Isn’t it frustrating to encounter flyaway hair just after styling your hair meticulously for a selfie or a crucial meeting? They persist despite repeated attempts to comb them away, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The temptation to resort to excessive Hairspray or impulsively cut these flyaways may arise. However, before taking drastic measures, understanding the causes of flyaway hairs is crucial to address them effectively without exacerbating the situation.
Today, we will discuss the reasons behind flyaway hair and how you can care for them. As bonus content, we will also provide you with some quick home remedies that you can try to make sure that your hair is not ruined on your big day.
Reasons behind Flyaway Hair
There are tons of reasons why we get flyaway hair. Most of them occur due to moisture loss from the hair shafts. Let us take a detailed look at the reasons behind flyaway hair.
- Sometimes, flyaway hairs can form for simple reasons like new hair growth.
- Flyaway hairs might be expected if you live in a dry climate. This is because a dry environment favors static formation in your hair when combing (1). This may cause your hair to repel each other, leading to flyaway hair.
- Too much heat styling or chemicals may cause your hair to get brittle. This will cause your hair to be broken at random places. These broken strands sometimes stand out due to wind or static electricity, creating flyaway hairs.
- The buildup of hair products, improper hair cleaning, split ends, and lack of moisturization are other primary reasons for the formation of flyaway hair.
How To Fix Flyaway Hair?
Here are some ways you can implement to eliminate flyaway hair.
1. Increase Moisture
Addressing dryness is crucial in preventing flyaway hairs, and a practical approach is proper hair moisturization. Optimal hydration can be achieved by incorporating hydrating conditioners into your hair care routine. Since shampoos may strip moisture from your hair, consider minimizing their use and prioritizing conditioners. When choosing shampoos, opt for those specifically designed to moisturize your hair to maintain its health and prevent the occurrence of flyaway hairs.
It would be best to use a conditioning mask at least once a week to provide moisture and nourishment to your hair and make it stronger. Even the best quality hair benefits from conditioners if they are washed properly.
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2. Reduce Heat Damage
No matter what the texture of your hair is, it is essential to ensure it is protected from heat damage. You may find heat styling helpful for sealing cuticles and preventing flyaway hairs, but if you overuse it, you will worsen matters. If you have to use curling irons or blow dryers, it is better to use heat-protectant products before you start styling your hair. This will protect your hair from getting overheated, and you won’t inflict any damage to the fragile hair strands. You can also look up some heat-free hairstyles to avoid heating elements entirely.
As soon as you are done styling your hair with blow dryers or curling irons, apply some lightweight hair oil immediately so that you can re-infuse the much-needed moisture to your heated strands.
If possible, you should use high-speed hair dry sprays instead of blowers. They do the same job, but your strands won’t face any heat. You can also use lightweight texture foams as they can give your hair a salon finish, and you won’t have to use curling irons.
3. Reduce Static Buildup
The static buildup is also another reason for getting flyaway hairs. So, to prevent that, you need to use items that will not generate any static electricity in your hair. First, you must say goodbye to your hairbrush, especially when combing wet hair. The dense bristles may cause friction, harming the hair or the roots.
Dry areas and plastic combs get along very well to build static in your hair. To prevent that, avoid using plastic combs. Either use wooden ones or go for materials that do not build up any static electricity.
When looking for a comb, go for the wide-toothed variants. If you suffer from flyaway hairs, combs with dense teeth or brushes with dense bristles can worsen matters. They create friction between your hair and can cause hair breakage. They can also be responsible for static buildup. Of course, you can go for wet brushes, but a wide-tooth comb is your best bet if you have fragile hair.
When rubbing your hair, you can use an anti-static laundry sheet. These fabric softener sheets work well and ensure no static electricity is formed when you rub your hair. It acts as a hack since it will feel like you just swiped away static from your hair strands and made your hair smoother. Of course, it is not possible to always carry around a sheet with you. However, there are some portable anti-static wipes on the internet that you can try out.
4. Use Lightweight Serum
Hair serums treat issues like flyaway hairs, dryness, static, etc. It is like an instant fix to most of your hair problems, makes your hair smoother, and gives a salon finish to your hair. They are also helpful in hiding visible damages like split ends.
You should always use a serum when you are combing your hair or when drying it. It can help you in reducing tangles. It also softens the hair and makes it manageable.
Some serums also give you heat protection up to a specific temperature. Follow the product’s instructions when using any serum.
5. Avoid Bath Towels
Damp hair is delicate, and employing a coarse material for drying can result in significant damage. While cotton towels are popular post-bath for their softness and water absorption, they are excessively thick and textured for hair use. This texture can ruffle the cuticles of hair strands, leading to breakage, tangles, and frizz.
Opt for microfiber towels instead; their fine fibers are gentle on hair, reducing stray, short, and upright hairs along your hairline. With excellent absorption properties, they match the effectiveness of cotton towels.
If you do not have any microfiber cloth, you can also rely on cotton t-shirts. They are thinner compared to towels but have similar absorption qualities. But still, a microfiber towel is the best choice.
One thing you need to remember is that you should always wear plain T-shirts. Do not use shirts that contain any embellishments, as they may tug or pull your strands.
6. Use Hairspray
Another suitable product that is used to fix flyaway hairs is hair spray. You can use it to bring your hair down immediately.
Is this statement true? Yes, in general. But when you are fighting against stubborn hair strands? Probably not. If you want to hold your final look in place for quite some time, you must incorporate it in as many steps as possible.
If you use a hair straightener (do not forget the heat protectant), spray a strand of hair with your Hairspray and then use the tool. This will smooth the hair’s surface, and you can hold the style for long hours.
When doing updos or braids, spritz your palm with a small amount of Hairspray and run it over the surface of your hair. You can also use an edge brush (2) so you don’t use too much Hairspray. This will smoothen all the sticking strands, but your hair won’t be sticky.
7. Reducing Chemical Buildup
Since you are using so many products to control flyaway hair, it might be possible that there will be some chemical buildup in your roots. This causes your hair to be brittle and may harm your roots. This may damage the hair, create flyaway strands, or cause hair fall problems.
A clarifying shampoo will be helpful in reducing these chemical buildups. Apply this shampoo once a month (or according to the manufacturer’s instructions).
Home Remedies to Control Flyway Hair
The methods mentioned above are quick solutions to getting rid of flyaway hairs. But besides using those, you can also try some remedies at home. You can use them as a long-term treatment for your hair. This will not only remove flyaway hairs but also take part in the overall development of your hair. These remedies are natural, without side effects, chemical buildup, or happy hair roots (3).
1. Aloe Vera Gel
This versatile miracle gel can keep your flyaway hairs from standing out. This gel also acts as an excellent moisturizer for your hair. It may even perform better than any other commercial serums out there. Please take some aloe vera gel and run it over your flyaway hairs. Focus more on the end of your hair.
2. Yogurt
Yogurt is another lifesaving home remedy. It acts as a great natural hair moisturizer and will nourish your hair from the roots. If you have flyaway-prone hair, apply yogurt to your head twice a week. It will ensure that your hair looks smooth and remains healthy.
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3. Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jellies like Vaseline are used to hold the moisture in your hair so that your hair remains smooth and settled. Also, your hair will look shiny. However, ensure you do not apply too much, or the hair will look greasy.
4. Honey
Honey is another product to trap all the moisture in your hair. They will help you in fixing the flyaway hair issue. The humectant properties of honey are excellent for maintaining the hair’s health. Apply a small amount of honey to your weekly mask and apply it to your hair.
5. Almond Oil
Almond oil is a beautiful option to treat flyaway hairs. Massaging your hair with some almond oil after taking a bath keeps your hair smooth and adds moisture to the roots. It also keeps your hair soft and shiny.
6. Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise contains tons of proteins that benefit our hair. It can not only prevent flyaway hairs from sticking out but also give a soft texture to your hair. It will also moisturize your hair. Apply mayonnaise on your hair every week so that you can keep that quiet and smooth hair all the time.
7. Apple Cider Vinegar
The antioxidants in apple cider vinegar will bring all the flyaway hairs within your grasp. Apply apple cider vinegar once a week, wash it to increase your hair’s hydration, and say goodbye to flyaway hairs.
8. Egg White
Egg whites contain lots of proteins and are one of the most famous remedies for improving the quality of your hair. In addition, it will control present flyaway hairs and prevent the formation of stray hairs in the future. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice with the white of one egg and apply it to your hair weekly.
9. Beer
Beers help keep your hair smooth. The vitamin B in beer helps nourish and hydrate your hair, stopping unwanted flyaway hairs. Apply beer on your hair once a week and rinse it to keep it soft, smooth, hydrated, and free of flyaway hairs.
10. Vitamin E Capsule
If none of the remedies above work, you can rely on vitamin E capsules. They will boost the hydration of your hair and trap the moisture in your hair. Puncture a capsule and apply the entire content on your hair twice weekly.
Summary
Flyaway hairs are a problem that almost everyone faces. You can try to set it for hours, but they will ruin your hairstyle. There are quite some reasons behind this problem, like lack of moisture, chemical buildup, static buildup, etc. There are some remedies that you can try, but some of them are not for immediate effect. You can also try out some home remedies as they will help in the long-term development of your hair.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes flyaway hair?
Flyaway hairs are generally caused by dry hair, too much product buildup, or chemical damage. The increased dryness of your hair increases friction and static electricity, which causes your hair to stick out due to repulsion.
What is the best product for flyaway hair?
There is nothing called the best product. It would be best to try increasing your hair’s moisture and reducing chemical buildup. You can try using frizz-fighting shampoos and conditioners for overall development, but there are no guarantees.
Are flyaway hairs normal?
Yes, they are pretty standard. It happens due to simple reasons like new hair growth or broken hair. However, you will experience it even more if you live in dry climates, as the static electricity buildup causes the hair to repel each other.
How do I hydrate my hair?
The best way to hydrate your hair is to use cold or tepid water when washing your hair. It helps seal the cuticles and reduces moisture loss. You can also use moisturizing shampoo and conditioners that contain softening oils like almonds and soy.
Why is my hair so dry?
Because you live in an area with less humidity, other factors like exposure to the sun, overuse of heat styling, smoking, etc., can also make your hair dry.
Why does hair go static when I straighten it?
If you are using flat irons to straighten your hair, it will suck off all the moisture in your hair. Dryness is a good friend of static electricity.
References –
- “WHAT CAUSES HAIR STATIC & 7 WAYS TO FIGHT IT” – redken.com
- “How To Use An Edge Brush To Style Your Baby Hairs” – lorealparisusa.com
- “Beauty Q&A: Frizzy Hair Tamers” – webmd.com
