Why is my straight hair becoming Curly?

Why is my straight hair becoming Curly?

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Did you know that it is possible for your hair texture to change overtime? Hair can change during early childhood, aging, and through the use of certain medication. Some of us actually started out with straight hair just like Morgan.Palme from our Curly Q&A section,  who is a teen experiencing a change in her hair texture.  

Help! I've tried close to everything! Hair is still frizzy! Hi! So I'm a 16-year-old Caucasian female! This past year I've learned that my hair was super curly! It never used to be that way, but once I hit puberty I noticed it changed and became frizzy and wavy and partly straight still, well now, it's curly! I want to wear my hair down because I hate having to wear buns and braids all of the time, but the thing is my hair is so frizzy. It is embarrassing if I try to wear it down, and I've tried close to everything! Serums, oils, leave in frizz conditioners, gels, mousses, etc. and nothing seems to work! I need help! Is this fixable? I just want to be able to wear my hair down natural!

Answer

Trying to reduce frizz takes new techniques paired with trial and error. First off, knowing why this is happening can be of some comfort so let’s explain why you are going through a hair texture change.

As our body ages we may see some changes in our hair texture. "Hair changes every five to seven years," said Christo of the Christo Fifth Avenue Salon and creator of the Curlisto line of hair products. Science has not totally figured out why someone with stick straight hair and a rounder follicle can end up with curly hair and a flatter follicle or vice versa from aging, but this is a fairly common phenomenon.

Why is my straight hair becoming Curly?

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Now here are some tips for reducing your frizz and helping you create beautiful curl definition so that you can grow to love your curls!

How to fix it

  • Incorporate co-washing between your shampoos. The whole purpose of co-washing is to keep from stripping the hair of their natural oils, which in turn creates excess frizz. Here are our community's favorites!
  • Apply a leave-in conditioner to your hair before applying a styler, as it will keep the moisture in your hair and also fight off frizz.
  • Explore different stylers with various holds. There are cream stylers, cream gels, mousses, and gels. I know you have had some problems with stylers before, but here is where the trial and error comes into play. We all have to find what we like, but if you need some direction here are our Editors’ Choice picks. 
  • Apply product to soaking wet hair.
  • Do not dry your hair with a conventional towel. Use an old t-shirt or a microfiber towel that will not disrupt the curl or the curl pattern.
  • Try braiding your damp hair in 4-6 braids at night, this will prevent frizz from forming (from rubbing on your pillow) while you sleep. Make sure your hair is completely dry before you take down the braids, otherwise your hair may frizz once you leave the house (you can use a diffuser to speed up the process if necessary). When you take down your dry braids they will give you a uniform wave.
  • Do not touch your hair while it is drying and setting. The more manipulation, the more frizz that will be induced.

What about humidity?

On ultra-humid days, add additional leave-in conditioner or an oil to help weigh down the hair and keep the strands from expanding. Also, those may be the days you choose to rock the traditional bun, messy bun, or even the ninja bun as these three looks look even better with more volume as frizz often gives us.

Frizz isn’t that bad

Another important aspect to keep in mind is that your unique texture may be prone to frizz and there is nothing wrong with that; it is equally beautiful. No matter how much you deep condition, moisturize, and seal, frizz may be a part of your natural texture. It is frizzy when wet and frizzy when dry. Another thing to consider is whether you have heat damage. Heat damaged hair has a chipped and raised cuticle, which expands as an attempt to absorb moisture, so if you straighten regularly, then you may want to stop and be patient for your virgin hair to grow in.

Working with your curls instead of against them is the best way to have frizz-free hair. Co-washing, using a lot of conditioner, sealing your hair’s cuticle and leaving it be when styled will all help in your quest for frizz-free curls when first coming aboard the curly, coily girl ride. It is a fun ride so enjoy!

Has your hair changed over time? Either grown curlier or less curly?

This article has been updated.

Why is my straight hair becoming Curly?

Christopher Robbins/Photodisc/Getty Images

Although hair is a much studied topic some aspects still remain a mystery, including why straight hair suddenly becomes curly or vice versa. Most hair does not change drastically, although it has been known to happen. When straight hair becomes curly this suggests that something is happening to the shape of the hair follicles but no one knows why that happens or what causes it, although hormones are considered to play a role even though there is presently no evidence to confirm this.

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Our hair changes naturally as we age and particularly when we enter midlife. It becomes finer, less full and many people experience hair thinning or loss. That is to be expected but no one expects their straight hair to go curly. It remains a mystery how straight hair with a rounder follicle suddenly transforms into a flatter follicle, which creates curly hair.

Catherine Yeulet/iStock/Getty Images

Cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy often find that their formerly straight hair grows back in curly. This may be due to the fact that chemo has an affect on rapidly growing cells, including hair follicles. When jolted by the chemo, the follicle changes temporarily but will eventually return to its regular shape.

Changes in the muscles at the base of each hair follicle may be the reason hair textures sometimes change, according to Jonathan Torch, who is the founder of Toronto’s Curly Hair institute and the creator of Curly Hair Solutions. Muscular changes frequently occur during puberty, menopause and chemotherapy when medications and hormones alter the muscle tone of the hair follicle. Sometimes the change in hair texture can be extreme. When the muscles change in the hair follicle, Torch believes the shape of the follicle changes and causes straight hair to become curly or vice versa.

Jack Hollingsworth/Digital Vision/Getty Images

Not only does hair turn gray, losing its pigment as you age, but aging alters the way hair follicles grow. They don’t grow as quickly and this can make curly hair straighter. When there is slow follicle growth this prompts hair to fall out and when it does grow back in it may be coarser than it was before.

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It can either be a source of pleasure or a total nightmare to look in the mirror one day and see that your straight hair has turned curly. You may ask yourself, “Why is my hair curling up all of a sudden?“.

A sudden difference in texture indicates a change, but the cause of that change can vary from climate and weather to stress, changing hormones, or even illness. 

Understanding how your hair can suddenly turn curly means focusing on hair at the biological level. If you do in fact have the genes for both curly and straight hair, then an environmental or physiological factor can trigger a change.

It’s hard to say for certain what the exact cause of your curling hair may be, but all of the different reasons can help you move through a process of elimination to find out. 

Reasons Why Your Hair Is Curling Up

Below are six common reasons why your hair may be curling up unexpectedly. 

1. Different Climate/Weather

Why is my straight hair becoming Curly?

The same type of humid weather that can make straight hair fall flat can enhance your curls, or even turn casually wavy hair into ringlets. This can happen on an especially humid and rainy day in your regular environment, or it can happen if you move or take a trip to a stickier climate. 

In terms of gene expression, pollution can actually be a major factor as to why your hair is curling up. Directly, pollution won’t cause a change in your hair, but poor air quality in industrialized areas can affect our hormones and that, in turn, might affect a change in the texture of your hair. 

2. Changing Hormones 

Why is my straight hair becoming Curly?

Hair changing from straight to curly often indicates a hormonal shift within the body. Factors like menopause, pregnancy, puberty, and even taking birth control, can have a drastic, switching effect on your hair’s texture.

Hormonal changes alter how your genes are expressed, so changes here can make a big difference. Unfortunate situations like chronic illness and stress can also instigate a hormonal change, so if your straight or wavy hair has suddenly turned curly, looking into your health is critical. 

3. Regular Aging 

Why is my straight hair becoming Curly?

Interesting things gradually start to happen within the body as we age. In terms of hair, it often becomes thinner and finer.

Though the aging process itself won’t cause a change in hair texture, losing volume means less weight pulling down on the hair. In this way, hair may appear springier and curlier because that heaviness is suddenly gone. 

4. Perms

Why is my straight hair becoming Curly?

Quite a few people can attest to a permanent change in their hair after receiving a curly perm. Perms invade the hair follicle and rearrange the protein bonds within through chemicals and heat. It is possible that this process can cause long-lasting damage to the follicle, leaving your hair permanently curly from that moment onwards. 

5. Metal in the Body 

Why is my straight hair becoming Curly?

Taking a new medication for illnesses such as bipolar disorder, switching to nontoxic products, or consuming a new, specific diet can reduce the metals present in the body.

Studies of these factors are relatively new, but lots of people have noticed a shift in their hair, as well as their health, after examining which metals were too built up within their system. 

For instance, metals like copper have been linked to curling of the hair. This factor can involve diet, too, which brings up to our final factor for curling hair. 

6. Nutritional Changes 

Why is my straight hair becoming Curly?

A diet lacking in essential vitamins and minerals can absolutely constitute a change in the overall texture of your hair. On the other hand, an increase in minerals from multi-vitamins and certain foods has been shown to increase the curliness of hair in certain studies. 

FAQs

Can your naturally straight hair turn curly?

Yes. Major changes to the hair structure, like straight hair turning curly, are a signal from the body that your health has altered. It’s a good idea in this scenario to get a medical checkup. 

Can you prevent your hair from curling up?

You can prevent your hair from curling by using hair straightening products and heat. But the reality is that by the time your straight hair curls, the shape of your hair follicles has altered. This can be due to lack of nutrition, stress, or illness.

Why does hair curl up when it gets longer?

Actually, the curl pattern tends to get looser with length because the weight of the hair straightens it to a degree.

Is hair curling up a sign of hair damage?

No. Frizzy hair is a sign of hair damage and it might actually look more curly because of the frizz. But if your hair is curling it’s a sign of changing hair follicles, not hair damage.

How can you stop hair from curling up in humidity?

If you’ve straightened your hair with heat and you want to stop it from reverting to curly hair in the humidity, you can use a silicone-based heat protectant before blow drying or flat ironing your hair. Silicone creates a moisture barrier that stops hydration from escaping and prevents humidity from entering. 

And you don’t need to use a lot of it. It’s best to have a silicone formula that doesn’t contain water. Frizz Ease serums are a good example of a silicone-based product that won’t allow humidity to affect your hair.

So, if you have noticed that your straight hair has recently gone curly, look into your diet and examine if any drastic changes have recently occurred. 

As you can see, there isn’t one straight answer as to why your hair may be curling up all of a sudden, but if you take some time and work through each of these factors, chances are, you’ll find the solution.