Curly hair can be difficult to manage due to its delicate nature. If your hair is dry and frizzy, you are not alone. Curly hair tends to be dry because of its structure, so it usually requires different shampoos and conditioners than straight hair does. However, the right shampoo and conditioner can help your hair get the hydration it needs.
Identification
The strand of a curly hair bends and curls around itself, making it more prone to drying out and becoming damaged. Due to the structure of curly hair, cuticle layers can become slightly raised, causing tangles and breakage. Curly hair requires extra moisture since the bending of the hair makes it difficult for moisture to travel along the hair strand. Dry hair can look frizzy and have split ends. Your curly hair might look flyaway and be unruly. Sebaceous glands located near your hair follicles constantly secrete oil that lubricates your scalp and hair. If the glands get interrupted, your scalp produces less oil and dries out, leaving your hair to become dry and frizzy.
Risk Factors
Curly hair is already susceptible to drying out and being frizzy. Other factors such as the environment can make it worse. Cold, dry climates, as well as air conditioning and central heating, can cause low humidity levels that can take the moisture out of your hair. Hot styling tools can damage your hair and dry it out, causing split ends and a frizzy look. High-heat blow drying can damage a delicate curl, causing the hair cuticle to unravel. Over-washing your hair also strips the natural oils, drying out your scalp.
Primary Treatment
Curly hair that is dry and frizzy can benefit from organic or natural shampoos and conditioners. Many commercial shampoos contain harsh chemicals and preservatives that can further aggravate your dry hair. Ingredients like filtered or deionized water and herbs such as lavender, jasmine, coconut oil, rosemary or white camellia are effective for cleaning and hydrating. Choose a conditioner that matches your hair type for best results. Curly hair is usually fine and requires a lightweight conditioner. Leave-in conditioners are also very beneficial for dry curly hair.
Other Treatment
You should not handle curly hair much, because you can damage the delicate structure. Never towel dry your hair, and use only your fingers to gently untangle it. Curly hair can benefit from deep-conditioning treatments such as hot oil treatments that have herbs such as peppermint, rose, tea tree oil, myrrh or chamomile. Do not wash your hair every day; curly hair fares better when washed infrequently. If your hair gets too dirty from not washing it with shampoo, use conditioner instead. This will cleanse your hair while leaving it hydrated and moisturized.
Considerations
Diet and nutrition play a large role in the look and health of your hair. To help keep your curly hair well-hydrated, drink plenty of water. Getting adequate nutrients helps feed your hair follicles and scalp so the sebaceous glands can work properly. Because of the curly structure of your hair, it is important to eat right so there are plenty of nutrients to reach the whole strand.
Member Comments