In general, frizzy hair is caused by a lack of moisture. To combat frizz, it's important to use styling and treatment methods that are friendly to curly hair. Read on to learn to decrease frizz while also accentuating your natural curls.
There are four primary factors that cause frizz: the environment, diameter of the hair fiber itself, level of curl, and the amount of damage. Avoid long and hot showers, excess exfoliation, and hot tools like traditional hairdryers and flat irons to prevent frizz.
Deficiencies in any of the following vitamins and minerals could manifest as conditions including generalized hair loss, frizziness or brittle hair: Biotin (vitamin B7): Biotin activates enzymes that break down the carbohydrates, fat and protein necessary for hair production and reducing frizz.
Frizz occurs when hair is lacking moisture and becomes, resulting in the hair being dry as a result, whereas damage occurs due to an overuse of hair processes that disrupt the hair cuticle (the hair's protective layer).
As we get older, our hair texture changes dramatically. Hair will slowly become drier, coarser, and thinner over the years. The truth is that as we grow older, the oils that our scalp relies on for nourishment decrease, resulting in drier, frizzier hair.
Curly hair and wavy hair tend to get a lot more frizzier when compared to straight hair. Your hair type is determined by the shape of your hair follicle. If you have a rounded follicle, your hair grows straight. If you have flat hair follicles, your hair type becomes wavy or curly, making it more prone to frizz.
Dry hair – Dry hair is one of the most prevalent causes of poofy hair. When your hair is dry, it may become brittle, frizzy, and split ends may develop. This damage is visible and may be apparent regardless of how you try to style your hair.
As we enter midlife, our estrogen levels drop, and this hormone change can cause hair loss, changes in hair texture, dryness, frizziness and hair thinning. Your physician can run tests to determine if there's an underlying cause for your hair concerns, such as an estrogen deficiency, and offer treatment.
Just like your body, your hair requires protein to stay healthy. However, if these amino acids are compromised – by things like heat styling, colouring or other damage to the hair, the protein can become altered, leading to brittle, dry, fragile and frizzy hair.
Biotin is an essential B vitamin (meaning we need to consume it daily) that's known to be important in hair and nail growth. "When patients have a biotin deficiency, they suffer from thinning, dry hair, and dry skin," says Zeichner.
If you have dry, frizzy hair
A short haircut can do wonders for hair that is on the dryer or frizzier side, but it's important to keep it on the longer side and avoid tons of short layers so that the hair can sit nicely without going poufy.
Sadly, there's really no way to heal damaged hair. Hair is not a living tissue with regenerative abilities, so it can't heal.
If your frizzy hair is thick or wavy, you can wear it shorter by having multiple layers cut or razored in to thin the hair out and avoid the unwanted poof. A good razor cut can be a beautiful way to reduce heaviness in thick or curly hair that is frizzy.
A salon keratin treatment, like this one from Keratin Complex, will work to seal additional keratin into the hair, combating frizz, and giving the hair a silky smooth look in the process. And the results can last anywhere from six weeks to five months.
When hair grows, it's unable to produce its own oils and relies on the oils our scalp produces to provide nourishment, making it look and feel glossy. As we age these oils decrease, resulting in drier, frizzier hair.
When vitamin B12 levels are low, your hair follicles may not be able to grow new hair as efficiently, resulting in hair loss. A vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause symptoms of anemia, which is associated with low iron levels, hair thinning, and hair loss.
Take an inch of your hair and stretch it, if it doesn't stretch or breaks, feels dry and rough, it is brittle/damaged and needs moisture treatment. If the hair stretches far and does not return and/or breaks, feels mushy, gummy or cotton candy-like, your hair needs protein.
If you notice your hair has become stringy, limp, or sticky, you could be lacking protein.
Hair looks limp and stringy.
Dull and limp hair is a sign of protein deficiency. Most clients will think it just needs a bit of hair styling product to bring it back to life, but this practice actually compromises the health of the hair significantly.
Chemical treatments and heat styling alike can cause changes in hair texture. Coloring, relaxing, perming, blow drying on high heat, and flat ironing can all damage hair, leaving it dry and wiry.