Anyone who has frizzy hair will tell you that it is not the simplest hair problem to avoid. Even if you’ve used a hair oil, serum, or conditioner, leaving the house on a humid day might cause a halo of frizz.
If you’ve tried all of the aforementioned items without success, learning about the reasons of frizzy hair may help you devise a better plan for dealing with the problem.
Dani Everson, a professional hairdresser with over 20 years of experience and the owner of Clementine’s Salon in Denver, discusses what causes frizzy hair and how to deal with it in the video above.
Why, no matter how many products I use, is my hair so frizzy?
Frizz is caused by damage and dryness, according to Everson. Avoiding frizz requires hydrating your hair before and after showers, as well as minimizing behaviours that lead to dryness and damage.
What Causes Frizzy Hair?
Frizz may be caused by dryness, which causes the cuticle of your hair to fray, adds Everson. According to an article published in the journal PeerJ, the cuticle is the protective outermost coat of each strand and is formed of flat, overlapping cells that appear like scales and may open and close. “When the hair is dry, the cuticle, which is meant to lay flat, opens up and becomes rough and prickly,” Everson explains. “Please welcome Frizz.”
People with curly hair are more prone to dryness and, as a result, frizz. “Those with naturally curly hair are more prone to frizziness,” Everson continues. “This is because curly hair is considerably drier [and] the natural oils created by the scalp cannot flow down the hair as easily as they do on straight hair.”
Frizzy hair can also be caused by certain style practices. For example, if you color your hair regularly, you’re more likely to have frizz since the chemicals in color treatments “deplete the hair’s moisture over time,” according to Everson. (Related: Cold Water Is the Low-Cost Secret to Shiny Hair)
Using heat on your hair frequently might also promote frizz. “Flat-ironing is a mainstay in most people’s hair routines, but it dries out the hair and can cause damage and frizz,” Everson explains. “The more you damage your hair with heat, the more your hair cuticles don’t lie down, generating friction and a frizzy hairstyle.”
Similarly, you may believe that washing your hair regularly provides moisture because you’re moving it through water, but this might really have the opposite impact. “People believe that a new wash would help hydrate hair and eradicate frizz, but in reality, you are stripping your hair of its natural oils and drying out your hair and scalp,” Everson adds. The cleaning chemicals in shampoos and hot water are specifically to blame.
Finally, frizz can be caused by environmental causes. According to Everson, humidity causes the hair cuticle to open up and “become harsh and prickly.”
Based on an article published in the International Journal of Trichology, dampness in humid conditions can create hygral exhaustion, which occurs when hair absorbs too much moisture, causing the cuticle to inflate and frizz to emerge.
Some research explained, you may avoid hygral tiredness by putting oils to your hair before going into a humid environment to “limit the quantity of water absorbed in the hair.”
How to Deal with Every Cause of Frizzy Hair?
Frizz prevention begins in the shower. Avoid over-washing your hair and “avoid taking long and overly hot showers,” which can cause dry hair, adds Everson. The frequency with which you should wash your hair varies on your hair type, but here’s a guide to help you find your sweet spot.
You should also avoid exfoliating your scalp excessively. The method removes build-up and promotes circulation, but if done more than once or twice a week, it might overstrip your hair and scalp, according to Everson.
Including a monthly conditioning hair mask in your shower regimen is another technique to keep your hair hydrated, according to Everson.
It’s critical to care your hair gently once you get out of the shower. “A simple suggestion I give my customers is not to towel-dry their hair,” Everson explains, because this might rough up the cuticle. Allowing your hair to air dry instead of using heat will help you reduce overall damage that can create frizz.
Certain products can help you reduce damage if you can’t resist heat style. “If you use a styler on a daily basis, integrate a moisturizing conditioner, weekly hair treatments, an oil or serum, or leave-in sprays that can help limit any heat damage before and after styling,” Everson advises.
Consider purchasing a heat protectant spray to help protect your hair from damage up to a particular temperature.
The Bottom Line
That’s all you need to know about the causes of frizz. If you’ve been slathering on hair-smoothing products without seeing results, reconsider your complete hair-care regimen and how it may be contributing to dryness and damage.
