Picture the scene: it's Monday morning. You’ve overslept and now you're dashing out the door with wet hair.
Or maybe you've darted home from work for a quick shower before a date and need to style your hair pronto.
Pop quiz: can you use a straightener while your hair is still wet?
The answer is, of course, yes, the hair police won't stop you.
But, while flat irons are safe to use on damp hair, we wouldn’t say they are recommended to be used on wet hair.
Here’s why you just shouldn't straighten wet hair
So here’s the deal: a straightener applies heat directly to the hair at high temperatures. So, when your hair is wet and is at its most fragile, this can become a problem.
Wet hair can quickly heat to scorching temperatures, burning and even breaking your hair.
If you're lucky, you won't destroy your hair the first time. Persistent wet straightening, though, will inevitably damage your hair. This makes tresses harder to manage, producing more frizz and coarsening your hair's texture.
This can nurture a vicious cycle, encouraging you to more frequently and aggressively straighten your hair, producing more and more damage over time.
While it’s not recommended, if you are eager to save time, you can straighten damp hair.
Just remember that if your hair feels cold to the touch, is dripping, or looks darker than it is when it's dry, it's still too wet.
If you want to find out how to dry hair quickly, check out our guide on the best way to dry your hair.