Getting rid of frizziness and the flyaway hairs that always accompany static is a never-ending battle, especially in winter. The cold and dry air of winter is a seasonal trigger for dry skin, chapped lips and static-laden flat hair. If occasionally you look like a mad scientist without even trying, then you’ll want to know how to keep static at bay. This handy article offers some quick and easy tips on avoiding the frustrations of static hair.
What Causes Static Hair?
It doesn’t take much for your hair to build up a static charge. A change in humidity or an increase in friction can be enough to add the few extra electrons to your hair that result in static electricity.
This electric charge causes your hair strands to repel each other, resulting in the all-too-familiar phenomenon known as frizzy hair.
Wintry conditions compound the frizzy hair problem. There’s the lack of moisture in the air, for one thing. Indoor heating is another factor making the situation worse. What do you do when you step out of the comfort of your heated home on a cold morning? You pull a woollen hat over your hair, of course. As you put on and take off your hat throughout the day, the constant friction generates static electricity in your hair.
Luckily, it’s not all bad news. Hair products, including shampoos and conditioners, can restore your hair’s electrical balance by neutralising the errant electrons. Start using the right products and you can say hello to static-free hair and goodbye to the mad scientist look. Read on for our top tips!
Pick The Right Shampoo
Pick a moisturising shampoo that will keep your hair hydrated. Keeping your hair regularly moisturised in this way will mean you never have to worry about static or frizzy hair. Maintaining the right balance between the moisture and your scalp’s natural oils will also help keep your hair shaft flexible.
Always Use Conditioner
While you can skip using the shampoo if you’re washing your hair frequently, don’t stop using your conditioner, which is an essential weapon in your battle with frizzy hair. Conditioners contain ingredients that counteract the effects of surfactants in your shampoo. Surfactants can contribute a charge to your hair which causes frizz. A good conditioner will also help seal the hair cuticle, improve shine and make your hair easier to manage. A deep conditioning mask is vital if you have naturally dry hair and find that regular conditioning isn’t doing the trick.
Use A Leave-in Product On the Go
Getting your hair ready in the morning and heading out for the day sometimes isn’t enough. Harsh weather and general daily pollution can ruin your hair by drying it out and causing frizz. Always have on hand a travel-size bottle of leave-in conditioner or some hair oil.
Whenever you get the chance, rub a small amount of the oil in your palms and run your hands through your hair. The oil’s moisture will eliminate any static charge build-up in your hair and make it easier to manage.
Avoid Products With Drying Ingredients
Always read the labels of your hair products. If you don’t, you could find that mad scientist staring back at you again from the bathroom mirror. Sulphates are a common ingredient in shampoo and conditioner products, and they help clean your hair and scalp. However, if your hair is on the dry side, sulphates are just going to suck the moisture out of it. Gels, dry shampoos and styling foam may also contain alcohol, another substance that has a drying effect on the hair and scalp.
Avoid Using Plastic Brushes Or Combs
Do you remember that game in school when you rubbed a plastic ruler on your head, then used it to pick up bits of paper, like magic? Well, that was a demonstration of static electricity and magnetism in action. If you regularly use a plastic comb (as we all generally do), then you’re contributing to your frizzy hair problem. Choose something different next time you shop for a new brush or comb. Boar-bristle brushes are gaining in popularity, as are bamboo combs. Metal combs help with the static issue, but they also damage your hair shafts, leading to hair breakage.
More Than Just Static
Annoying and embarrassing hair static can be overcome, as the tips we’ve shared in this article have shown. What’s harder to overcome is hair loss, something which millions of men and women deal with every year. Many find the answers to their hair loss problems by consulting their dermatologist when something doesn’t look or feel right.
At Vinci Hair Clinic, we’re here to support you every step of the way. From the first free consultation to arriving at a diagnosis and recommending the best treatment option for you, you’re never alone. Get in touch with us today, and let’s start tackling your hair loss problem together!
