Curly and Frizzy Hair

Curly summer hair
Photo: Sylv1rob1/Shutterstock
Q: Ok, I am in the water alot during the summer and I have naturally curly hair. When I get out of the water and go ride on the boat my hair goes dry but CURLY and FRIZZY. Is there any kind of product I can put in my hair that will make it so my hair goes straight and smooth after it gets wet?
 
A: There isn't anything I know of that you can simply apply to wet hair and make it "straight" without blow-dry styling and follow-up with a flat iron.
 
There are a lot of products that are useful in keeping your hair from becoming frizzy in your situation. You can use leave-in conditioners, smoothing serums, and styling gels, all of which will help to keep your hair silky and smooth, if not straight.
 
One of the things you need to be cautious of is how you treat your hair when it is wet. Many women and men forget this - if ever they knew it - but the hair is most fragile when it is wet. Prolonged exposure to water causes the hair shaft to swell, raising the cuticle, and when you come out of the water and get onto a fast-moving boat, the wind that blows through your hair and dries it, also causes the hair strands to whip out and against themselves. This roughing of the hair causes more frizz and can lead to knots, tangles and breakage, not to mention split ends.
 
In your "day at the water" kit, you should include some form of conditioner (either a rinse-through or leave-in variety) a smoothing serum and/or styling gel, and a wide-tooth comb. When you come out of the water, you should apply the conditioner and comb it through the hair carefully. If you used a rinse-through conditioner, you can simply leave it in the hair and go on about your activities.
 
If you choose a leave-in, simply apply it, and follow it up with either a smoothing serum or styling gel, making sure to comb it through the hair carefully. If your hair is long: after applying the conditioner or conditioner plus product, gather the hair in a loose ponytail and use a snag-free holder or hair clip to secure the hair. This protects the hair from being buffetted in the wind from boat rides, etc., and will help your hair stay healthy while you enjoy the sun and water.
 
If your hair is colored or bleached, you may also want to make sure that your conditioner products have sunscreen protection. This will help prevent the sun from fading your color or over-lightening your hair and changing the color.
 
With bleached hair you should also be sure to wash your hair as soon as you can after swimming and playing in natural water sources, as the porous, bleached hair can absorb certain algaes and minerals that occur naturally and can become discolored if these impurities are not removed.
 
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See also:
 
How to tame frizzy hair
 
Should you not brush hair when wet?
 
Conditioners and conditioning treatments