No matter the hair texture, everyone’s experienced the pain of wispy, broken strands ruining your good hair day. If you want to transform your style from frizzy to fabulous, it starts by learning how to tame flyaways at the root.
Read on to learn what causes flyaways and tips and tricks to keep them under control.
What Causes Flyaways at the Root?
It’s a common misconception that flyaways signify damaged hair, but that’s not always the factor.
Other factors, like static electricity, humidity, and new growth, can also cause tiny hairs to stand at attention.
By knowing the cause of your flyaways, you can adjust your hair routine to treat the source of the problem.
Dehydrated Hair
When your hair is dehydrated, it becomes brittle and more prone to breakage.
Heat stylers, like blow dryers or flat irons, sap moisture from your hair, as does chemical processing. Your hair texture can also affect how well your hair holds onto hydration, with curly hair tending to be drier than straight hair.
Even your shampoo can cause flyaways, as it strips away your hair’s natural, protective oils.
Humidity
The amount of moisture in the air can seriously impact your hair.
When the humidity is high, your hair will absorb moisture from your environment, causing the shaft to expand. In turn, the external cuticle lifts, causing frizz and flyaways at the root.
Low humidity has a similar effect, except the flyaways are caused by the cuticle drying out rather than swelling up.
Static Electricity
In the winter, static runs rampant because the cold, dry air doesn’t insulate against electricity as effectively as warm, moist air.
Anything that causes friction, like sliding a shirt over your head or brushing your hair, can cause your flyaways to stand on end.
Tight Hair Styles
If you style in tight braids, high ponytails, or sleek chignons, there’s a good chance you’ll have to tame flyaways at the root more often.
Putting too much tension on your hair can cause breakage higher up on the hair shaft and damage the follicle, leading to long-term hair loss called traction alopecia.
New Hair Growth
Your hair is constantly shedding, with most people losing between 50 and 100 strands daily. When old hairs fall out, new ones grow from the follicle, causing you to have shorter hair flyways at your roots.
How to Tame Flyaways at the Root
Now that you know some of the most common culprits behind your hair standing on end, here are 10 easy ways to tame flyaways at the root and get a sleeker hairstyle.
#1: Microfiber Towels
The rough texture of traditional bath towels lifts the cuticles on the hair shaft, leading to frizz, tangles, and flyaways.
Instead, try a thin, microfiber towel. The tightly woven textiles won’t snag your strands, and they’ll absorb more water, so you don’t have to spend as long blow-drying.
#2: Deep Conditioning Treatments
Treat your tresses to a little TLC with a nourishing deep conditioning treatment. Not only will it quench your strands in hydration, but it can also infuse your hair with proteins that strengthen and seal the cuticle.
You’ll want to choose a leave-in treatment, as allowing the product to sit in your hair gives the ingredients time to penetrate the shaft deeply.
You should also pay close attention to formulation, keeping an eye out for ingredients such as:
- Shea butter
- Avocado oil
- Coconut oil
- Argan oil
- Panthenol
- Keratin
- Silk protein
- Soy protein
- Aloe vera
#3: Hair Oils
Our bodies produce a natural oil called sebum that keeps our hair moisturized. However, harsh shampoos strip these lipids off the scalp and hair, leading to dehydration.
Hair oils help replace sebum by quenching your locks in beneficial fatty acids that nourish your hair’s inner core. They also create a protective coating on the outside of the hair shaft, which helps the cuticle lie flat to prevent flyaways and frizz.
Remember that you’ll want to follow the product directions closely, as overdoing oils can make your hair limp and greasy.
#4: Skin Salve
Do you have a favorite skin salve for treating flaky hands or rough elbows? Those same ingredients that soothe dry skin can also add a much-needed dose of moisture to your hair.
You can use it the same way you would a hair pomade. Start with a dime-sized amount, rubbing it between your palms to warm and soften the product before smoothing down flyaways at the root.
#5: Silk Pillowcases
The rough texture of cotton pillowcases can cause breakage, particularly if you have dry or coarse-textured hair.
On the other hand, silk is smooth enough that your hair shaft will glide over the fabric rather than getting snagged. It also absorbs less moisture so that you won’t wake up with dehydrated strands.
#6: Heat Protectants
You can reduce the damage your hair takes during heat styling by spritzing it with a protectant spray.
The silicone-based formula seals off the hair cuticle, reducing moisture loss and dispersing heat more evenly.
#7: Hairspray on a Toothbrush
Hairspray is one of the best ways to control flyaways, but it gives your hair a hard, crunchy texture.
Instead, spray a bit of product on an old toothbrush, then run it over your roots. This technique gives you more control over where the hairspray goes, so you still have natural movement in the rest of your tresses.
#8: Clear Mascara
If you want precise control over where you’re applying the product, a spoolie dipped in clear mascara is your best option. It won’t leave your hair crunchy, like gel, and it does an excellent job of keeping toot flyaways in their place.
To use this technique, part your hair as you usually would then put it in a low ponytail.
Dip the spoolie into the tube, then use it to slick down any flyaways by combing it on either side of the part, starting at the root.
Finally, use your fingers to smooth everything down before styling.
#9: Face Mist
Your hydrating finishing spray makes for an excellent flyaway tamer in a pinch and helps rehydrate your dry strands.
Spritz a few pumps into your palm, rub your hands together, then smooth them over any areas you have flyaways. While it’s not as high-hold as hairspray or gel, it dries quickly and is easy to reapply throughout the day.
#10: Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets fight static on your clothing and can do the same for your flyaways.
Before styling your hair, run a dryer sheet over it from root to tip. Then, brush it through with a paddle brush or detangling comb.
You can even tuck a few in your bag to tame the frizz while on the go.