Winter is a most amazing time of the year. It is the season of holidays and festive shenanigans—however, the lack of humidity in the chilly air results in dry, damaged hair. Furthermore, the scalp tends to dry up as well, which leads to disruption in hair growth.
Though the cold can bring ill will for your hair’s health, most of the winter hair problems arise from a lack of moisture. There are a few simple things you can actively do to prevent winter hair damage.
Shampoo less frequently
The scalp produces sebum and other naturally occurring oils that lend to your hair staying hydrated. When you shampoo, the oils and sebum get washed off. As there is already a lack of humidity during winter, the regular lack of hair moisturising oils can lead to severe hair damage. Moreover, a consistently dry scalp can lead to dandruff problems and itching. Hair follicles, too, suffer from a lack of proper hydration with a resultant disruption in the hair’s growth cycle.
The solution is simply to space out your shampoo days. Keeping at least a few days gap between each session will ensure the scalp’s oils get time to form and spread to your hair.
Avoid using hot water when you shower
Like shampoo use, hot water also has a tendency to strip the scalp and hair of the natural oils essential for hair growth and health.
Winter’s chill can tempt one to shower using water that is hotter than their usual preference. It is best not to give in to such whims. Using warm water is less harmful to the hair overall, and it is not as adept at stripping oils and moisture as straight hot water is.
Use more conditioner than you usually would
Increase the frequency of conditioner use during the colder months. As a rule of thumb, you must condition your hair every time you use shampoo. But in winter, condition your hair whenever you shower, even if you are not using shampoo. This will help quite a lot with moisture retention. Furthermore, frequent conditioner use ensures that static electricity in your hair is reduced dramatically.
Avoid treating your hair in winter
Exposure to heat and dyes must be avoided as much as reasonably possible during winter. While perfectly coiffed hair is brilliant, and a little spread of highlights never hurt anyone, things are markedly different in winter.
Keep your hair away from chemical-based treatments and hair colours, and reduce the amount of blow-drying your hair is subjected to. Doing these will not only cause your hair to significantly dry up but also to become brittle and easily break.