What exactly ARE frizzies???

[tmolly]

Hello! I'm new here and I'm loving the great tips and advice I'm collecting while searching the boards here. As I try to work with my hair type, I'm realizing that I may not understand what "frizzies" actually refers to. My AP/BSL hair is 2a/1c, mostly F-M. But there are hairs all around my crown that are rough and kinky. The best way I can describe them, and please pardon my crass analogy, is like a pubic hair texture. 😳 They don't have a gentle wave or spiral pattern, but more of a series of "U" shapes (does that make sense? hard to describe).

Since they have this definitive texture, are they really frizzies? What I hear described as frizzies usually sounds more like flyaway hairs that get kicked up from wind, humidity, or being handled a lot. I don't know what could "tame" my wiry crown hairs since their texture is the way it is. And most of my hair under this top layer of wiry fuzz is finer and much straighter, so I can't scrunch them together into more cohesive kinky waves (which would be lovely if all my hair could agree on one texture!).

Is there anything short of heat that can relax these course hairs without simultaneously weighing down the rest of my hair? Anyone else have "frizzies" like this? Thanks in advance for any insight!

[Santi]

Hi tmolly! Lorraine Massey says that "A frizz is a curl waiting to happen". Frizz is seeking moisture from the air, that it why it sticks up. You have to learn how to properly hydrate your hair. What I learned prior to joining LHC is that it's important to learn hair properties. Knowing your texture, porosity, density & elasticity will help you understand the needs of your hair. It is not uncommon to have different textures on your head & certainly not uncommon to not know your hair properties. I thought my hair was thick until I joined this site. It's been a long journey for me & I am still learning.

There was a time when my hair would frizz no matter what I did. It was an ugly frizz that I could not hide. With time my hair became healthier b/c I was mindful of the products I used & how I handled my hair. I can see it & feel it. My hair still frizzes but it's more of a curly halo. I don't think that will ever go away.

There's a website www.livecurlylivefree.com that does a good job of explaining what curlies should know. Click on curly hair basics. You may not be a true curly but it might help you to learn how to combat the frizz.

[LipstickGirl]

That's a great link Santi, thanks. I also am a 2a, and the kinks that form in some of my hairs are bizarre. Some of them are just at right angles.

[Santi]

You're welcome LipstickGirl

[Madora]

For the sake of your hair, tmolly, try and keep away from heat.

If that is not an option for you, be very careful when using heat and try and use some heat protectant product while doing so.

[veryhairyfairy]

I have those very coarse, and not at all normal textured hairs, too, OP. They seem to be completely out of place on a head, yes!
(they aren't any kind of tightly curly texture -that would be amazing!- they are seriously mutated looking and completely abnormal)

I do pluck the very worst ones from my part, but I try to leave the less-obnoxious ones to do their own thing and eventually blend in. One thing that improved the amount of these on my head was to stop the damaging practices; heat styling, peroxide hair dye, harsh shampoo every wash, etc.

These are definitely different from frizz/flyaways, but I can get them to behave a bit better (if I feel like the effort-most times I don't) if I wet my hair with a spray bottle and smooth a bit of gel (ECOStyler) over the canopy. The key to getting a 'sticking straight up' hair to lay better is wetting the hair at the scalp, same with changing your part on dry hair.

[ExpectoPatronum]

What are frizzies? They're annoying! That's what they are.

I agree that frizz "is a curl waiting to happen." My poofy frizz is reduced when I actually treat my hair the way it wants to be treated. But, I get bad halo frizz. If I don't treat my hair like it's curly (ie, just put some oil in it which is what I do when I plan on wearing lots of updos), then my halo frizz is gone, but my poofy frizz is out of this world. You can't win sometimes.

[Santi]

What are frizzies? They're annoying! That's what they are.

I agree that frizz "is a curl waiting to happen." My poofy frizz is reduced when I actually treat my hair the way it wants to be treated. But, I get bad halo frizz. If I don't treat my hair like it's curly (ie, just put some oil in it which is what I do when I plan on wearing lots of updos), then my halo frizz is gone, but my poofy frizz is out of this world. You can't win sometimes.

ExpectoPatronum, so funny! They are annoying! My frizz gets worse when I touch it too much. I have to remind myself to lay off.

[meteor]

Is there anything short of heat that can relax these course hairs without simultaneously weighing down the rest of my hair? Anyone else have "frizzies" like this? Thanks in advance for any insight!

Yes:
1) wet/damp-setting after hair washes: water breaks down hydrogen bonds and lets your hair reform in new position - you can do scarf-wrapping for straight hair, damp-braid/bun for waves, use rags, curl-formers, etc for shaping hair as it dries.

2) occlusives (oils, waxes, silicones..., but especially oils!): they will prevent moisture from entering and evaporating from hair too fast and this will keep hair from frizzing up too much. My favorite "sealing" oil for this is mineral oil, because it's a somewhat more effective occlusive than natural oils.

3) sleeping on silk/satin or other smooth materials: silk pillowcases, sleep caps or shirts and scarves will keep the hair cuticles from getting roughened and silk is less absorbent than cotton and many other materials, which will keep your hair more moisturized.

4) avoid static - avoid plastic combs when you are not in the shower. Wood and horn will not create as much static as plastic. Also, conditioning and oiling hair thoroughly (both rinse-out and leave-in products) should keep static at bay.

[two_wheels]

I have these coarse hairs. They drove me crazy. I am still working it out but have made great progress.
I was going to write out my top tips, then noticed that meteor has written exactly what I wanted to say excellent stuff, meteor!
And as Madora says, heat styling is a definite no-no, at least for me.