Why Does Humidity Dry My Hair?

Dry hair looks bad, feels terrible, and can lead to serious hair damage over time. It’s often caused by heat styling, chemical processing, or a non-existent hair care routine. But did you know that humidity can also dry your hair out? Fortunately, you aren't alone if this has happened to you. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the reasons why humidity might make your hair feel drier.

Here’s Why Humidity Dries Your Hair

Although uncommon, humid weather can lead to dry, fragile strands. Understanding why this happens is the first step in preventing and treating it, so here are two reasons why humidity might make your hair feel dry.

There Is Less Water in The Air Than in Your Hair

If you leave the house with sopping wet hair, there’s a good chance your hair is holding onto more water than the air. By nature, water molecules want to create balance, so they’ll move out of your damp hair and into the relatively drier air. Some products, like humectants, encourage this transfer of water and can lead to dry locks.

The Humidity Is Damaging Your Hair

Another reason humidity might be making your hair feel dry is that it’s damaging your strands. When water moves from the moisture-containing air and into your hair, the hydrogen bonds making up your hair transform into a weaker arrangement. That makes wet hair significantly more fragile than dry hair and much more likely to break, split, or fray when you manipulate it. Damaged hair has a harder time retaining moisture, so you’ll be left with dry, brittle strands once the water evaporates.

How To Fix Dry Hair

If your hair has become dry and brittle because of humidity, you’re probably wondering what you can do to fix it. When left untreated, dry hair can lead to significant damage. So here are our recommendations for some of the best ways to hydrate thirsty hair.

• Try the LCO method - The LCO method is a hair hydrating routine that involves layering liquid, cream, and oil (in that order). This method both hydrates your hair and creates a protective humidity-blocking layer of oil.

• Avoid shampooing your hair too often - Many people don’t realize just how much shampoo strips their hair and scalp of natural, protective oils. If you’re suffering from dry hair, try to add an extra day or two between wash days. You can also swap out your usual shampoo for a cleansing co-wash until your strands show signs of improvement.

• Use a deep conditioning treatment - One of the best ways to hydrate parched strands is with weekly deep conditioning treatments. Deep conditioners are more intensive than regular conditioners and help impart more moisture to your strands.

• Use hydrating products - If your hair is dry, you’ll have to add moisture back into it with products and a thorough hair care routine. In addition to conditioner, you should regularly apply a nourishing leave-in conditioner, cream, milk, butter, oil (or a combination of all of these).

So there you have it! Although dry hair is a relatively unknown symptom of humid weather, it is one of the more damaging ones. Luckily, there are ways you can fight humidity and keep your locks lush and hydrated. And we hope this article provided you with all the information you needed to do just that!

Author: Andrea Reyes

Andrea is a mother, wife, writer, and natural hair enthusiast of 15 years. Currently on her natural hair journey, she’s been trying countless products and techniques to understand and embrace her natural hair. She is the creator of NaturallyTextured.com, a new website featuring informative articles that share tips, tricks, and techniques aimed to help others learn to love their hair through proper hair care. She writes with the hope of making hair care easier to understand and implement.