As chilly winds blow, it is easy to imagine that your hair is getting thinner. But as the chill of a Pennsylvania winter sets in, that shiver on your scalp might be more than just your imagination.
Seasonal hair loss is not just your imagination. The changing weather and time of year can lead to more lost hair, but there are ways to reduce winter or summer hair loss. It all starts with understanding the problem.
Does Winter Really Make Your Hair Fall Out?
The British Institute of Trichologists wants you to know that the changing weather is only partially responsible for hair loss in the winter. But we often do see more hair loss in the colder months. The why of it is where it gets complicated:
- Weather changes: Cold weather itself is not responsible for our seasonal hair loss, but it does change our behaviors. People usually turn up the heat in the winter and indoor heat can be drying – causing hair to become brittle and break. This can make hair feel thinner as the strands start to regrow.
- Seasonal depression: The National Institutes of Health suggest millions of people are impacted by Seasonal Affective Disorder, a mental illness linked to the lack of sunlight in winter. Mental illnesses, like depression, can be hard on your hair.
- Holiday and end of the year stress: Whether it is ending a fiscal year or celebrating the holidays with your family, winter can be stressful. Stress can lead to hair loss.
- Behavioral Changes: Whether because we dislike getting wet on cold mornings or because we are afraid water will have a drying effect on our scalp, many of us cut back on washing out hair in the winter, leading to scalp issues and hair loss.
- Bad Eating Habits: Let’s face it, we all associate the winter holidays with food that is not the best for us. Whether you have visions of sugar plums or latkes dancing in your thoughts, eating protein and other nutrients that are necessary for healthy hair is not the top of your winter to-do list. Experts suggest that bad eating habits may be a part of seasonal hair loss.
- Natural Hair Life Cycle: Seasonal hair loss may also just be a perception issue. That we notice it more when hair enters the exogen phase in winter.
- Traction Alopecia: Another reason we might actually have more hair loss in winter is traction alopecia. Caps, hats, and other head coverings that pull at your hair can weaken the roots and lead to more hair falling out.
How Long Does Seasonal Hair Loss Last?
The good news is that seasonal hair loss is just that – seasonal. That does not mean there aren’t steps you can take to try to stop it. Keep your stress levels low, get some exercise and eat right, and get a silk-lined hat or head-covering that does not pull at your hair.
But other than that, it is just a matter of waiting for your body to kick into its natural cycle and start growing your hair again. Of course, that can feel a lot like waiting for the first warm day of spring, but it does come eventually.
For Help with Hair Loss, Call the Experts at Precision Hair Restoration
Precision Hair Restoration understands all varieties of hair loss. If you’re not sure if yours is seasonal or something more serious, contact us today for an appointment.
