is Staticky Hair Dry Hair?

[UP Lisa]

When I brush my hair, I get static. I brush very gently, but I still get static. I don't remember ever having this problem in the Summer. So is it just the dry air, or is my hair dry? It doesn't really feel dry.

[Anje]

I'd say it's a sign that something's dry, but it isn't necessarily your hair. (After all, moisturized hair should still stand up if you play with one of those wonderful Van de Graaf generators. (http://blog.taser.com/how-does-a-taser-work-electricity-101/)) Dry air, certain brushes, and the wrong clothes can all lead to static too, after all.

[Annalouise]

What is the "wrong" type of brush? I noticed that my plastic comb gives my hair static. I am going to try and get a wooden comb. I'm not sure if my bbb gives me static or not. It does a bit and it might be the rubber base of it? I don't know?

[Anje]

For me, certain plastic brushes and combs, and my BBB tend to cause static. Wood and horn are really good about not causing it. I'm told those bakelite/resin/"bone" combs are also really good for avoiding static, but haven't tried one yet.

[Annalouise]

Ok thanks.:) If anyone has seen one of these combs and wants to recommend please tell us where you got it.

[ktani]

When I brush my hair, I get static. I brush very gently, but I still get static. I don't remember ever having this problem in the Summer. So is it just the dry air, or is my hair dry? It doesn't really feel dry.

It is mostly the dry air but it can be both. Certain combs and brushes can contribute to static.

I have posted this before.
http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/index.html?quid=464
"In the winter, air is dry--there's very little water vapor in it. In the summer, air is more humid--it contains more water vapor. ... Humid air helps to "discharge" static electricity this way, so we don't notice it as much in the summer. In the winter, dry air makes it harder for electrons to leak off, so static electricity discharges by crackling sparks."

Mineral oil/baby oil is antistatic.

[heidi w.]

In my opinion, staticy hair has far less to do with tools that one is using than the moisture content in the ambient air.

I have, however, tried various products and learned that not all conditioners condition well. I know of one conditioner, for example, that always left my hair far too fly-away.

In the winter, I do sleep with a humidifier in my room -- although this past winter was fairly mild, and I never turned the heat above 65 degrees Fahrenheit except a few times, around a handful of times.

I have a friend who taught me to use a humidifier to help with static and fly-away, and she resides in Florida and uses a humidifier year round to infuse the air with some moisture.

In snowy winter, we run the heater a lot, and we run the stove/oven in the kitchen. These can suck moisture out of the air, and winter is naturally lower moisture in the air. Combined, this creates low moisture in the air, and sleeping with a running humidifier in the bedroom can help mitigate the problem.

I noticed I am having sneezing already, and I presume that in part it's because we went from fairly cold (30 degrees F) to fairly warm (70-80 degrees F) overnight. Just a day ago, I had to run the A/C in my car. And I found out that I'm not the only one that did so. (I also have 3 of my car windows that will not go down at all. Only the driver's car window will go down. hee-hee. I tell ya: I'm driving this vehicle into the ground.)

So, try a humidifier. OR also try changing your conditioner. I use Biolage Conditioning Balm and don't apply any to my scalp hair. I let sebum take care of that hair.

Good luck.
heidi w.

[heidi w.]

Ok thanks.:) If anyone has seen one of these combs and wants to recommend please tell us where you got it.

eBay sells combs made of horn. But one can't be sure it was garnered humanely from the animal.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

When I brush my hair, I get static. I brush very gently, but I still get static. I don't remember ever having this problem in the Summer. So is it just the dry air, or is my hair dry? It doesn't really feel dry.

I recommend also switching to combing the hair to detangle it, not brushing it.

heidi w.

[ktani]

A humidifier is a great idea too.

So is the information in the Article written by Madora on brushing hair with a pure boar bristle brush.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=229
"2) Be sure to follow each swipe of the brush with the palm of your other hand. Your brush is the plus (+) and your hand is the minus (-). This method helps calm the static made by the brushing."

[shirohane]

A humidifier is a great idea too.

So is the information in the Article written by Madora on brushing hair with a pure boar bristle brush.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=229
"2) Be sure to follow each swipe of the brush with the palm of your other hand. Your brush is the plus (+) and your hand is the minus (-). This method helps calm the static made by the brushing."

Unfortunately even with that technique, I end up looking like Medusa if I don't run my hand on my hair after brushing... Though I noticed that I only get static from my bbb and plastic combs. The wooden one seems fine for some reason.

[ktani]

Unfortunately even with that technique, I end up looking like Medusa if I don't run my hand on my hair after brushing... Though I noticed that I only get static from my bbb and plastic combs. The wooden one seems fine for some reason.

I read Madora's technique as the same as what you just said. She uses her hand after each brush stroke.

[shirohane]

I read Madora's technique as the same as what you just said. She uses her hand after each brush stroke.

I guess I must've read it wrong... :p

[Annalouise]

eBay sells combs made of horn. But one can't be sure it was garnered humanely from the animal.

heidi w.

Thanks. I'm going to stay away from horn combs for that reason.:)

[heidi w.]

I read Madora's technique as the same as what you just said. She uses her hand after each brush stroke.

I do this often, although in my recently posted youtube video, I don't think I demonstrated doing this. I can say that it does work following a BBB downstroke with a downstroke of the hand.

heidi w.

[UP Lisa]

heidi,

I can't seem to use a comb on my hair at all. I get nothing but snapping and breaking no matter what type of comb I use. My hair is very fragile.



I recommend also switching to combing the hair to detangle it, not brushing it.

heidi w.

[Littlewing13]

I believe mehandi.com sells "ethical" horn combs (the animal has already died before harvesting). Or try a tangle teezer (ebay), as I believe they dont cause static.

[Deborah]

For the whole first year I lived in Colorado, my hair and body were so full of static electricity that I was literally, painfully shocked every time I turned on a light switch. It was awful! Often you could see sparks. I learned to slowly bump the wall first with my forearm, then slowly leaned my hand in towards the switch, in order to ground myself first. When I brushed my hair, part of it would sometimes stand straight out from my head like a weird giant halo, much to the amusement of my family. (My hair was long then too.) I would apply water to my hands and eventually get it smoothed down. After a little more than a year, my body and hair adapted I guess. That was years ago, and I am more or less normal now. I still tend to get shocked and shock people a lot, but I think that's natural for me. :shrug:

p.s. To answer your question, no, static does not always mean that your hair itself is dry. Mine never was.