Your hair looks stringy when it separates into thin pieces instead of falling together. On wavy and curly hair, that usually means your waves dried as single strands instead of fuller clumps. On straight or fine hair, it usually means conditioner or oil at your roots, or thin, split ends.
So stringy hair can mean three different things, and each one has its own fix. We'll help you figure out which kind you have, then cover what causes it and how to fix it right at home.
Why Does My Hair Look Stringy?
The top causes of stringy hair are waves that dried before they could clump, using conditioner incorrectly, combing your hair immediately after showering, neglecting split ends, using the wrong pillowcase, and buildup from products or from your scalp's natural oil.
If you want your hair to appear healthy and voluminous instead of stringy, you'll need to understand the common culprits behind stringy hair. This knowledge will illuminate which issues could be causing stringy hair within your hair care routine.
Which Kind of Stringy Hair Do You Have?
Look at your hair once it's completely dry, and then again the next day. Where the stringy pieces show up, and when, tells you more than anything else. Match what you see to one of the three pictures below.
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pink marks where to look for each one
Three kinds of stringy hair
Stringy hair means three different things, and each one has its own fix. Find the row that matches what you see in the mirror, and start with that fix.
| Kind of stringy | What you see | Most likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greasy at the roots | Your hair separates into flat, shiny pieces near your scalp, and it looks worse the day after you wash it. | Conditioner or oil on your roots, or a scalp that makes a lot of oil. It shows up first on fine and straight hair. | Keep conditioner off your scalp, and use lighter products near your roots. |
| Thin at the ends | Your hair looks full near the top but thin and see-through at the ends, and the ends feel rough. | Split ends, or layers and thinning cuts that left too few hairs at the bottom. | Trim off the split ends, and ask for fewer layers at your next cut. |
| Waves dried in pieces | Your waves look defined when wet, then dry as lots of thin, separate strands instead of fuller clumps. | Your clumps came apart before they set: no hold product, combing after styling, or touching your hair while it dried. | Style your hair soaking wet with mousse or gel, smooth it on with flat palms, and leave it alone until it’s dry. |
Stringy while your hair is still wet, with rough strands sticking out, is usually wet frizz. And if your hair is getting thinner as well as stringier, see a dermatologist.
Your Waves Dried Before They Could Clump
On wavy and curly hair, stringy usually means your hair dried as lots of thin, separate strands instead of thicker clumps. A clump is a group of strands that bend together, and clumps are what make waves and curls look full and defined. Wet hair clumps on its own because the water pulls neighboring strands together (Bico et al., 2004). The trick is keeping those clumps together until your hair is dry.
Clumps come apart when something separates them before they set. That includes running your fingers or a comb through your hair after your styling product is on, touching your hair while it dries, rubbing it with a towel, and skipping a hold product like mousse or gel. If your hair only looks stringy while it's still wet, with rough strands sticking out, that's a different problem called wet frizz.
Using Conditioner Incorrectly
While it's great to nourish your hair with conditioner, applying it to your roots can lead to a stringy hair effect. Doing so just once may not make your hair stringy.
However, if you do it repeatedly, you'll notice your roots separating and becoming increasingly greasy - hence, stringiness. This often happens in people with looser curl patterns.
Combing Post Shower
Are you using a comb after you shower? This could be the key to your stringy strands. Combing your hair after you shower separates your damp hair into single strands that can dry looking stringy. Detangle in the shower instead, while your conditioner is still in, and then put the comb away. Once your styling product is on, a comb splits up the clumps you're trying to set.
Neglecting Split Ends
It's entirely possible that skipping your regular trims is to blame for your bad hair days. Split ends often result in unsightly curls, and they leave your ends looking thin, rough, and see-through, which adds to the stringy look.
The longer you wait to trim split ends, the more damaged your curls will get.
The Wrong Pillowcase
If you go to bed with gorgeous curls and wake up with a bird's nest, it could be the material of your pillowcase. Cotton is rougher than satin or silk, and as you move in your sleep, it rubs against your hair and pulls your curls apart (AAD).
We recommend using either a satin or silk pillowcase.
Product or Sebum Buildup
If you're heavy-handed with styling products and don't deep cleanse your hair regularly, this could be the cause of your stringy hair. This buildup coats your strands, causing them to lump together unnaturally. If you're not sure whether a product is the problem, paste its ingredient list into our Label Key to see how heavy it is likely to feel.
How to Fix Stringy Hair
Stringy hair is not the end of the world because there's always a way to fix it. By making a few simple hair routine modifications, your locks will begin to look healthier in no time.
Keep Your Clumps Together
For wavy and curly hair, most of the fix happens on wash day. With your conditioner still in, cup water in your hands and squeeze it up into your hair, so your strands start clumping in the shower (this is called squish to condish). Then put your mousse or gel on while your hair is soaking wet. Smooth it on with flat palms instead of your fingers, so you don't pull your clumps apart.
Scrunch upward, and then leave your hair alone until it's completely dry. Once it's dry, scrunch out any crunch the gel left behind. Our wavy hair routine walks through every step, including how long to plop.
Skip the Scalp
When using conditioner, skip the scalp. Instead, apply it starting about an inch from the roots and work your way down to the ends. This method will keep your hair from looking oily and stringy.
Get a Denman
If your curls or waves still dry in thin pieces, try styling them with a Denman brush. Brushed through hair that's soaking wet and coated in gel, it presses your strands together into clumps.
Work in small sections while your hair is still soaking wet, brush from your roots to your ends, and stop as soon as each section clumps. Go gently. Brushing breaks more hairs than combing does (Robbins and Kamath, 2007), so use a Denman for styling, not for working out knots.
Trim Split Ends
If you want healthier-looking curls, grab your shears or take a trip to the salon for a trim. After a trim, your ends will curl in a flattering manner.
Sleep on Satin or Silk
Swap your cotton pillowcase with one made of satin or silk, so your curls slide instead of rubbing. If you'd rather keep your pillowcase, a satin bonnet or a loose pineapple (i.e., a loose ponytail at the very top of your head) works too.
Clarify Regularly
To keep buildup at bay, clarify your hair at least once or twice a month. All you need to do is wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo and then proceed with wash day as usual.
How to Prevent Stringy Hair
It's not difficult to prevent stringy hair when you have the right information. Here, we'll reveal several ways to keep your hair from getting stringy.
Avoid Heat Styling
Styling with heat can lead to serious hair damage in the long run. This approach not only generates split ends, dryness, and breakage but also makes your hair look unhealthy.
Heat protection products can only go so far in preventing long-term harm. So, instead of relying on heat, try heatless styles (more on this later).
Heat Protection
If you must style with heat, always use a heat protectant spray. Use it before any hot tool, including your blow-dryer. A heat protectant won't shield your hair from the sun, though, so if you know you'll be out in the sun all day, wear a hat or use a hair product with UV filters.
When Stringy Hair Means Thinning Hair
Sometimes hair looks stringy because there's less of it. If your part is getting wider, your ponytail feels thinner than it used to, or more of your scalp shows through, that isn't a styling problem. The American Academy of Dermatology lists those as signs of female pattern hair loss, and other conditions can look similar. See a dermatologist, who can tell you which one you have. Our guide to hair loss causes in women covers the most common ones.
Water-Based Products
Products that are water-based can help hydrate your hair and make your strands look healthier. Use them before applying any oil-based products; they will aid in the replenishment of your hair and scalp.
How to Style Stringy Hair
Many of the stringy hair fixes and prevention techniques we mentioned above work over time. If you need some quick styling tips for your stringy hair, this is the section for you.
The best style fixes for stringy hair focus on creating volume in ways that won't compound any existing hair issues. Below, you'll find several styles that you can do to banish the stringiness and look amazing.
- Roller set. Use rollers overnight or for a few hours in the morning on damp hair. This no-heat style will give you the volume you need to avoid stringiness. Just make sure that your hair is completely dry before removing the rollers.
- Curling ribbon. Another option is to try a heatless silk curling ribbon. The silk will help soften your hair strands while adding volume. Many curling ribbons are made to be worn overnight, so they are comfortable to sleep in.
- Braid-outs and twist-outs. Braid-outs and twist-outs can leave you with voluminous curls that are far from stringy. All it takes is to braid or twist your hair and then take it down when it's dry. After taking the braids out, fluff your roots and go! You can do these styles on either wet or dry hair.
- Try a wash n' go. Wash n' gos can be hit-or-miss for those with stringy hair. But if you do it right, you can enjoy beautiful voluminous curls for days. Here's what to do:
- Start with clean, wet hair.
- Dispense some moisturizer into your hands and rub them together.
- Begin applying the moisturizer to your hair, being sure not to overapply.
- Take random curls, twirl them around your pointer finger, and then release.
- Do this until your curls look uniform.
- Diffuse your curls while your head hangs upside down.
- Once your hair is 70% dry, stop diffusing and let your curls air-dry the rest of the way.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stringy Hair
What Does Stringy Hair Mean?
Stringy hair means your hair separates into thin pieces instead of falling together. On wavy and curly hair, it usually means your waves dried as single strands instead of clumps. On straight hair, it usually means oil or conditioner at your roots, or thin, split ends.
How Do I Get My Waves to Clump Instead of Looking Stringy?
Squeeze water into your hair while your conditioner is still in, then apply mousse or gel while your hair is soaking wet. Smooth it on with flat palms, scrunch upward, and don't touch your hair until it's completely dry.
Why Does My Hair Look Stringy Right After I Wash It?
If your hair looks stringy as soon as it dries, the clumps probably came apart while it was drying, or your conditioner reached your roots. If it looks stringy while it's still wet, with rough, frizzy strands, the outer layer of your hair may be damaged.
Can Stringy Hair Be a Sign of Hair Loss?
It can. If your hair is getting thinner as well as stringier, your part looks wider, or your ponytail feels smaller, see a dermatologist. Those are early signs of female pattern hair loss and other conditions that a styling change won't fix.
Related Articles
- Why Is My Curly Hair Frizzy When Wet
- How to Fix Protein Overload in Hair
- How to Stop Natural Hair From Breaking
- Why Does My Hair Clump Together
Now that you understand how to fix stringy hair, you can incorporate these strategies and tips into your regular routine regardless of whether you have straight, curly, or wavy hair. We hope that this article has been helpful to you and wish you the best with your hair!
