increasing chances for frizz, dullness, and hair breakage.
- The Hidden Health Hazard
This one is more about biohazards than beauty. Hotel hair dryers are the germs’ DMM. Each time someone other than yourself uses the dryer, it’s like adding more germs, now it’s becoming a hub of germs. Dust, evening after a wipe down, bacteria, fungus—whatever you think could be hiding in that nozzle is probably there. And given that all of that is being blown forcefully at your scalp and face? Yikes.
But I Already Am Here and I Forgot Mine, What am I supposed to do Now?
If you’re already checked-in and in a lurch, you can try to make the best of it. First, wipe down the hotel dryer before plugging it in (don’t plug it in before you wipe it down), disinfecting the nozzle, looking for visible dust or grime, and don’t stand too closely to that nozzle as it fires at your scalp.
Still not convinced? You’re not alone. They may take up valuable space, but your hair (and immune system) will absolutely want to thank you for your consideration.
A Note to All Hair-Loving Travelers: Hotel Hair Dryers Will = High Risk, Low return.
Bottom line, if you can aerosolize germs and viruses, ….don’t trust that thing on the bathroom wall. Guess what? It’s not waiting for your beauty routine, it’s just surviving for your dirty hair. Safe is better than sorry, especially when safe leads you to fabulous.
