I used to think blow-drying was for wimps and, as far as Afro hair was concerned, a Bad Thing, rendering it dry, broken and lifeless. But then, a few years ago, someone introduced me to the wonders of a good hairdryer and, more importantly, a decent diffuser. Suddenly, with just a quick tip of my head and a couple of minutes' blast, my hair looked perky and my Afro no longer dropped the moment I left the house. Three years later, and without realising it, I have developed a serious daily blow-dry habit and become one of those women who takes her hairdryer on holiday, lest I be reliant on a hotel issue one.

But just over a week ago, my hairdryer had an accident and I have been drying naturally ever since. Obviously, January isn't the best time to leave the house with slightly damp hair, but you know what? Not only have I not caught pneumonia (it's a fallacy, all that "wet hair leads to colds" business), but my hair has loved the break. It's softer, shinier and generally feels grateful.

If leaving your hair to dry naturally isn't practical, "wearing your hair curly and diffusing it is the least damaging routine you can have", says Carole Michaelides, consultant trichologist at the Philip Kingsley clinic in Mayfair, central London. Blow-drying, if done correctly, isn't too bad; it's the combination of procedures - colour, straightening, plus daily blow-dry - that leads to trouble. "Afro hair is very vulnerable because of its shape," says Michaelides. "The hair is flat, and where it twists it is thin and the cuticle is vulnerable to damage; it breaks easily and is less elastic than Caucasian hair."

So how do you dry your hair without damaging it? Take it easy. Don't hold the dryer too close (keep it four or five inches away) and, most importantly, stop drying once the hair is dry - it's blow-drying hair that is already dry that causes it to burn and break. Make sure you apply a moisturising conditioner in winter, and always use a protective serum or a blow-dry gel, which makes the hair less likely to break.