The molecules in your hair are held together by strong chemical bonds, some of which are sensitive to water and can temporarily change their shape. The shape of your hair reflects the shape of the molecules of which it is made.
If you straighten and dry your hair, it'll be like the metal spring, completely straightened out into a rod. But if it's a humid day, and your hair is prone to curling, water molecules will steadily be absorbed and incorporated into hydrogen bonds, inevitably pulling the metal rod back into a coiled shape.
Water serves as the lightest, cleanest, and most effective moisturizer. It penetrates the curls, filling the cuticles, and makes your hair look fresh and clean. It's only when the water dries that the hair starts to look frizzy again. Just like our skin, curly hair also needs to be moisturized from the inside out.
Puberty, menopause and pregnancy all cause hormonal shifts that can make your tresses go from straight to curly hair. In fact, 40-50% of women experience major changes in their hair while pregnant or breastfeeding.
The cool water will make hair extra shiny, help tame frizz, and straighten it out.
Follicle Shape- The shape of your hair follicle largely determines your curl. Oval follicle shapes produce curly hair while round follicles produce straight hair.
Straight hair follicles tunnel down vertically from the skin's surface into the dermis. If the follicle angles into the dermis this will lead to a curve which will curl as it grows.
You may notice that your straight hair is gradually turning wavy or even curly. Genetics, hormones, and the environment can all play a role in the change in your hair texture. The most common reason for your hair changing in texture is hormones.
Salt water does not make your hair curly, but it can enhance the natural texture of wavy or curly hair, making the curls more pronounced. When hair is exposed to salt water, salt ions interact with the cuticle layer and form microscopic fibers between cells.
In turn, salt – or sodium chloride and magnesium sulphate (both elements present in the seawater) create extra crosslinks within your hair strand, which curls and curves it, thus putting the “waves” in your beach waves.
No hair type is immune to frizz, but straight hair is particularly sensitive to frizz and can easily become fuzzy. And since frizz is a sign of dry hair, you can get rid of this common problem by hydrating it!
Hair Texture
If it dries straight without a bend or curl, then you have straight hair (or type 1 hair as it is commonly referred to). If it dries with a slight curve or “S” shape, then it's considered wavy hair (type 2). If your hair dries with a defined curl or loop pattern, you have one of two curl types.
Your wet hair naturally forms into waves and ringlets.
Next time you wash your hair, wet it thoroughly and then step out of the water. Look down at your hair, and see if it's curling into waves and ringlets. If it is, you're probably a curly girl. Water resets your hair to its natural state.
The number one rule to remember when you're trying to get your curls back is that moisture is your best friend. Hydrating shampoos, conditioners, leave-in treatments, and deep conditioning hair masks will give your hair a boost.
Hair type and texture are determined by several factors, including genetics. The African hair is more coiled and drier; Asian hair (Korean, Japanese) is straighter and thicker; and Caucasian hair is somewhere in between with around 45% having straight hair, 40% having wavy hair, and 15% having curly hair.
A general observation across experiments was that straight hair was perceived as younger, healthier, and more attractive than wavy hair and darker shades (medium copper and brown) were perceived more positively than blonde hair.
Let's talk about the features of type 1b hair: Generally straight from the roots to the ends, but with some subtle bends mid-body, finished off with gently curled ends. Shiny and sleek (just like type 1a hair) Mostly fine hair strands interspersed with a few coarse fibers.
Less than 20% of the world's population is born with naturally curly hair, so in terms of pure numbers, it's fairly rare.
Others have curls and straighten them out. But for a few people, their hair actually changes shape and texture on its own — and not just because of the weather. Scientists don't know exactly why this happens, but it probably has to do with a combination of genetics, hormones and body chemistry.
Uniqueness: Curly hair is less common than straight hair, which can make it stand out and be viewed as unique and interesting. Texture and volume: Curly hair has a distinct texture and tends to have more volume than straight hair, which can be visually appealing and add dimension to a person's appearance.