Why Does Humidity Make Hair Frizzy? [Facts + Fix]
If you live in a humid climate you may be wondering Why does humidity make hair frizzy?
The truth is, it often seems like it has nothing to do with our hair. However, I could say that it has everything to do with it. Especially on rainy or snowy days. But it’s not only on those days that there is humidity.
The reason why humidity makes hair frizzy is that humidity has water particles in it. Water is attracted to our hair electrostatically because of its chemical composition. The hydrogen and oxygen in it destroy the hydrogen bridges in our hair because of the magnetic charges of the molecules in it. This means that the water eliminates the styling in our hair and generates an electrified hair effect.
That’s why it looks wide and tousled. This appearance is what we know as frizz.
In this article, I will tell you how humidity affects hair both from the environment and internally. This way you can take action to protect against frizz and keep your hair longer.
Why does humidity make my hair frizzy?
Humidity is water. We can find humidity almost everywhere in the environment. We can also find it in the steam from a shower, in a kitchen, or a restaurant.
Water molecules can be very small and almost impossible to see. That is why we forget it is there unless it is very evident like on rainy or snowy days. However, even if we don’t see it, your hair feels it and notices it.
The reason why humidity makes hair frizzy is that water makes a chemical reaction to the chemical composition of your hair. The electrostatic charges of the particles play a very interesting role in frizz.
We know that water is composed of two hydrogen particles and one oxygen particle. The hydrogen it has will be the key to the appearance of frizz. In our hair, some hydrogen bridges are part of the structure of our hair. Water is attracted to them and when it comes in contact with the hair it destroys these bridges. This causes the hair to lose its former shape, so any hairstyle will be eliminated as soon as the water touches it for this reason.
The water also forms new bridges with hydrogen donor particles. This is why the hair looks as if it has been electrified. Even the texture feels sticky.
Where Does The Humidity Make Hair Frizzy Come From?
Humidity is not only present when we go outdoors. That’s why it’s necessary to know how it affects you and where you can find it to protect yourself against it. This way you can avoid humidity making your hair frizzy. Most of the time we think that frizz is something we can’t control. However, I want to show you that knowing where humidity comes from is one of the reasons that causes frizz.
I will divide the information into 3 topics about where humidity makes hair frizzy :
- In the Environment
- In the hair
- How to avoid humidity and frizziness
With this, you will be able to identify where the problem that is causing your frizz is coming from and I will also give you tips on how to stop that humidity from getting into your hair and causing the frizz. I think what you need most is to know how to stop the frizz in your hair and keep your hairstyle longer.
#1 In the Environment
Outdoors is the place where we will most clearly experience humidity. This can be right after leaving the house when it has been a rainy day. I don’t mean only when it is raining but when the environment is already dry but we have clarified that it has rained before. On those days you can be sure there will be humidity.
You can also suffer from frizz if you enter a place where there is steam. This can happen at home if you enter the bathroom after the shower has been used. The humidity from the steam will also affect your hair even if it has been minutes after the faucet has been turned off. I recommend that you avoid entering this type of environment if your hair has already been styled.
Another environment that we ignore and can contain a lot of humidity is restaurants with grills or where the kitchen is in the same place as the tables. Our own home also counts when making breakfast, tea, or coffee in the morning. The condensation generated by heating food is moisture that will go to our hair and turn into frizz.
Solution #1
To help you avoid humidity that makes your hair frizzy my professional recommendation is to apply a styling wax after styling your hair. Whether you have used a heat styling tool or not. Apply a little bit of wax on your hands first spreading it out and then apply it gently and with very little quantity. Spread it by applying pressure on your hair especially on the superficial area of your head as if forming an armor.
This will help you to prevent the humidity from transferring to your hair and not generate this electrification effect. This way you won’t have flyaways which are very annoying and make us look disheveled. By this, I don’t mean that you won’t get any humidity in your hair because it depends on how much humidity there is and how often you are exposed to it during the day. However, it has helped many clients wonderfully and it helps me personally a lot.
You will look better than if you didn’t apply it. In addition to this, avoid places that you know have moisture like the ones I have listed above, and that you recognize. You can also apply a little spray to set and create a second layer of protection from the environment.
#2 In the hair
Another place where humidity makes your hair frizzy is the moisture left inside your hair. Especially on very cold days moisture can get inside your hair after washing it. When you don’t dry your hair completely there can be moisture left inside or between the hairs. That moisture after a few minutes is What Causes Frizzy Hair.
The most common way this happens is when your hair doesn’t dry completely after a bath when you fall asleep with wet hair and it’s pulled back or together without enough air circulation between the hairs. When you ask yourself Why Is My Hair Frizzy this is one of the reasons. Especially on cold days, one thinks that the temperature is causing this sensation and it’s actually that there is moisture left inside our hair.
Solution #2
To avoid this simply make sure you blow dry your hair in sections using a blow dryer in a hot setting. Section at least 3 parts of your hair when blow drying and do one part at a time. This will allow the air to pass through properly and allow your hair to dry 100 percent. Making sure your hair is dry can prevent Heat Damage to your Hair if you use a flat iron. Sectioning will help you dry it better.
I also recommend that you give your hair a few minutes to warm up to room temperature and touch it again to see if it is dry or if it still feels damp. Sometimes touching it when it’s hot can confuse us and when it cools down it can feel damp. This way you make sure that the frizz doesn’t appear again.
In addition to this, apply a little wax at the end to provide a protective layer against humidity that may be encountered during the day.
#3 How to avoid humidity and frizz
With this, you will be able to identify where the problem that is causing your frizz is coming from and I will also give you tips on how to stop that humidity from getting into your hair and causing frizz. I think the most important thing you need to know is how to stop frizz and keep your hair longer.
The best ways to prevent frizz are:
- Keep it hydrated: Another reason why frizz appears in the hair is the lack of hydration. This causes the outermost layer of the hair to weaken. With this, the cuticles that protect the hair begin to open and this causes them to start rubbing against each other. When this happens the hair starts to become increasingly dry and unkempt.
- When you keep your hair moisturized and nourished you will be able to prevent frizz from appearing. My professional recommendation is to look at The Best Treatment For Dry Hair and apply it to your hair so you can give it what it needs to prevent frizz.
- Protect it from heat tools: Heat styling tools can start to dry out hair when used excessively or at high temperatures. Also if applied to hair that has humidity. To avoid Flat Iron Damage Hair make sure you use it correctly and protect your hair with heat protection.
- Apply a protective anti-humidity layer: As I mentioned above it is important to apply a layer that protects your hair from the water in the environment. Also if you follow the tips it can help to reduce any type of humidity from affecting your hair.
My professional suggestion is to add to your wash routine shampoo and conditioner that specializes in frizz. Then within your routine dry your hair well to remove any remaining moisture in your hair. Then protect it with heat protectant from flat irons and other heat tools. Once you’re done, apply a little wax to the outer layer of your hair. This will protect and nourish your hair.
Summary
With all this, we have seen why humidity makes your hair frizzy and how it works. The science behind the phenomena that happen to our hair is very interesting. Also with this information you already know where the humidity that makes your hair frizzy may be coming from. If you stay away from all those areas where you may be getting humidity. Also if you apply the right products the way I have told you. This will help prevent frizz from attacking you.
At the very least it will help keep it out of your hair and prevent flyaways. You can apply a little more wax if you need to during the day so you are covered and protected.
I hope this information has helped you to know more about this topic and you can solve your doubt. I especially hope that you can feel good about your hair and that you can fight it and enjoy healthy, beautiful, and styled hair.
See you next time.
