The Reasons Behind Frizzy Hair

The last time Gillian went swimming was a year ago. Her hair has been giving her so much trouble that she started avoiding the community pool, beach, and coast where her hair could get wet. Every time she brushes her hair after a shower, she loses a handful of her hair. Why does this happen?

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After enjoying a movie with friends at the drive-in cinema, Harriet was horrified to see her reflection in her bathroom mirror. Her pretty ringlets had turned into a bird’s nest. She attempted to tame the flyaways with her hairbrush. Not only did she fail to do so but she also lost a large chunk of hair to the hairbrush. What did she do wrong?

Both Gillian and Harriet have frizzy hair. It is a common and hugely frustrating hair issue among young women. Frizzy hair is brittle and extremely prone to breakage. When brushing frizzy hair, some of the strands can tug at the brush and even break. So, what makes hair frizzy?

There are 12 habits which cause hair to become frizzy:

1. A Hot Shower

As much as Gillian and Harriet love to start their day with a hot shower, they cannot overlook the damage it is doing to their hair. Hot water raises the hair cuticle, prompting the rapid loss of moisture. The hair shaft loses its ability to retain moisture and the hair becomes very dry and frizzy.

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2. Not Brushing the Hair Before a Shower

The benefit of brushing the hair before cleansing it is it enables the hair product to be uniformly distributed. It also reduces the chances of frizz at the end of your shower. Gillian and Harriet should make sure to use a boar and nylon bristle paddle brush for this purpose.

3. Brushing Wet Hair

Hair is at its most fragile when it is wet. Therefore, brushing the hair when it is wet is inadvisable since it will become frizzy and brittle once dry.

4. Frequent Cleansing

Using shampoo every day disturbs the hair’s natural moisture balance. In this case, too, the hair becomes dehydrated and prone to frizz. Gillian and Harriet need to consider a cleansing routine tailored to their respective hair type and one that will resolve the issue of frizz.

5. The Wrong Type of Hair Product

Using a shampoo formulated for fine hair on coarse hair will cause the coarse hair to become drier. Knowing your hair type is the first step in combating any hair issues. Using hair products suitable for your hair type is the next step. If Gillian and Harriet have coarse hair, they must make it a point to buy only those hair products which meet the needs of coarse hair. Coarse hair tends to be thirstier than other hair types. Therefore, shampoo, conditioner, and hairspray enriched with moisturizing ingredients such as panthenol and ceramides are appropriate for this hair type. Otherwise, the hair will not replenish its lost moisture and will end up frizzy. Women with frizz-prone hair must also avoid hair products with a high pH level, sulfates, and alcohol since they have a dehydrating effect on the hair and can cause frizz.

6. Terrycloth Towel

How you deal with wet hair is as important as how you wash your hair. Scrunching wet hair with a terrycloth towel creates friction in the hair shaft and causes the cuticle to expand, allowing moisture to escape. This has a hugely dehydrating effect on the hair and inevitably leads to frizz. This is why hair professionals recommend a microfiber towel. It does not cause the cuticle to rise and helps the hair shaft to retain moisture.

7. The Wrong Type of Hair Brush or Comb

There are different brushes for different hair types. Using the wrong type of brush can lead to frizz and breakage. Knowing your hair type and which brush is appropriate for it is important for frizz control. For afro hair, a wide-toothed comb made of bone or plastic is perfect. A metal brush is great for fine curly hair, but not for fine straight hair. A boar and nylon mix paddle or round brush goes well with all hair types.

8. The Wrong Type of Hairdryer

For hair that is prone to frizz, the technology of the hairdryer makes a big difference. Gillian and Harriet should switch to an ionic hairdryer if they have do not own one already. This type of hairdryer emits negatively charged ions which help the hair cuticle to contract and enable the hair shaft to trap moisture. For more effective frizz control, Gillian and Harriet should use a hair diffuser often and set the hairdryer on its lowest temperature.

9. Frequent Heat-styling

Exposing the hair to heat from hairstyling tools every day makes the hair frizzy and brittle. Gillian and Harriet must decrease their use of heat-styling tools as much as possible. When they do use a straightener, hot rollers, curler, or hairdryer, they must remember to apply a heat protectant.

10. Split Ends

Avoiding a hair trim for too long leads to split ends. Having split ends for too long can lead to damaged hair. Frizz is common in damaged hair, especially at the ends. Gillian and Harriet must develop a habit of applying anti-frizz serum to the ends of their hair on a regular basis.

11. Cotton Pillowcases

Cotton pillowcases absorb a lot of moisture from your hair, causing it to become dry and frizzy when you rise in the morning. Gillian and Harriet should switch to satin pillowcases since they will not make their hair dry and frizzy.

12. Humid Weather

High levels of humidity are the biggest culprit of frizzy hair. Gillian and Harriet have probably suffered their worst hair days on humid days. The moisture from the atmosphere wreaks havoc with the natural moisture balance of their hair, leading to uncontrollable frizz.

Conclusion

Humidity, heat-styling, hot showers, sulfate-based cleansers, terrycloth towels, and cotton pillowcases are some of the causes of frizzy hair. The depletion of moisture causes hair to frizz uncontrollably. Therefore, maintaining moisture balance in the hair is vital in the fight against frizz.

Tweaking a few hair care habits can help Gillian, Harriet, and women who have to deal with frizz on a daily basis. As with all hair issues, an important first step in frizz control is being familiar with your hair type. The logical next step is to find out which hair products and tools will suit your hair type and solve the problem of frizz.

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