Humidity and Frizzy Hair
I am sort of obsessed with frizzy hair. I live in a house along the beach where the constant heat and humidity and sea breeze leaves my hair frizzy as soon as it air drys. When I go home to Minnesota in the colder months my hair is equally as frizzy from the lack of humidity. Growing up I had very fine, thick pin-straight hair that was rarely, if ever, frizzy. So what is really happening to change my hair texture?
The hair is made of of 3 layers: the outermost cuticle, middle cortex and inner medulla. Hair texture is also determined by three different types of protein bonds in the cortex layer: hydrogen bonds, salt bonds and disulfide bonds. Salt and hydrogen bonds are easily affected by heat and moisture. Disulfide bonds can only be broken with a chemical agent (coloring, perms, straighteners). When the hair encounters moisture in the air, it relaxes the salt and hydrogen bonds allowing the moisture to penetrate the cuticle to the cortex layer. The two protein layers within the cortex absorb the water and swell, but because they have different compositions the proteins absorb water at different rates, causing the hair shaft to swell unevenly. This uneven swelling causes breaks in the cuticle. This jagged unevenness results in frizzy looking hair. Interestingly, a lack of moisture can also cause frizz. Hair always has a small amount of water and, if over dried, the shaft becomes brittle causing the cuticles to raise and also create a frizzy appearance.
Close up of jagged cuticle layer resulting in frizzy looking hair
I fight hair frizz each day with Just Coco virgin coconut oil. My newest favorite is the Lemon Ginger Sage body oil. After shampooing I pat dry my hair with a towel and comb it with a wide toothed comb. I allow it to partially air dry before I apply a dime size amount of virgin coconut oil to the areas that show frizz, usually the ends and crown. Then I comb again to distribute the oil and style as usual. My hair is frizzy free, stays in a ponytail or bun all day and it feels soft and conditioned–so much so that I have virtually stopped using hair conditioner after shampooing. The coconut oil helps to smooth the jagged cuticle layer and protect protein bonds from breaking in hot humidity and cold dryness without any toxic chemical ingredients. Virgin coconut oil massaged into the scalp also helps prevent dandruff and itchiness.
