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How to Tame Frizzy Hair

Get frizzy hair care tips from hair care pros.
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WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

You love your wavy hair, but the frizzy fly-aways you get when you brush those curls? Not so much.

Why does hair get frizzy, and do you really need a pile of products to keep it under control? WebMD asked hair care pros and people like you for their top tips on taming frizzy hair.

Woman with frizzy hair

What Causes Frizzy Hair?

Hair is complex. It's made up of three layers and thousands of cells. But the reason it gets frizzy is pretty simple.

Your hair's outer layer -- the cuticle -- looks kind of like a shingled roof, says dermatologist Carolyn Jacob, MD. When hair is smooth, those shingles lie flat. But when you run a brush through dry, curly hair, those “shingles” lift.

To compound the problem, frizzy hair is often drier, and naturally tends to absorb moisture from humid air, says Dennis Baker, a stylist who owns Baker Lanier Salon and Day Spa in Atlanta. Again, those “shingles” lift.

Fortunately, there are ways to tame the frizz. You just have to give it a little effort.

Frizzy Hair: 12 Quick Tips to Keep Hair Frizz-Free

1. Don't brush dry hair. If there's one tip repeated by just about every expert, it's this: avoid brushing hair after it dries. Brushing not only disrupts your hair's cuticle, it can also stretch hair, leading to breakage.

Instead, Connie Eeyerlin, a stylist at Dionysius Salon in Eugene, Ore., suggests towel drying hair after a shower; brushing, combing, or finger-combing it; adding a touch of your preferred conditioner or anti-frizz product, then just say no to styling with brush or comb.

2. Comb dry hair with wet fingers. If you shouldn't brush, what can you do when humidity or a brisk day leaves your hair a frizzy mess? Water is the key, says Eeyerlin. "The problem with frizzy hair is that it's dry. Water is a basic response to this basic problem." Eeyerlin suggests wetting your hands, then finger-combing to tackle frizz and tame tangles.

3. Tame with a touch of conditioner. To foil her frizz, California archivist Kimber Camacho favors watering down a bit of hair conditioner, then using her hands to apply it to just the tips of her hair.

4. Look for protein in your conditioner suggests dermatologist Jacob. A protein-infused conditioner will not only help you manage frizz, it helps create shine, too.

5. Don't over-process hair. Relaxers and straighteners can make hair brittle and lead to breakage, Jacobs says, so go easy on these products.

6. Put moisture back in your mane. Frizzy hair tends to be drier, so you need to put moisture into it. Use a conditioner, a natural oil, or a frizz cream, says stylist Baker in Atlanta. He says natural oils are better than synthetic because they are absorbed into the hair, while synthetic silicon moisturizers lay on top of the hair, making it appear dirty.

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