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What Causes Limp Hair (and What You Can Do About It)

By Melissa PerkinsNov 30, 2021

You dream of gorgeous, shining, bouncy locks with all the volume, but no matter what you try, it seems like you end up with something closer to limp noodles. Don’t worry; there is hope for your hair! Let’s talk about what causes limp hair and what you can do about it.

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Nutrition

What you eat impacts your health, and that includes your hair. If you’re reaching for fast food and chips all the time, that could be contributing to your dull, lifeless hair. Healthy hair starts from the inside out, so give your hair the nutrition it needs with foods like flaxseeds, salmon, citrus fruits, strawberries, pumpkin seeds, cashews, chickpeas, lentils, chicken, almonds, beans, and peppers.

Buildup

If you’ve been throwing everything at your hair, hoping something would breathe life back into it, there’s a good chance you have a lot of product buildup on your hair. And that’s just going to make your limp hair problem worse. Instead, give your hair a break. You’re in this for the long haul, remember! Rinsing with apple cider vinegar is a good way to remove old product buildup from your hair. When you do start using products again, stay away from silicone. It tends to build up on your hair, preventing moisture from entering your hair shaft and leaving a dull film.

Length

Long hair and volume aren’t mutually exclusive, but the longer your hair is, the more it weighs, and that can contribute to hair becoming limp and flat. If you’re up for making a change, try a shorter cut. You’ll remove some of the weight, and your hair will instantly have more volume. You’re welcome.

Can’t part with your long locks? Try adding layers, changing your part, or putting your hair in rollers to create curls or waves. All will help add volume to your long hair.

Style

Always pulling your hair into a ponytail to hide your limp tresses? You may be doing more harm than good. That’s because wearing your hair up too often leads to hair loss, particularly if you wear tight ponytails or braids, and that, in turn, reduces volume. Try wearing your hair down more frequently, and when you do put your hair up, choose loose styles to reduce the stress on your hair. Satin or silk-covered hair elastics will also help prevent breakage.

Sebum

Limp hair and oily hair often go hand-in-hand. If you produce a lot of sebum, your hair will look weighed down and greasy. You may be tempted to wash your hair every day or skip conditioner in an attempt to rid your hair of oil, but neither of these is a good solution. In fact, washing your hair too frequently may cause irritation, and your body may actually produce more sebum to counteract the dryness. Instead, give your hair a break by washing every few days, and don’t skip the conditioner. It’s vital to the health of your hair.

If you find that your hair tends to be oily, we recommend trying Citrus Yao shampoo and conditioner bars. The citrus oil they contain helps cut through excess sebum without stripping your hair, while ingredients like Longsheng Rice Water, aloe vera, and shea butter condition and add shine.

Has Viori helped revive your limp hair? Leave us a review and let us know!