How to Prevent Frizzy, Dry or Brittle Hair

Blow drying can cause damage to hair.

For people who wear short hairstyles preventing frizzy, dry or brittle hair does not become a big problem because they cut their hair regularly. Dry or brittle hair becomes a problem for people who wear medium and long hair lengths. Daily use of blow dryers and hot irons damages hair, as does improper use of brushes and combs. Permanent waves, chemical straightening and lightening the hair may require repair treatments between services to prevent frizzy, dry or brittle hair.

Things You'll Need

• Shampoo
• Towel
• Conditioner
• Comb
• Blow dryer

Instructions

1. Shampoo your hair using an acid-balanced shampoo. Detergent based shampoos can damage the hair and cause the color to fade on lightened or tinted hair, according to the Standard Textbook of Cosmetology. Most shampoo manufacturers include the type of shampoo and pH balances on the label. Avoid matting the hair during shampoo.

2. Rinse hair thoroughly to remove shampoo. Allow the water stream to do most of the work. If you pull and tug at your hair while shampooing or rinsing this can break the hair, as hair is most fragile when it is wet.

3. Blot excess water from hair with a towel and apply a conditioner to your hair after shampooing. If a combination shampoo/conditioner does not effectively detangle or tone down frizzy hair, you may need to use additional conditioner after shampooing. Follow the manufacturer's directions.

4. Comb tangles from the hair using the wider and larger toothed end of the comb. Start at the strand ends working your way up to the scalp. If you rake the comb through the hair from the top down this causes hair breakage that results in frizzy hair.

5. Blow dry hair using moderate heat. Do not dry hair completely. "The ends should still be slightly damp" when done, according to Beauty and the Bath web site. Move the blow dryer's nozzle in a back and forth motion. If you hold the blow dryer in one place too long, the continuous heat can damage the hair. Daily blow-drying the hair causes a lot of drying and damage to the hair. Consider alternating days between air-drying your hair and blow-drying.

6. Trim off split ends or keep the hair trimmed regularly to prevent split ends. The closer the hair is to the scalp the newer and stronger it is. Long hair ends are weaker than newer hair. The natural protective oils from the scalp cannot reach the ends, and longer exposure chemical treatment and daily grooming make them more vulnerable to drying, brittleness and split ends.

References

• "Standard Textbook of Cosmetology"; Mary Healy; 1988
• Beauty and the Bath: Prevent Split Ends

Resources

• "Milady's Standard Textbook of Professional Barber Styling"; 1998