What Causes Frizzy Hair?

I like books, flowers, makeup, and long walks. That pretty…

We’ve all probably been there: waking up with bad hair and having our entire day go wrong. Women, and men alike, but especially women have this strange relationship with our hair which means that sometimes it really can even impact our mood. I for one know that if my hair looks good, my mood will instantly be improved that day. If, on the other hand, it’s not cooperating, then it might put a damper on it.

And one of the things that prevent us from having the shiny, luscious strands we want is frizz.

Frizzy hair is the strands of hair that don’t hold its shape by laying flat along with the rest of it but curl up on their own and create an irregular, fuzzy appearance. There are several things that can cause frizzy hair, but the reason behind it basically comes down to a raised cuticle layer.

Each of our hair strands consists of several layers, with the topmost one being the cuticle. The cuticle is made up of scales, which at a normal condition, should be closed. However, frizzy hair cuticle scales are open, allowing for the moisture to seep in and swell the strand. This is why our hair becomes frizzier in humid weather.

But what causes frizzy hair? Well, there are a number of factors but the most common are the following:

1. Genetics

In general, people with curly hair tend to have more frizz than those with straight hair. That’s because curly hair is drier, which leaves it more prone to being frizzy. Both our hair texture and thickness are determined by the shape of our hair follicles. So, people that have a more rounded hair follicle will have straight hair, and the flatter your hair follicle is the curlier your hair will be.

Moreover, people that have a less defined curl pattern will have more frizz than those with a more defined one, which may at times make it seem damaged even if it is not. In these cases, there’s really not much you can do to minimize the frizziness except be careful not to damage it by combing it roughly or using heat to dry or style it.

2. Lack Of Moisture

But even straight hair can sometimes lack moisture and become dry. In those cases, you should work on bringing moisture back into your hair by using conditioning treatments or applying oils that are easy to absorb, like argan oil.

3. Humidity

You’ve probably already noticed that if you step outside on a humid day, your perfectly styled hair will eventually resemble a lion’s mane when it comes to the level of frizz. That’s because the humidity in the air will penetrate into your hair’s inner fibers, the cortex, which consists of two types of proteins: the orthocortex and the paracortex.

The problem is that the two types of protein absorb moisture in different ways, so while one will swell up and twist in one way, the other might not change noticeably. The end result is frizzy and unruly hair.

4. Damage

While there isn’t much we can do about our genetics or the environment when it comes to avoiding frizzy hair, there are several daily things we’re all probably doing that can damage our hair. And damaged hair is, overall, more frizzy than healthy hair because the hair cuticles will be raised or broken, which will all contribute to more frizz.

Here are some of the things that you should be avoiding in order to reduce frizz:

– Hot Showers

Taking really hot showers can strip away the natural oils of the hair that give it moisture and make it shiny. And as we already established, the drier the hair, the frizzier it will be. Just keep the water lukewarm.

– Too Frequent Showers

Again, your shower routine could be contributing to your frizzy hair. Washing your hair every day, especially with shampoo, will strip away the natural oils and protective barriers that your hair needs to be healthy and shiny. You could rinse your hair with water between shampooing, and consider getting a sulfate-free shampoo, as sulfate will just dry out your hair more.

– Using A Rough Towel

Even your post-shower routines could be damaging your hair’s cuticles. If you wrap your hair in a towel after you’ve washed it, the roughness of the towel will pull on them, causing them to break and the hair’s cuticles to become chipped and raised, allowing moisture to seep in and make them frizzy.

Instead, you could get a micro-fiber towel or just stick to gently patting it dry with an old t-shirt.

– Using Heat

Surprise, surprise! Using heat to style or dry your hair will cause it to become damaged, and as a consequence, frizzy. Just keep the use of your hair dryer, curling iron, or flat iron to a minimum, and even when you do use them, use heat protection products first.

– Brushing

If you have curly hair, brushing it will just disrupt the curl definition and open up the cuticles, leading to frizz. Instead, use a wide-tooth comb and only comb them when wet. For straight hair, it’s preferable to use a paddle brush, and same as with curly hair, only brush them when they’re wet.