Both girls and guys have bad hair days. There can be numerous reasons for that, but flyaways are the most common culprits at this time of the year.
What are flyaways?
Flyaways are those short hairs that stick up from your otherwise smooth and sleek hair. They can be quite annoying and often seem impossible to tame. For people who like to have a perfect hairdo every day and put a ton of effort into it, flyaways are an enemy that has to be conquered at any price.
A famous Chinese general, strategist, and philosopher Sun Tzu said: “If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.” Therefore you need to learn everything you know about flyaways if you hope to beat them and tame them once and for all. You will have to learn a lot about your hair too.
So if you want to find the answers to questions such as ” Why does my hair stick up?” or “How can I prevent my hair from sticking up?” stay with us. The time you invest in your hair is well spent. You know what they say- your hair is the crown you never take off!
Why Does Your Hair Stick Up?
Sorry, we have to disappoint you, but there is no simple answer to the question, ” Why does my hair stick up?”. From bad haircuts and split ends to new hairs growing wild – there are a plethora of reasons for flyways.
We will try to help you identify your problem so that you can deal with it more easily. Here is the list of the most common issues that cause your hair to stick up:
1. Damaged Hair
If your hair is heavily damaged, flyaways are most probably caused by breakage and split ends. In order to prevent damage, read the following advice:
Comb Your Hair When It Is Slightly Dry.
- You should never brush your hair while it is wet but instead, wait until it is slightly dry to do it. Soaking wet hair is most vulnerable, but you should not wait until it is completely dry to comb it since it can get tangled-up pretty bad by that time, especially if you are blow-drying it.
Find out What Is Damp Hair.
Use A Wide-tooth Comb.
- You can also try to minimize breakage by substituting your thick brush with a wide-tooth comb. A wide-tooth comb will detangle your wet hair without causing hair breakage and thus help you minimize future flyaways. It is an easy & affordable solution for people with fragile hair prone to snapping.
How to properly detangle your hair?
- Start at the ends of your hair, not the roots.
- Take your time and slowly make your way up.
- Never pull downward!
Find the Best Teasing Comb!
Do Not Towel-dry Your Hair.
- Towel-drying your hair is also a part of the problem, and you should try to avoid it altogether. Cotton towels are too harsh and can thus create flyaways or frizzy hair. You do not want that! You can substitute a towel with a cotton T-shirt since it is way smoother and therefore less likely to damage your hair.
Avoid Blow-drying.
- Try to avoid blow-drying your hair too often. It is much better to let it dry naturally. We know that it takes much longer, especially for people with long hair, but do it as often as you can.
Use High-quality Hair Products.
- Using high-quality hair products can help prevent damage too. First of all, get a high-quality conditioner and moisturize your hair regularly. In this way, you will not only help prevent damage but also smooth out the existing flyaways. Conditioners will also minimize the reaction to the static electricity, which is the number one reason behind flyaways during the winter season. We will speak about that in detail later on.
- Shine serum is yet another highly-useful product in your struggle to tame your hair. You apply it to dry hair, so it is pretty easy to identify troublesome areas and not overdo it. It is highly important to apply the serum only to the affected areas. Namely, serums are by definition very oily, and if you use too much, your hair might appear greasy. A nickel-sized drop should suffice for your entire hair, even if it is long.
- Flyaways are more likely to appear if you have dry hair. A high-quality hydrating conditioner can help if this is the case, but you should also try to limit the number of times you shampoo your hair. Washing your hair too often will strip it of its moisture.
- If the damage has already been done and your hair is overly dry, try incorporating a conditioning mask into your hair-washing routine. Flyaways are a clear sign that your strands are parched and craving moisture. A deep conditioning mask should be able to help and get your strands back on track. The problem is that applying the mask takes a bit of your time and is thus often not an option when taking a quick shower.
- The good news is that your hair will benefit even if you apply the mask once a week. Just make sure you choose a treatment that will repair and nourish your hair at the same time. Avoid rookie mistakes such as not rinsing the mask out thoroughly following the treatment. We will help!
How to properly apply the hair mask?
- Apply the mask onto your strands just before you step into the shower.
- Wash your body first since that will allow for enough time for the hot steam to help your mask penetrate your damaged hair.
- Wash out the mask thoroughly (until your hair feels squeaky underneath your fingers).
2. Static Electricity
If your hair sticks up after you have brushed just, chances are you are dealing with static electricity. It occurs when two non-conductors of electricity are rubbed together. In your case – the non-conductors are your dry hair and a plastic comb or a brush.
We will try to explain without sounding too scientific. All things are made up of atoms. Atoms consist of a heavy nucleus that is surrounded by orbiting electrons. Sometimes the electrons are locked to the molecule, and sometimes they are free to wander – that is a difference between electrical insulators and electrical conductors.
If a molecule has an excess of electrons – it features a negative charge. If there is a shortage of electrons, we speak of a positive charge.
When you brush your dry hair with a plastic comb, the two take on an opposite charge. The cleaner your hair is, the better will it conduct electricity, and more of it will stick up. This happens because all your hairs are charged the same, and they are thus trying to get as far away from each other. The comb is charged oppositely, so it attracts your hair.
The opposites attract, while the same charges repel. It is as simple as that.
Things get even worse when you wear woolen sweaters, scarves, and caps during the winter season. Do a little experiment. Rub your comb on wool to charge it, and then use it to move your hair up.
As fun as this is, it can be quite a problem when hoping for smooth hair. So, how can you neutralize static electricity?
Spray Some Light Hairspray On A Toothbrush And Use It To Tame The Flyaways.
- You might wonder why the toothbrush. It is an ideal size for touch-ups since you do not want to apply the sticky hairspray all over your hair and weigh it down. The toothbrush helps you minimize the risk of product overload. Make sure you do not use the same brush for your teeth, though!
Try The Dryer-sheet Hack.
- The internet is crazy about the dryer sheet hack. It is no wonder, though, since it really works. All you need is a dryer sheet. You use it to swipe the static from your hair and smooth it to perfection. If you want to avoid smelling the same as your laundry, you can buy the elevated version of a dryer sheet- hair product sheets designed to control your flyaways. They are a perfect solution for finer hair types.
3. Baby Hair
Your hair is growing as we speak. It never stops. Inevitably, new hairs will be short and stick up. You cannot prevent that, nor should you. Luckily, you are now well informed and can apply some of the taming methods we have listed in this article.
