Winter is coming and that means it is time to prepare your hair. Many people do not think about the ways that the changing seasons impact their hair and should impact their hair care routine.
Treating your hair and your scalp the same year-round is not a great idea. Colder and drier winter nights can mean treating your hair differently than hot, sunny, humid summer days. Here are some things you need to know about winter and why it means it is time to treat your hair differently.
Is Winter Good for Hair?
No, but it is not inherently bad either. You simply need to know how to adjust and not make the most common winter hair mistakes.
The Cleveland Clinic recommends treating your hair like your favorite cashmere sweater: “The first rule of thumb is to limit how often you beat it up by scorching it with an iron, overheating it with a dryer or using a caustic chemical on it. Remember, hair is a fiber.”
Since it is cold outside, we generally turn on the heat indoors… causing it to be dry and warm. That can be rough on your skin and scalp, which can lead to winter hair issues.
And we often resort to hats, which can cause traction alopecia or just general hair breakage. This can damage your hair over time and make it feel like your hair is falling out.
What Causes Dandruff in Winter?
That hat can also contribute to winter dandruff. Head and Shoulders points out that infrequent washing can lead to hair matting or the development of an oily scalp. If you wear a hat, you are also trapping that sweat and heat which might make your scalp oily enough to cause a big problem.
Should I Wash My Hair in Hot Water in Winter?
How you wash your hair (and how often) can also contribute to winter dandruff.
According to the Independent Pharmacy, when we use hot water to wash our hair it helps lift the hair away from the scalp – and can make our hair seem more healthy. But if you step directly out of a hot shower into a cold environment (or go out into the cold while your hair is still damp), it can confuse your scalp and your oil production glands.
Essentially, if the scalp gets too cold, it might produce extra oil to protect the scalp and that leads to winter dandruff. But choosing to use the hair dryer can lead to over-drying of the scalp. And that dry scalp can become itchy and flaking, sometimes making us think we have a dandruff problem.
Should You Shampoo More or Less in Winter?
Cosmopolitan magazine asked the experts and it turns out the advice for winter and summer hair washing is pretty similar. If your hair feels greasy to the touch, you probably need to wash it more frequently. If your hair feels dry or your scalp feels tight, you may be washing too much.
Concerned About Hair Loss? Precision Hair Restoration Are the Experts
Precision Hair Restoration can answer all of your questions about hair health. While winter may be impacting your hair, keeping ahead of hair thinning and hair loss is important year-round. Our team can help you improve your hair health and restore your head of hair. When you are ready to have your best hair year-round, it’s time to give us a call!
