KEEP DRYNESS AND FRIZZ UNDER CONTROL
The terms "dry" and "frizzy" don't exactly bring to mind a picture of healthy hair. The majority of hair-care efforts are designed to achieve the polar opposite.
What exactly is dry frizzy hair? Although it may seem evident, a professional hairdresser will often point out how much damage has been done to your tresses. The good thing is that it's a relatively common issue that can be resolved.
To address the issue of dry or frizzy hair and treat it, it’s important that we understand what exactly dry hair is. It's also important to understand the common and underlying causes of dryness and frizz, and how to identify if your hair is becoming dry/frizzy.
In this guide on how to dry/frizzy hair, we will explore these ideas and also look at some treatment options and home remedies that come highly recommended by experts. At the end of it, you will also find an expert tip to deal with dry/frizzy hair!
What is dry hair?
When your hair cannot absorb and hold sufficient moisture, it gets dry. It loses its sheen and might seem lifeless and frizzy as a result.
Dryness of hair may affect men or women of just about any age, but the older you get, the more likely you are to develop it.
Your hair has three layers to it. Natural oils present in the external layer of healthy hair help shield the internal layers. Hair also reflects light, and this is what gives your hair a shiny appearance. The softness and luster of your hair are the two most important indicators of hair health.
The external layer of hair breaks down when it dries and makes the hair seem lifeless and unhealthy.
It’s important to note that people use “dry” and “damaged” interchangeably, but when it comes to hair, the two terms mean entirely different things. Dry hair is just dry – it lacks moisture because it is either unable to absorb it or retention is difficult due to the high porosity of hair.
Damaged hair, on the other hand, means the hair has been damaged due to intense chemical or heat treatment, excessive exposure to sunlight and pollution, or unhealthy haircare habits.
Dry hair can usually be treated with simple home remedies or changes to your haircare routine. Damaged hair may require professional intervention.
Now that we know what dry hair is, let’s understand the factors that lead to this condition.
What causes dry or frizzy hair?
Dry hair can be caused by a multitude of factors, including the climate, hair care practices, and your overall health.
The following climate-related factors can cause hair to become dry or frizzy:
- Spending too much time in the wind or under the sun
- Living in a hot and dry climate
- Swimming in saltwater or chlorinated water without a cap
You may notice your hair becoming dry or frizzy if any of the following factors are a part of your haircare routine:
- Using chemical treatments or dyes in your hair
- Using excessive heat for styling including blow drying every day and electronic styling tools such as curlers or straighteners
- Washing your hair too frequently (washing once every two or three days is usually enough)
- Washing it with hot water
- Brushing it too frequently
- Using products with harsh chemicals including shampoos, conditioners, serums, or other styling products
Dry hair might be the consequence of an undiagnosed medical condition that impairs your hair's capacity to retain moisture in some situations such as the following:
- Hypothyroidism: Your thyroid gland doesn't produce adequate thyroid hormones if you have hypothyroidism. One of the first signs of this illness is dry, brittle hair.
- Hypoparathyroidism: Hypoparathyroidism occurs when your parathyroid gland does not produce sufficient parathyroid hormone, causing calcium levels in your blood to drop. Calcium is vital for the health of hair, teeth, bones, and other tissues.
- Anorexia: Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that can cause malnutrition. It can lead to dry, fragile hair, as well as more significant side effects. It is best to consult an accredited physician if you suspect you might be suffering from this condition.
Now that we know what dry hair is and the factors responsible for the dryness/frizz, let’s understand how you can find out if you have dry/frizzy hair.
How to identify if you have dry or frizzy hair
Schedule an appointment with an accredited physician if your hair is very dry and it doesn't get better with changes to your haircare regime. They will be able to understand the cause of the problem. They could also recommend you see a dermatologist.
The physician or dermatologist will ask you multiple questions regarding your symptoms, haircare regimen, and lifestyle during your consultation, such as:
- For how long has your hair been dry?
- How frequently do you shampoo your hair?
- What products are you using on your hair?
- Which hair-styling tools do you use?
- What does a normal diet look like for you?
- Are there any additional signs or symptoms that you're experiencing?
They may check your scalp and hair. They will prescribe a few tests in certain cases. They may take your urine or blood sample to check for evidence of disorders such as hypoparathyroidism, or hypothyroidism.
Symptoms
If you see any of the following signs, pay attention as it could mean you have severely dry hair.
- Even with style solutions, dry hair may be difficult to maintain. It might be as basic as not getting the results you wanted from such products or styling efforts.
- The texture of your hair should be supple and smooth when you touch it. The texture of dry hair is generally stiff and crisp, similar to that of dried straw.
- Hair that is healthy has a natural shine to it. Dry hair will be flat and lifeless because it does not receive adequate moisture.
- Dry hair is prone to tangling. It is generally the source of tangles or knots that occur regularly during the day.
- Split ends that occur often and in significant numbers are a sign of dry hair. Due to the structure of the hair cuticle and the inclination for the old cuticle to detach from the cortex of the hair shaft, spilt ends are an unavoidable occurrence. However, it can be managed by trimming your hair every six to eight weeks. If trimming doesn’t help, you may want to consult your stylist to ensure that your split ends are not due to poor cutting techniques.
- Dry hair is the most common cause of frizz. This is sometimes attributed to humidity wrongly. Many individuals treat their hair using anti-humectant treatments, however, this does not address the source of frizzy hair. If anti-humectant products aren't helping the frizz, it's possible that the issue is traveling split ends. Split ends will move up the hair in severely dry hair, causing lasting damage. The cuticle has become damaged due to a lack of moisture and natural oils, and it no longer binds to the cortex, allowing it to travel.
- Brittleness and breakage are the most severe signs of dry hair. The hair shaft in this condition has gotten so dehydrated that it has lost its elasticity. It has stiffened to the point where it resembles a dried twig and will break if exposed to any extreme angle or mechanical treatment. Brushing, styling, and elastic bands are examples of this.
Can dry hair be treated?
The short answer to this question is yes, dry hair can be treated. However, it depends on your natural hair quality and the amount of damage that has been done whether simple home remedies will suffice or you will need professional help.
If you have started noticing symptoms of dry hair recently, you may be able to treat the dryness with simple remedies such as using an intensely moisturizing hair mask once a week.
However, if you have been experiencing one or more of these symptoms for a long time, you may need to consult a physician or dermatologist in addition to doing home remedies.
Treatment recommendations
Unless you have an underlying health condition, you should be able to manage and repair your dry/frizzy hair using one or more of the following dry hair treatment solutions.
Apple cider vinegar
The healthy pH level for hair is acidic and ranges between 4.5 and 5.5. Hair cuticles remain tight and flat if the hair has a pH balance in this range. They can open when the pH of hair becomes excessively alkaline and make it frizzy.
Apple cider vinegar is a mild and acidic alpha-hydroxy acid. As a result, observational data suggests that when used topically, it may help to control frizzy hair.
Using an apple cider vinegar shampoo might also help in removing product residue from the hair and scalp, resulting in shinier hair. It contains antimicrobial and antifungal effects as well. It may help in the reduction of dandruff.
Nourishing hair oil
Using a good hair oil on your scalp at least once or twice every week can help nourish your scalp which will automatically lead to healthier hair strands. You can also use the oil as a deep conditioning mask before or after washing your hair.
If you wish to use it before washing your hair, massage the oil into your scalp and leave it on for 30 minutes to two hours. Then rinse it off with a chemical-free shampoo.
You can also put on a shower cap after massaging the oil into your hair and scalp and then wrap a hot towel over your head. The steam from the towel opens your cuticles and allows you to absorb all the nutrients from the oil into your scalp and hair strands. However, this may not be suitable for you if you have high-porosity hair.
The WOW Skin Science Moroccan Argan Hair Oil is a wonderful choice for dry, brittle, or thin hair.
Hair masks and leave-in treatments
You can use your hair oil as a deep conditioning hair mask, but some hair masks are specially made for dry/frizzy hair such as the WOW Skin Science Coconut Milk Hair Mask.
After you wash your hair with a natural shampoo, you can use topical leave-in treatments to treat frizzy hair and also help repair the dryness. The WOW Skin Science Hair Revitalizer Spray is perfect for this.
Expert tip
According to experts, the best thing you can do for dry and frizzy hair is to reduce the use of styling tools and products. The harsh chemicals in such products and the intense heat from electronic tools such as straighteners and curlers dries hair and also damages it over time.
Nigella Miller, a grooming and natural hair expert based in NYC, spoke to Byrdie about dry hair. "Heat styling is extremely damaging as heat affects the hair cuticle and your natural elasticity, creating split ends and possibly permanent heat damage", she said.
It is also important to use natural products that are free from sulfates and other chemicals that harm the natural quality of hair.
Recommended Products For Dry/Frizzy Hair:
Moroccan Argan Hair Oil
$14.95
Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo
$16.95
Coconut Milk Hair Mask
$14.95
Hair Revitalizer Spray
$14.95
