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 RISING WOMEN EXPERT
ADVICE...
Why does my hair get frizzy when I vacation in a
humid destination?
Humidity actually doesn’t make your hair frizzy; it merely reveals the frizz
that is already there. The texture of your hair begins at the molecular
level. Each strand is made up of a protein called “cytokeratin”. This type
of molecule bonds together and there are two main types: disulfide bonds and
hydrogen bonds.
Natural curly and frizzy hair has more disulfide bonds than straight, smooth
hair due to the shape of the hair’s cross section. This bond takes place
between “sulfur atoms” and is very strong and permanent; the very reason why
when chemical perms or straightening wears off, your hair goes back to its
natural curly or straight texture.
Hydrogen bonds also play a role in holding your hairs natural shape but are
much weaker and temporary than disulfide bonds. These bonds can be easily
disrupted by day-to-day styling methods such as flat ironing, but the end
result will always revert back to your curly or straight state when it comes
in to contact with water or humidity in the air. So in regard to curls and
frizz, the degree increases with the amount of humidity regardless of what
permanent or semi-permanent styling method you use.
The only way you can stop the curls and frizzes from forming in humid
weather is to use product. Now unfortunately there really are no effective
“natural” ingredients to look for - simply because “organic” hair really
doesn’t relate to chemically altered! So in order to look fantastic
throughout your vacation make sure you source out anti-humidity conditioners
and styling products that contain “amino silicones”. This ingredient keeps
humidity from penetrating the hair shaft by sealing the cuticle. Products
that contain “cationic surfactants” also help to prevent the build-up of
static electricity.
Another chemical ingredient is PolyfluoroEster (PFE). This is one of the
dozens of “silicone” compounds created over the last few decades that claim
“anti-frizz” technology. PFE is a teflon-like compound and works by adhering
tightly to the hair strands, reducing the swelling of the hair shaft due to
moisture absorption. This prevents the hair cuticles from lifting up and
allows for long-lasting moisture resistance. The chemical “rebalances” the
hairs fiber interaction with the atmosphere even during extreme humidity.
Apologies again for supporting the “chemical” industry, however I am sure
that we all (secretly or not) agree that self-esteem sometimes outweighs
common sense, especially on vacation!
Need expert advice? Email
experts@risingwomen.com
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