There is nothing worse than flat ironing your hair, to only find it frizzes. You are not alone if you feel like that.
There are dozens of us wondering about the question “why does hair frizz after flat ironing and how to prevent it?”
Well, you’ve come to the right place as Lucky Curl has the perfect explanation for you! It may seem like an obvious topic but here’s the reason why you get frizzy hair after straightening with flat irons:
Not drying your hair completely is the main reason why you get poofy hair after flat ironing. When you hear the sizzling sound when the flat iron runs through hair, that means your hair wasn’t dried properly!
I would love to go deeper about this. So, let’s keep going!
Why do I have frizzy hair after straightening?
The first reason is you did not prep your hair properly before flat ironing – your hair isn’t dry completely before letting the flat iron slide through it.
As you slide the flat iron through your wet hair, you’ll hear a sizzling sound creating vapors and forming bubbles in the hair fibers.
As the bubbles get into the hair cuticles, it creates split ends which eventually kill your hair over time.
That said, drying your hair completely before flat ironing is crucial to prevent frizz and hair damage!
Ways to Fix Poofy Hair After Straightening
In this section, I have compiled some foolproof ways on how to prevent frizzy hair after flat ironing. Make sure to remember them all during your next hair straightening session!
Know your hair type.
Knowing your hair type means understanding your hair’s porosity. Chances are, you might have high porosity if your hair gets poofy after straightening.
Hair with high porosity can easily absorb and exude moisture and get affected by heating tools and chemical processes.
So, the solution is to use sealants like coconut oil to protect moisture.
Use conditioner.
Dry hair is prone to frizz. So, using a leave-in conditioner is a nice way to moisturize your hair.
Conditioners smoothen the hair cuticles which prevents tangles. This makes your hair easier to style and manage and can also prevent frizz.
You should choose a super lightweight conditioner without silicone content as they’re suitable for normal to fine hair.
Use the right hair products.
If you want to avoid poofy hair, you should know how to choose the right hair products.
Apart from the leave-in conditioner, you can also use anti-freeze serum. Apply it to your hair before your straightening session.
Caution: Avoid shampoo that contains sulfate. Sulfate is a harsh cleansing agent that strips off your hair’s natural oils resulting in dryness and frizz.
Ways to Control Frizz When Flat Ironing
We can all agree hair straighteners are the way to go if you want to achieve sleek and beautiful straight hair. The issue is that heating tools like the flat iron are damaging to your locks. However, there are ways around it that guarantee a frizz-free straightened hair.
Here are ways to prevent frizzy hair after straightening:
Pick the right iron.
Ceramic, tourmaline, and titanium irons are usually the best option for many hair types. They heat up quickly and evenly which means less heat exposure for your hair. And in general, won’t make your hair frizzy!
Start with dry hair.
As a rule of thumb, you should never ever flat iron wet hair! You should at least blow dry hair up to 60 to 70 percent before using the flat iron or any hair styling tool. This can stop getting your hair poofy and can also minimize heat damage.
Protect your hair.
Apart from preventing heat damage, heat protectants are effective in moisturizing your hair so that it won’t get frizzy after straightening. Choose a heat protectant that contains coconut oil and argan nut to condition and protect your hair.
Do not forget the smoothing product.
Take an extra step to reduce lingering frizz by applying a smoothing product to your hair after straightening. Silicone-based smoothing products are the best choice as it does not only prevent frizz but also smoothen hair cuticles and boosts shine.
Summary
It is almost impossible to avoid frizzy hair! We all get it from time to time.
The good news is you can reduce the likelihood of poofy hair with a few tricks. But this takes some practice!
Still, the most effective way to prevent frizz or damaged hair is to prep your hair properly before picking up the flat iron. A slightly damp hair is ideal for straightening or styling anyway!
I know beautifully straightened hair sounds like an idea every day but you shouldn’t overdo heating tools to avoid poor hair health. Stick to styling with heating tools once or twice a week, depending on your hair type!
If you want to achieve perfectly straight hair, check out this guide on how to use a flat iron properly.