There are many advantages and benefits to towel drying hair. Towel drying is a natural means of drying hair. It is not harsh on hair as is conventional electric heat apparatus for drying hair. The heat from electric apparatus such as hand held electric blow dryers and stationary electric cap dryers can damage hair, especially hair which has been chemically treated. Over a period of time, hair which has been exposed to electric heat may become limp, brittle, split at its ends, or otherwise damaged. Once damaged, the hair cannot be repaired and must be cut. In some cases, the hair is permanently damaged such that even new growth hair is damaged. In addition to permanently damaging hair, the electric heat apparatus can leave hair frizzy, unmanageable and straighten otherwise naturally curly or permanent waved hair.
Conventional electrically powered hair dryers confine the user to an area near an electrical outlet. The user is also restricted to the sole activity of drying hair when using a hand held electric blow dryer. While stationary electric cap drying does allow some activity, it is limited to that which involves relatively little head or body motion such as reading or writing.
Towel drying hair overcomes many of the disadvantages of electric heat apparatus. The hair drys naturally and thus no damages occurs. The hair remains healthy and manageable and not limp, brittle or split. Naturally curly or permanent waved hair retains its curls. In addition, towel drying can be accomplished to style waves into otherwise straight hair. Towel drying can occur anywhere, including outdoors, without an electrical source restfiction.
Conventional hair towels include bath and general purpose towels which are designed for purposes other than for drying hair. These multi-purpose towels have several disadvantages. They are bulky and many times include extraneous material which hinders and delays the drying process. These towels are not designed for use on the head. They are difficult to wrap around the head and once in place they fit either too loosely or tightly. The wearer must restrict the range of motion of the head in an effort to keep the towel in place. Consequently, the wearer cannot participate in activities while the hair is towel drying. Rather, the wearer must remain inactive including head movement. However, even when the wearer restricts body and head movement and remains inactive, conventional towels will fall from the head because of the poor fit. Even if these towels remain in position, they are typically uncomfortable because of the fit and the required inactivity of the wearer.
A hair towel which is specifically intended for drying and protecting hair is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,694,204 of Cross. The hair towel is more particularly a turban of an irregular rectilinear shape having two adjacent corner projections with metal-tipped points. The lower edge of the turban opposite the two corner projections has a pair of eyelets through which the metal-tipped points of the corner projections fit. To wear the turban, the lower edge is placed at the back of the head at the hair line. The remainder of the turban is wrapped around the head and along the hair line to the forehead. The excess material, including the corner projections, are twisted and brought back over the head. The metal-tipped points are inserted through the eyelets at the back of the head and the corner projections are tied tightly together. Such a turban has several disadvantages. First, the wearer must secure the turban around the head without the benefit of sight. Both tasks of inserting the metal-tipped points through the eyelets and tying the corner projections together are accomplished in the back of the wearer's head. The wearer cannot perform these maneuvers by sight and must resort to reliance on the senses of touch and memory. Second, the thickness of the turban material is necessarily limited by the size of the eyelets. As the corner projections widen from the narrow metal-tipped points toward the body of the turban, this extra material must be fed through the eyelets. If the material is too thick, insufficient length of the corner projections will fit through the eyelets to secure a proper fit around the head.
Another hair towel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,399 of Kahn. This hair towel is more particularly a headgear comprising a tubular shaped towel. The tubular headgear has a V-shaped top opening. A plurality of hooks are at opposite sides of the V-shaped opening. Hooks are also located at the corners of the bottom of the tubular headgear. To wear the headgear, the head is bent over with the hair hanging downward. The tubular headgear is drawn over the hair and head beginning with the top opening. The head is then raised and the headgear is secured onto the head by fastening the hooks at the V-shaped opening. The bottom corners of the tubular member are raised above the head and brought down behind the head and around both sides of the head. The hooks located at the bottom corners are fastened under the chin. This tubular headgear has several disadvantages. First, the headgear has no elastic or gathers for a comfortable and secure fit around the head and hairline. While there are multiple hooks at the top opening to accommodate several head sizes, the fit is not as comfortable or secure as one would be with a headgear having elastic or gathers. Second, the headgear is not efficient and delays hair drying because it is not twisted around the hair to remove and absorb excess moisture from the hair. Third, the placement of the hooks under the chin can be annoying and uncomfortable to the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,263,418 of Ganim discloses a hair drying bonnet. This bonnet comprises a hood-like towel body with a pair of straps attached to the upper corners of the top. The bottom of the body includes an elastic band. In operation, the hair is placed on top of the head and the bonnet is slipped over the hair and head so that the bottom edge fits over the head at the hairline. The top of the bonnet is folded forward and the end of the straps are tied together at the back of the head. A disadvantage of this bonnet is that it does not efficiently or timely dry hair because it is not twisted around the hair to remove and absorb excess moisture. A further disadvantage is that the wearer does not have the benefit of sight for tying the straps at the back of the head.
A need exists for a fitted hair towel which overcomes the disadvantages found in the prior art. Such a towel should gently dry the hair, be easy to wrap and secure in place, be comfortable to wear and allow for freedom of movement and activity of the wearer.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds