Hair and Humidity: Your Questions Answered

When it's hot, it's humid. But you don't need the local weather report to tell you that. Take one look in the mirror, and your hair will let you know.

Heat and humidity are a ruthless disaster duo when it comes to hair, leaving it flat, limp, or frizzy.  Even those who don't usually have frizzy hair will experience unmanageable locks when the humidity is high.

By understanding how humidity affects your hair, you'll spend less time worrying and more time enjoying the summer season.

Why Does Humidity Make My Hair Frizz?

Bundled layers of Keratin protein form our hair. Its strength and shape depend on how the Keratin proteins bond. One way is by a hydrogen bond.

Humidity is a result of more water in the air. And water, as you remember from science class, is made from hydrogen.

Hair is very susceptible to changes in the amount of hydrogen in the air because the hydrogen bonds in our hair are very weak. While they do hold our hair together, these bonds are so weak that they even break when our hair gets wet.

So, when it comes to the effects of humidity on our hair, the hydrogen bonds in our hair tend to break and form new keratin bonds when there is too much moisture in the air. As the hair dries back into its new shape at different rates, it becomes frizzy or wavy and tends to stay that way.

Those new keratin protein bonds are very unpredictable in how they will form too. This is why curly hair becomes even more curly when the humidity is high. It's also why your hair looks different when it's dried using a blow dryer compared to how it looks when you let it air dry.

Hair is so sensitive to hydrogen that Hygrometers, an instrument that measures humidity, uses hair as the measuring mechanism. It changes length based on the amount of moisture in the air.

How Can I Control My Hair in Humid Weather?

Taming frizz this summer doesn't have to be complicated.  One way to control your hair in humid weather is by using the diffuser attachment with your hairdryer to form soft curls.

By doing so, you will be keeping the use of heat tools to a minimum and reduce the risk of hair damage. And damaged hair is easily susceptible to frizz.

What Hair Care Products Help with Humidity?

When your hair is dry, it craves moisture and will get it anyway it can, even if it means soaking up water from the air. Surprisingly, moisturizing your hair actually helps fight the effects of humidity because when it's moisturized, it doesn't have a craving for more moisture.

Deep conditioning your hair once or twice a week will help. Still, one of the best hair care products for humidity is Daily Dose Leave-In Conditioner. With its light formula, it fights frizz by giving your hair the moisture it needs without weighing it down.

How to Keep Curly Hair from Frizzing in Humidity?

With some simple humidity hair hacks, you can still rock some amazing hair even when it's miserable outside. A few easy tips to protect your hair from humidity and to control frizz include rinsing your hair in cold water and letting it air dry. But don't let it air dry completely.

If you wait until it is almost dry, and then use the hairdryer, you will not be adding as much heat, but still will be able to control the shape. And keep a hair clip handy for when the sweat kicks in.

Author: Jessica Biggs

Jessica is a wife, mother, teacher, writer, and marketer. Like a moth to a flame, she is drawn to all things pretty, sparkly, and shiny and believes there is no such thing as natural beauty. When she is not working, in her spare time she dreams of the day where all she has to do is lay on a beach somewhere and endless frozen concoctions with little pink umbrellas are served to her on a silver platter. Until then, she will just settle for summers in the backyard. You can follow her on twitter @jessbiggs11 or Facebook @jessicadillardbiggs