[Carolyn (OP)]

A few weeks ago, my daughter and niece were in my room keeping me company (pestering me)while I was getting ready to go out for the evening.

I applied styling mousse to my wet hair and then I blow dried it.

My niece asked me if it was safe to dry my hair because the mousse can  said "Flammable.  Do not use product near fire, flame or sparks.  Do not expose to heat, etc..."

I chuckled and said "of course it's safe" and continued with my ritual.

Then I curled my hair with the hot curling iron.  When I rolled a section into the iron, I sprayed on a little hair spray.  As the spray hit the hot iron, it sizzled a little. Both girls insisted that I was going to blow my head up.  I've been doing this for years and never had a problem.  Well...once as a teenager I sat my hairdryer down in it's stand to answer the phone.  I didn't turn it off and it was blowing hot air on a can of hair spray for several minutes.  The can burst into flames, I was severely punished.

What I want to know is could they be right?  Am I 'playing with fire'?  I would feel extremely guilty if they caught their heads on fire because I said it was safe.

What makes hair care products flammable?  I looked at all of mine, and the only ones that said flammable were the ones in cans.  Is it the can or the actual product that's flammable?

[DoctorBeaver]

Good question, Carolyn.

I too have seen the "flammable" warning on cans but it never occurred to me about hair-dryers & curling tongs.

Is it the gas used as propellant that's flammable?

Incidentally, I don't need hair products as my flowing locks are naturally stunning enough  []

[Bored chemist]

The propelent is almost certainly flammable.
The product might be flammable too, a fair few cosmetics use alcohol as the solvent. I'd expect a hair spray to have bot a flammable propelent and a flammable solvent.

[DoctorBeaver]

[kdlynn]

i've never heard of anyone blowing up... but the lady who used to do my hair told my mom and i to never ever spray anything on your hair while it is on the curling iron. it's basically frying your hair, leading to more dead ends and more frequent trims. that's all i know...

[Carolyn (OP)]

Good question, Carolyn.

I too have seen the "flammable" warning on cans but it never occurred to me about hair-dryers & curling tongs.

Is it the gas used as propellant that's flammable?

Incidentally, I don't need hair products as my flowing locks are naturally stunning enough  []

Yes, I know.  I'm so jealous!  Tell me, Doc...do you find it burdensome to posses such natural beauty?  How do you stay so humble? []

[Carolyn (OP)]

The propelent is almost certainly flammable.
The product might be flammable too, a fair few cosmetics use alcohol as the solvent. I'd expect a hair spray to have bot a flammable propelent and a flammable solvent.

Thank you for answering.  I just checked and all of my hairsprays do have alcohol, but none of the styling mousses do.

So, maybe the hair dryer and curling iron don't generate enough heat in the short amount of time that I use them to catch me on fire.

[Carolyn (OP)]

i've never heard of anyone blowing up... but the lady who used to do my hair told my mom and i to never ever spray anything on your hair while it is on the curling iron. it's basically frying your hair, leading to more dead ends and more frequent trims. that's all i know...

I've heard this too.  I've been doing it for as long as I can remember and I've never had problems with split ends.  Even my hair stylist admitted to me that she does it too. 

[kdlynn]

hmmm... cool

[DoctorBeaver]

Good question, Carolyn.

I too have seen the "flammable" warning on cans but it never occurred to me about hair-dryers & curling tongs.

Is it the gas used as propellant that's flammable?

Incidentally, I don't need hair products as my flowing locks are naturally stunning enough  []

Yes, I know.  I'm so jealous!  Tell me, Doc...do you find it burdensome to posses such natural beauty?  How do you stay so humble? []

It's not easy

[henarym55]

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