Cold winter temperatures and dry indoor air can be brutal on your hair. The winter months can make it challenging to maintain healthy hair, but by giving your scalp and hair a little extra TLC this winter, you can keep it healthy and looking great. While everyone's hair is unique, taking a few precautions and taking extra care to treat your hair gently during the winter is essential.
Shampoo Less Frequently
How often you should wash your hair during the winter depends on your hair and how much oil your scalp produces. Like the rest of the skin, your scalp gets dry during winter.
Washing your hair removes the natural oils that are vital to keeping your scalp and hair moisturized and protected. When you wash your hair too often, you strip away the natural oils, which can cause your hair to become dry, brittle, and easily damaged.
If you have oily hair or exercise daily, you may need to wash your hair daily to keep your scalp clean. However, washing your hair every two or three days is ideal for most people. One of the most important steps you can take to protect your hair's health this winter is to wash it less frequently.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Your diet plays a vital role in the health of your hair. While the winter brings holidays and plenty of food to feast on, eating healthy is still important. Healthy hair growth requires an adequate supply of essential vitamins and nutrients. If your diet is deficient in vitamins and nutrients, it can affect the growth of your hair and even lead to hair loss.
You can get an adequate supply of vital nutrients by eating a healthy, well-balanced diet or with a multivitamin or dietary supplements. Most hair issues associated with nutritional deficiencies are slowed or reversed once the deficiency is corrected.
Fighting Static Electricity
Static electricity on your hair occurs when your hair builds up an electrical charge. It's a more common issue during the winter due to the much drier air and any build-up of hair products, which can alter your hair's natural composition. When you walk inside and remove your winter hat, the static charge stays on your hair strands if the air is dry.
The most effective way to deal with static electricity is to keep your scalp and hair moisturized. When your hair is fully hydrated, it is heavier, which helps the strands of hair bond together. In addition, adding moisture changes the composition of your hair, preventing the static charge from repelling your hair strands away from each other.
Eliminate Stress
Stress can be bad for the health of your hair, and winter brings its own added stress. Along with all the holiday celebrations comes driving in bad weather, less daylight hours, and the stress of planning and attending all those festivities. All that stress can also affect your eating habits and your hair.
Stress can lead to a specific type of hair loss called telogen effluvium. This hair loss condition occurs when a significant increase in stress levels causes large numbers of hair to enter the telogen phase of the hair growth cycle. Several months after the stressful event, the affected strands of hair suddenly fall out, causing thinning hair.
Reduce the Heat
Reducing the amount of heat you expose your hair to can dramatically improve its health. While a nice hot shower is a great way to remove the winter chill, all that heat can dry out and damage your hair.
Reduce the heat and wash your hair in colder water, which helps close the cuticles and increases your chances of having healthy, shiny, frizz-free hair. Cold water also improves scalp circulation and closes scalp pores, preventing dirt and bacteria from entering.
Help From the Experts
Hair growth is affected by many factors, and maintaining a thick, healthy-looking, full head of hair can be challenging. At LH Hair, we are experts in all aspects of hair care. Our team can help provide the guidance you need to ensure your hair is the healthiest it has ever been this winter. To learn more about what you can do to improve the health of your hair, contact us today and schedule your FREE initial consultation.
