Leave-in conditioner, explained
Who it helps and how to apply it, per dermatologists quoted by the AAD.
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Who it can help
Dermatologists quoted by the AAD say a leave-in conditioner can be helpful if your hair is color-treated or permed, heat styled, long, curly, dry, fine and limp, or tangled, frizzy, or flyaway.
How hair looks and feels
The AAD says a leave-in conditioner can add volume and make hair smooth and shiny, and can diminish frizz, static, and flyaway strands. A dermatologist quoted by the AAD says hair will be easier to comb and feel smoother.
How to apply it
The AAD gives three steps: shampoo and condition your hair in the shower, towel dry it but leave it a bit damp, then apply a small amount of leave-in conditioner. It says thick hair requires more product and fine hair needs less.
Hair, not scalp
The AAD says to apply leave-in conditioner only to your hair, because applying it to your scalp can cause build-up, which could irritate your scalp.
How long to leave it
A dermatologist quoted by the AAD says you can leave it on your hair for up to a week if you apply it from mid strands to the ends and not your scalp. After a week, the AAD says dermatologists recommend washing it out with shampoo and water.
Heat and pool water
A dermatologist quoted by the AAD says some leave-in conditioners help protect hair from styling tools that use heat, and that the packaging will say so. The AAD also suggests applying oil or a leave-in conditioner before entering a pool.
Sources: AAD, Dermatologists' top tips for using leave-in conditioner; AAD, Must-try summer hair care.
FAQ
General information, not medical advice. Follow the label. We suggest testing a new hair product on a small patch of skin first. Keep it out of your eyes, and stop use if irritation occurs. For hair dye, the FDA says to do a patch test every time and never to dye your eyebrows or eyelashes. See a doctor or dermatologist about scalp problems or hair loss.
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Ends or full length.
