Why Does My Hair Have So Much Static?
As much as anything else, cold, dry, winter weather seems to bring its
share of static that wreaks havoc on hairstyles.
Static is created when two materials that are different rub together and
while you will usually notice it with items that are not part of your body (such
as a sweater and a balloon), it can also happen with your hair. The static electricity
charges are not unlike the “zapping” you get when walking across carpet and
touching something metal…that’s the static discharge. Similarly, charges
build-up in your dry hair as well – often as humidity decreases and wind, clothing
and dryness increase those charges causing the common “fly-away” that is so
difficult to manage.
When two items rub against each other, some of the electrons from one
object’s surface will transfer to the other one. The issue is that the material
that lost electrons has a positive charge and the other one has a positive
charge. When there is no way to get rid of this static, it will simply sit
there and cause the materials (or your hair strands) to repel each other,
giving you static fly-away. But there are ways you can control static and frizz. Here are some of the most common reasons people get
static on their hair.
Shampoo & Conditioner
Moisture is essential for releasing static because it allows the charges
built up by the transfer of electrons to dissipate. The problem is that when
the weather is dry or your hair itself is dry, the static has nowhere to go,
leading to the fly-away mentioned above. Some people will experience a lot of
static in their locks because of the shampoo and conditioner they select or
even how often they use it. If you are not using a moisturizing shampoo (Healthy Hair Plus' Emu Oil Shampoo) or wash
your hair too frequently, it can dry out, making the static worse.
Damage
Another cause of static fly-away is when the hair is damaged. The damage
can occur for any variety of reasons such as using too many styling products without
the proper protectors (like thermal protectors), coloring or
perming it. The shaft will stop lying flat when it is damaged, making the frizz even worse. In addition, damaged strands tend to be a lot drier, making it much
harder for static charges to dissipate.
Drying Methods
One thing many people don’t realize affects the amount of fly-away they
have is how they dry their locks. Most women try to speed up the drying process
by vigorously rubbing their hair with a towel but this is one of the worst
things that can happen when trying to control fly-away. That is because the
repeated contact between the towel and your hair or even your strands with each
other will cause the electrons to move between the two objects, creating static
and giving you fly-away.
Solutions
The good news is that there are some very simply things you can do to
help reduce the amount of static you have in your hair. Keeping your hair free
from damage is the most important step as it will not only prevent static, but
maintain the overall health of your locks as well. You should also avoid
washing your hair every day as this dries it out making it more susceptible to
static. The final thing to do is to minimize contact between your hair and
other surfaces. This means instead of rubbing it dry, try patting it or
carefully use a blow dryer to speed up the process. You should also avoid over
brushing your hair as this can increase the fly-away as well.
If you are suffering from chronic static during the
winter, the best thing you can do is keep you hair moisturized either with conditioners of moisturizing shampoos. If possible avoid knitted caps or “beanies”
and try using a ionizing flat iron or blow dryer when styling. A medium-hold
hairspray works well also! If your hair is excessively dry, you can also use several oils to tame the static. Many choose Emu Oil (for the best moisture content), but Argan Oil and Jojoba Oil work great, too!
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