Tips On Preventing Hair Static

Does your hair stand almost straight up when you brush it in the winter? Chances are you have a problem with hair static – an annoying condition that occurs when the air indoors and outdoors is dry. It can be a frustrating problem to deal with – the more you brush, the more the hair stands on end. What causes this frustrating beauty problem and what can be done to prevent hair static?

What Causes Hair Static?

When you brush your hair negative charge from your hair is transferred to the brush or comb – leaving your hair strands positively charged. Because the hairs are all the same charge and like charges repel one another, the hair stands fly in every direction trying to stay away from one another. Dry air makes the problem worse by acting as an insulator – causing charged hair strands to hang onto their charge – leading to major static problems.

How to Prevent Hair Static: Replenish Natural Oils

Anything you do to maintain the natural oils in your hair will help to prevent hair static. Hair that’s dry or color-treated – particularly if it’s naturally fine or thin - is especially susceptible to static and fly-aways. Start by investing in a good conditioner – one made for dry hair and use it every time you shampoo. Do a hot oil treatment once a week, or use a deep conditioning treatment made for damaged hair. Resist the urge to wash every day since this depletes natural oils. You can also use a leave-in conditioner, but it may weigh down your hair down a bit.

Change the Way You Brush

Tame the urge to constantly brush or comb your hair since this only worsens the problem of static. If you’re using a plastic comb or brush, switch over to a natural bristle brush or a metal comb. They’re less likely to contribute to static problems. A simple trick is to run an anti-static dryer sheet over your hair on days it’s acting up. You can also spray your hairbrush with Static Guard as an alternative.

Change the Way You Dry Your Hair

Whenever possible, let your hair dry naturally since drying with a conventional dryer will worsen hair static. If you need to dry your hair in a hurry, use an ionic ceramic hair dryer, and try not to brush or comb your hair too much while using it.

Change the Way You Sleep

Add a humidifier to your bedroom to increase moisture levels and reduce static charge. Ditch the cotton pillowcase and invest in a silk one instead. Not only will it feel better against your face, it’ll reduce the problem of static hair.

Finally, avoid wearing wool hats or any hat for that matter since they can make the static problem worse. Give these tips a try and watch those annoying flyaways disappear.

by Dr. Kristie

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