Hair Change in Texture

Asian girl with straight hair — Photo: Martin Grincevschi/Shutterstock

Q: I recently finished high school in Malaysia. I am 17 years old. My problem here lies with my hair change in texture. Based on the photo while I was a toddler my hair was smooth, straight and shiny. As I became a teenager, I suddenly noticed a dramatic change in my hair's texture. It is now dry, frizzy, with split ends and well I guess you get the point. I have since done research on the matter and have concluded that it was the weather that may have caused the damage.

I was cycling to school under very hot and humid conditions (around 35 degrees centigrade) every day for about 20 minutes for 3 years. However, since then I moved to a new school and I have been going by car every day. I have also changed my shampoo regiment to three times a week. I am using Pantene's Pro-V with protein. Besides that, I have put leave on conditioners daily. However, my hair texture still remains roughly the same as it is. I am not sure whether this is the case of genetics, environment, or usage of wrong products. Please help.

A: It is not uncommon for an individual to have a certain hair type as a small child, and for the hair to become coarser and thicker after puberty. Just as the hair on the body will get thicker and change in the way it looks and feels, so does the hair on the head.

Most small children have very fine-textured and silky-feeling hair, whether the hair is curly or straight. However, as they get older and mature, the hair begins to change, growing in thicker, coarser, and in many cases in a different wave pattern. Some people who had silky ringlets as a small child mature into teens and adults with thick wavy or straight hair. Others whose hair was stick straight as a child now have a head full of kinky curls. It's largely a matter of genetics.

The only part of your description that makes me think you have possibly environmental or styling damage is your mention that the hair is dry and that you have split ends. It sounds like you may not be sufficiently conditioning your hair, or that your styling methods are potentially damaging the hair.

I would advise that you make sure you condition your hair everyday, and in addition use a smoothing or anti-frizz serum on the hair. If you use a blow-dryer, be sure to use a diffuser attachment on the dryer to help prevent heat damage.

In addition, at least once a week, give your hair a deep conditioning treatment by applying your favorite hair conditioning cream to damp hair, combing the conditioner through the hair with a wide-tooth comb and covering the hair with a plastic cap. Wrap your head in heated towels for 20-30 minutes and afterward, rinse the hair with cool water.

When your hair is wet, always towel-dry it by blotting and squeezing the hair in the towel to soak away the moisture and NEVER rub your hair with the towel. Many people prefer to simply wrap the hair in a towel turban-fashion and leave the towel on the hair for several minutes to let the towel "wick away" the moisture while they do other things.

Always use a wide-tooth comb and a detangling spray or leave-in conditioner and anti-frizz serum before trying to comb out the hair when it's wet. Wet hair is more fragile than dry hair and can break or be damaged more easily. Basically, treat your hair like the prized possession that it is.

I hope this information has helped.

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See also:

How many hair follicles does a person gain at the onset of puberty?

Hair and hormonal changes

Changing hair texture