Many of the causes of flyaway hair are controllable. In most cases, it’s about how much heat damage you expose your hair to and how well you adapt to drier weather or seasons. Knowing this can help you create a strategy to tame these rogue hairs. Read on for a step-by-step guide.

A Simple Step-by-Step Guide To Stave Off Hair Breakage

These tips and tricks can help you resolve and possibly avoid the hair damage and breakage that often manifest as flyaways.

Consider Frizz-Fighting Hair Products

Again, frizz is not the same as flyaway hair. But the same shampoos and conditioners designed to combat frizz might help tame those flyaway strands of hair, too. These hair products often contain hydrating ingredients that coat hair fiber, making them resistant to static electricity (and sticking up and out when you don’t want them to).¹

Get Creative With Your Styling Products

An easy fix for flyaways? A dab of face or even body cream or lotion to slick them down. This works if your flyaways are due to static — the product will weigh them down and help keep those rogue hairs in place. Just don’t go too heavy with the lotion. After you’ve applied hand cream, lightly run your hands over your hair.²

Use A Hair Serum

Ever been frustrated by stray hairs that just won’t stay put? Once you learn how to get rid of flyaways, you’ll never let a stray strand of baby hairs mess up your hairstyles again. These errant strands of hair may seem pesky and unavoidable, but with the right solutions and styling tools, you’ll be able to sport a sleek mane in no time.

Read on to learn more about the real reasons behind flyaway hairs — and how the right choice of towels, combs, and an overall hair care routine can help tame unruly hair. Pick up some tips and a new quick trick or two for combatting bad hair days and showing off smooth tresses without a strand of hair out of place.

What Really Causes Flyaways?

Annoying flyaways and frizz are different hair problems altogether. Flyaways are dry hairs or coarse hairs that stick up from your hairline or crown, as they lack heft or weight caused by moisture to keep them in place. These can be broken hairs from too much heat styling or chemical damage, or simply upright hairs caused by static related to dry weather. They can also be the fragile strands of new hair growth. And while curly hair or wavy locks aren’t immune, flyaway strands seem to be more obvious or visible in super-fine hair and straighter hair types.^3,4

A hair serum is a simple step to add to your hair care routine, and its potential benefits far outweigh the effort. Lightweight serums can help lock in moisture, fortify hair against dryness and breakage, and keep hair smooth. Some serums even serve as a heat protectant, providing your hair some coverage from the inevitable damage of constant blow drying, flat ironing, or curling.⁵

Put Down That Plastic Brush

Plastic bristle brushes are inexpensive and convenient, but the material can snag on your hair and cause breakage. This may aggravate any hair damage you already have. Choose natural bristles or metal-toothed combs to brush your hair, and coat your strands with a serum or use leave-in conditioners before combing to help with tangles and knots.⁶

Skip the Hot Tools

Heat styling is the most notorious culprit behind broken hair. So, you’ll want to lessen your heat styling whenever you can. Get creative with heat-free hairstyles, like braids or buns. Play around with headbands and clips (which can help keep flyaways in place, too). Or, if you absolutely need that blowout, try using a cool setting. Heat protection is also a must, so look into leave-in products that can help boost your hairstyle while keeping your tresses from getting too fried.⁷

Switch Out Your Bath Towel

Cotton or fluffy bath towels are the most common (and comforting) way to dry off after a shower or bath, but the large and rough fibers aren’t all that kind to your delicate wet hair. Consider using a separate microfiber towel to gently dry your hair — this fabric is softer, but just as absorbent. You could even use an old t-shirt to dry your strands.⁸

Why Not Just Wear A Headband?

As you can see, there are some great fast and long-term solutions both when it comes to dealing with flyways. But when in an absolute pinch, the best thing to do is not to stress over your tresses. Confidently rock a cute headband, and no one will be the wiser. From cloth ones at the gym to gorgeous beaded or jeweled ones for dressier occasions, you should never be without a good stylish headband or two to complement your hair care products.