Frizzy hair is to the owner of the head, the bane of their existence. Managing it is difficult and time-consuming. To better understand dry, frizzy hair, let’s look at some of the causes.
Image by Kathy (Frizzy Hair) © Eric Peacock (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Blow dryers, flat Irons, and curling irons can make your hair look wonderful. But the heat is also destructive. Frequent use of the same damages it by stripping it of the essential oils it needs. Your hair better off a left natural, which if taken care of well, can look wonderful.
What to do: Do not employ these tools daily. If necessary, use them once in a while on low heat along with a diffuser. Stylecaster suggests looking for “ionic devices” which “produce a negative charge which flattens and smooths the hair cuticle.”
This may seem like a good idea, depending on how soft or curly it is. However, if you want the products you will use in your hair to “distribute unevenly,” Melissa Pervrini says, go right ahead. But if you want even distribution, then brush it before washing it. She recommends that you should “Brush hair with a boar and nylon mix brush, such as the Cricket Carbon Paddle Brush, before washing to pull natural oils through to hydrate the hair before the water hits it.”
What to do: Brush it before you shower to enable even distribution of the essential oils.
If you love to take extra hot showers as I do, and you have Frizzy dry hair (like I do,) then you are not helping yourself. Hot water strips it of the natural oils it already has, which keeps it dry and unmanageable. For better strands, you should wash only with lukewarm water, no matter how difficult it is.
What to do: Unfortunately, take warm showers instead of hot ones. If you live in an area where this is not possible, wash it fewer times.
This may mean you are a very clean person, but it also means that you are keeping your hair frizzy. The maximum amount of times to shampoo it is three times a week. “Shampooing it too often can dry and dull hair, leaving it frizzy,” says Melissa Peverini. “Harsh foaming shampoos can mess with your it’s natural equilibrium,” says Garnie while shampoos with a high pH level are dangerous as they suck all the luster out of it.
What to do: look out for shampoo bottles that are not harsh and advertise a low PH level. Remember that it is important to find the right product. Also, avoid washing it too often and consider pre-pooing instead.
The conditioner is important for your hair because it is absorbed by it easily. It also keeps it soft and as a result, more detangled. There are basic conditioners, deep conditioners, and leave-in conditioners. All conditioners are supposed to increase the moisture and battle the frizz.
What to do: deep condition it often to maintain the right porosity level. This is the ability for your strands to absorb water and other nutrients.
Yes, even this affects. Using a rough towel strips it of moisture. It also causes friction which in turn causes tangles and clumps- which you do not want. Rough towels “disturb your hairs cuticle layer after washing” and as such should be avoided.
What to do: If it’s rough, it’s probably rough on your body too. But a microfiber towel instead.
Split ends occur to all hair types, but they are harder to see in naturally curly, kinky or frizzy one. Split ends are dangerous according to Garnier because “the longer that split ends stick around, the higher the chance of hair damage climbing up its strands and wreaking further havoc.”
What to do: Trim the brittle ends as regularly as possible. Once every six to eight weeks is recommended to keep it fresh. Also, oil the ends to keep them soft.
Brushing dry hair leads to breakage. This is because it disrupts the cuticles and stretches it out. That’s why when you see it after, it has become fuller and even frizzier.
What to do: finger-comb when it is wet. Alternatively, brush it when in the shower.
Different hair types demand different brush types as well. To fight frizz if it is on curly, an iron metal brush would work, but using the same on straight hair can easily damage it. Similarly, using metal on African American hair would destroy it.
What to do: Understand what type of hair you have and what would work best for it. Be careful to do enough research.
Dehydration in the strands causes dryness and frizzing. It is important to consume enough water and food daily. Alcohol also dehydrates the body and thus your curls by extension. Just as well, staying out in the sun too long can serve to suck the moisture out of your hair.
What to do: easy enough, drink more water, drink less alcohol, spend less time in the sun.
