How Humidity Affects Different Hair Types

You have probably experienced poor hair days because of humidity if you reside somewhere where the summertime air is quite humid. Humidity can ruin your hair, causing it to fall flat or become frizzy.

Why does humidity irritate our hair so much? Our hair does not necessarily dislike wetness; healthy hair needs moisture! The main issue arises when water molecules mix with the proteins in our hair. Continue reading to learn more about humidity's effects on hair and how to protect your hair from the hot and humid weather.

How Humidity Affects Hair

Your hair strands are made up of keratin protein tubes coiled and linked together. Two different types of bonds join the keratin proteins:

Hydrogen Bonds:

These bonds are weaker, yet water or humidity can break them. 

Disulfide Bonds:

Although stronger bonds exist, permanently straightening or curling your hair can break them. 

Even when your hair feels entirely dry to the touch, some moisture is still there. The way the proteins bond together can vary when the humidity level, or the moisture in the air, is higher than in your hair.

Hydrogen bonds are broken by humidity, and as the hair dries, new bonds are created. This explains why your hair retains its slightly wavy shape when you braid it while it is still wet and then undo it when it has dried. The hydrogen bond is broken by humidity, causing the hair to become wavy or frizzy, and the strands will stay that way as they dry.

Combat the Effects of Humidity and Protect Your Hair

Here are some ways to protect your hair from the undesired effects of humidity.

Add Moisture

It is very unlikely that moisture may harm your hair. The effects of humidity will be considerably more detrimental if your hair is already dry or damaged. Make careful to cover your scalp and the tips of your hair when applying conditioner in the shower. On days with excessive humidity, leave-in conditioners are a particularly effective approach to counteract the effects of humidity.

Try Better Ingredients

Numerous products, including shampoos, hair sprays, dry shampoo sprays, and styling gels, contain harsh chemicals that, over time, may harm hair. When you stop to think about it, we put our hair under a lot of strain! Better, more organic substances, however, help calm damaged hair. Look for substances like hemp seed oil, green tea extract, etc., while purchasing hair products. Root 66 and CB-Detox by VIVI Naturals are some of your best choices!

Avoid Heat

Let your hair air dry as frequently as possible because heat will dry it. If you use a blow dryer, look for a decent ionic hair dryer that dries hair using ions rather than high heat. Before styling your hair with a flat iron or curling iron, add a protective layer. The strands will not enlarge and frizz if you use leave-in conditioners, gels, and serums.

Wrap-Up

Because of the weak hydrogen bonds that are formed between the humidity and our hair strands due to humidity, our hair becomes frizzy and flat. Remember that the drier your hair is, the more moisture it will absorb from the air. Therefore one of the greatest ways to prevent frizz and flatness is to hydrate your hair! There is less area for the air's moisture to infiltrate your hair strands and change the appearance when your hair is appropriately hydrated.