With arriving winters the shiny summertime hair turns into a distant memory. Your hair takes the form of crispy, static filled, frizzy, and dull hair. It is, however, hard to control dry hair. Moreover, it doesn’t hold a curl or shine and is also usually one of the most challenging hair problems for women.
Primarily, it is essential to understand the reasons that lead to dryness of hair in winter season. Then, there are certain winter hair care tips and solutions that can help with dryness of hair and make your hair shine again if properly looked after. Hope you find the info mentioned below to be helpful!
Reasons for hair problems in winters
Change in temperature
The underlying reason for hair problems in winters is the change in humidity and temperature when you move from inside to outside and the converse as it can strip away the moisture from your hair thus leaving them dry and fly away.
Static hair
One of the most important reasons influencing hair problems during winter includes the fact that winters make the hair static due to lack of moisture. The condition gets even worse when the static build-up resulting from fibers contained by sweaters and overcoats is integrated, as well as walking across carpeted floors while the air is charged heavily with negative ions.
Nutrition
In winter season, food is generally richer and the fat consumed does not show up only in terms of body weight but also shows an impact on the vitality of hair. On being converted into solidified fat, it gathers under the scalp thus restraining the transmission of blood into the roots. This further leads to brittle hair which is more susceptible to breakage.
Dryness
Another factor responsible for hair problems during winter is dryness of scalp which further leads to dry and fly away hair. The dryness of hair in winters occurs due to less humidity in the air. This dryness, when joins hands with cold weather, forms the basis for various other problems occurring in winter season.
Exposure to sunlight
During the winter season, exposure to sunlight is almost negligible. In such situation, the production of melatonin reduces, thus influencing the hormones as well as its receptors in the scalp. The receptors perform a vital role in determining the loss of hair. Therefore, a deficiency of vitamin D synthesis in the blood during winter season is the key reason for hair loss during winters. Moreover, a lack of sunlight usually leads to hair fall in the form of clumps.
Wearing a scarf or a hat
Wearing a tight fitted scarf or hat during cold weather curbs the circulation in scalp thus making the hair weak and more prone to breakage.
Excessive washing
Excessive hair wash can extract the moisture from hair thus leading to the problem of hair breakage and split ends.
Going out with wet hair
Going out immediately after hair wash in cold weather can freeze the hair thus creating breakage.
Irregular trimming
Winter can lead to hair breakage and being irregular with trimming can make the condition even worse. This is because dryness begins from ends and moves upward.
Washing hair with hot water
Washing hair with extremely hot water can cause damage to the hair during winters in addition to making them dry.
Wrong choice of hair products
Using hair styling products that contain alcohol can result in making the hair dry and more susceptible to breakage.
Solutions for hair problems in winters
Luckily, present day cosmetic science has come up with a whole horde of solutions for winter hair problems. So, to get set for winters, there are some solutions which can help with various types of hair problems occurring in winters. The most important ones include:
Waterless/dry shampoo
In callous winter season, it is beneficial for your hair if a daily hair wash can be avoided. However, there are still many people who cannot do without an everyday shampoo. This is the situation where the need for waterless shampoo arises. You can go for the liquid means that does not require any water to be rinsed, or even the powders and sprays which are applied and brushed out thereafter. Moreover, waterless shampoo is also helpful in dealing with issues related to oily scalp that occur very often amid shampoos.
Smoothing serum
Another commonly cited hair issue in winters includes static and frizz issues in times of winter season. Very often it is due to the extra winter clothes like hats and scarves of wool fibers. However, sometimes it is just the hot or cold dry air at different places, although the consequences are always alike. The hair blows out besides getting frizzed and charged statically.
A smoothing serum is helpful for this situation as it provides a coating on the hair streaks thus preventing static arraigns from stagnating in the air. Moreover, the effect can be even redoubled through the use of an additional hairspray misting to protect the hair further.
Scalp treatments
Another common problem cited during the winter season includes dry scalp and itching. To deal with this problem, you need to have a handy scalp treatment. As per your choice, you can chose from various treatment options like the one containing tea-tree smear with oil, fruit oils, or similar herbal preparations.
Moreover, a moisture enriched treatment for the scalp can help the scalp to stay moisturized besides making it flake- and itch-free. Besides, the hair treatment can also be incorporated into your regular hair care regime by applying a shampoo formulated specially for dry scalp. Generally, a large number of people experience the problem of developing a dry and itchy scalp during winters and presume it to be dandruff whereas it is simply an issue of dryness in the scalp.
Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner
The requirement of a nourishing shampoo along with an equally effective conditioner is a must in winters as contrasted to the summer months. Since heated air, as well as extremely cold air, is likely to be dry, the scalp and hair can get dried out in winters. This calls for replenishing the moisture so as to avoid the requirement for an effective shampoo and conditioner that moisturizes your scalp and hair as well.
However, if you are facing special problems related to loss of moisture during winters, you can always go for a cavernous treatment that involves deep conditioning of the hair. Cholesterol is the simplest conditioner that can be helpful. This affordable fatty cream helps by hydrating and moisturizing the hair. But, this is not a good option for extremely fine hair. It is useful for hair that is likely to be frizzy and dry during winter season. The procedure involves applying simply this cream substantially to the scalp, massage well, comb it all the way through your scalp and allow it to settle on your hair for approximately 15-20 minutes. Then shampoo your hair normally to confiscate the excess. This application gives shiny and inundated hair.
Thermal protector
Irrespective of the fact that whether you indulge in a good amount of thermal styling or not, the use of an effective thermal protector on hair in winter season can help in preventing a good number of problems and damage resulting from changes in climate while moving from indoors to outdoors during winter season. These thermal protectors work by coating the hair and insulating it, thus locking in the moisture and helping the hair defend against damage from extremely cold air. Also, it acts as an emollient to save the hair from becoming brittle.
If you have fine hair then you need a lighter formula whereas thick and coarse hair calls for a heavier and more-insular formula.
Tips for winter hair care
Along with the aforesaid solutions for hair care in winter, there are also certain winter hair care tips which can be helpful in maintaining the health and beauty of your hair even in harsh and cold winter weather. These include:
- Make it a routine to wear a scarf, cap, or hat which can protect your hair from the cold wind. It is, however, important to ensure that the scarf is not very tight which restricts circulation in scalp.
- Incorporate the use of a good conditioner in your routine.
- Once the hair is moisturized by running through cold water, your hair will get an extra shine.
- As an important step to winter hair care, avoid going outside with wet hair to prevent your hair from breakage. Excessive cold outside will freeze the hair and may lead to breakage.
- Avoid using “hot” items on the hair. These include curling irons and blow dryers.
- If, in case, the use of a “hot” item becomes unavoidable, try to use a leave in conditioner, as an important part of winter hair care, before using it on your hair.
- Another part of winter hair care is avoiding the use of hot water while you shampoo your hair. It is beneficial to use cool or warm water instead as the heat can dry out and harm the hair.
- Hair care products feature the word “Replenish” on it to highlight the moisturizer essential for winter hair care.
- If you need to wash out your hair, try to use a dry shampoo.
- The underlying cause for hair static is lack of moisture. For effective hair care, try to brush it with natural bristles rather than plastic bristles.
- Make the right choice of hair care products which are formulated specifically for hair types. It is not necessary that the product that works well on summer hair will show the same results in winters also. Moreover, avoid picking a combination of two-in-one shampoo and conditioner for these do neither effectively. Opt for a quality product aimed at repairing and protecting dry hair.
- Ensure applying a deep conditioner at least once a week for effective hair care. This would help by filling in the chips and holes in the hair strand, working as a type of “putty” that helps heal the holes in hair. These fillers form a coating to the hair shaft thus giving a smooth, flat surface which restores shine.
- To have healthy hair, make it a routine to get your hair trimmed at regular intervals. This is because dryness begins at the ends and makes its way to the top thus leading to split ends and further breakage. Regular trimming helps you avoid split ends and thus the breakage.
- The most important step in air care is paying attention towards diet. Carbohydrate and protein intake is as essential for hair care as is plenty of water intake.
Home remedies for winter hair care
Besides following the aforesaid tips for hair care, you can also have some at home treatments for dry hair. This forms the primary step towards rehabbing hair in winter. The required items include 3tsp of olive oil which is additionally virgin cold-pressed, 4tbsp of sour cream extracted from whole milk, and 1 avocado which has been rutted and pulverized.
Take the items altogether in a blender to pulverize it to smooth. Apply this mixture on wet hair, rubbing it onto the scalp gently with fingers. To distribute the mixture evenly, comb the hair with a comb with fine teeth. After that, wrap your head with a warm towel or a shower cap over the head and let the mixture stay in the hair for as long as 20 minutes. Later, rinse it off and then shampoo.
Another home remedy for hair care in winter is the Rosemary infusion. This involves infusing the hair with essential oils through a Hot Rosemary Oil Treatment. This treatment requires 2/3 cup of carrier oil like olive oil, grape seed oil, almond oil, or apricot kernel oil added into ½ cup of rosemary leaves.
Apply the mixture to dry hair. Gently massage the rosemary and the oil into the scalp and distribute it evenly on hair by thorough combing. Cover it with a plastic shower cap and bath towel. Allow this mixture to stay either for an hour or even overnight as desired. Rinse off and then shampoo.
Wrapping up, winter is a season that can do numbers on your hair. It is therefore important to practice effective hair care in winter weather. Knowing the right solutions and steps for winter hair care can show great results in maintaining the health and beauty of your hair.
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