Please, Keep Your Wet Hair Away From Your Straightener (It's NEVER Worth It)

The new, revolutionary Dyson Airstaight has been changing the game when it comes to hair styling. Not only does it deliver sleek results, it saves you some serious time, as you don't have to wait for your hair to dry before you use it.

At a whopping $499, however, the Dyson Airstraight comes at a pretty penny. Because of this, you may be thinking you can achieve the same look and save some serious bucks by simply using a good ol' regular straightener when you get out of the shower instead. However, tread very, very carefully (or ideally, not at all).

Keep in mind that the reason you can apply The Dyson AirStraight and not a regular straightener to wet hair is because The Dyson Airstraight clamps the hair without heat (via Allure). Therefore, we strongly caution against cutting corners when it comes to straightening your hair. Here's why you should never straighten wet hair, and what to do instead.

No. Never. 

You may not want to hear this, but that sizzling sound when you take a straightener to wet hair is bad news. Even though we all did it in middle school, you're seriously damaging your damp strands by trapping them in between two extremely hot plates, resulting in that unhealthy frizzy, fried effect that will come back to get you in the long term.

Why is this the case? When hair is wet, the keratin proteins in your strands don't bond as strongly together, making them more fragile to the touch. "High heat from a straightener can turn the water in the hair into steam, leading to hair breakage and damage to the cuticle," professional hairstylist Dawna Jarvis told Byrdie.

According to Dyson, heat damage causes hair to look dull, dry, and limp, and is permanent unless you cut it off. So write this down to preserve your precious locks: water + heat = a dangerous combo.

If you're not willing to drop half a grand on a Dyson AirStraight, there are still ways you can achieve smooth results without completely burning your locks.

Standard blow dryers are different when it comes to wet hair because they don't use nearly as high temperatures and the air is applied to your hair from a distance (via L'Oreal). However, they still use some heat, so you're not completely out of the woods. To minimize heat damage with a blow dryer, be sure to always use a heat protectant, and try to use the cool setting if possible. Also, there's a big difference between damp and dripping wet, so let your hair at least partially dry before using a blow dryer for the best results (via InStyle).

For straight hair with a blow dryer, you can opt to add a nozzle and round brush. However, this can be a tricky maneuvering process that requires a lot of skill. If you're set on a traditional flat iron that's easier to use for that bone-straight look, then patience is key. You're going to have to wait until your hair is completely dry, but you can always use a blow dryer to speed up the process.