We all know that cold weather, wind and snow can play havoc on the skin, but few people realize that the hair can also be just as badly damaged by the cold and winter precipitation. Here are some tips to keep your hair healthy and undamaged by winter’s cold claws.
Do Not Over Wash: Washing your hair everyday may seem like a good idea, yet doing so actually strips the natural oils from your scalp and hair. If daily washing is necessary, use the mildest professional shampoo possible, while also using a complete haircare regimen specifically prescribed for your hair type and hair extensions.
Moisture, Moisture, Moisture: Most people think that summer is the season that leads to the most dry hair symptoms. They are wrong. While you are exposing your hair to heat and sunlight in the summer months, your body is perspiring and your sebaceous glands are working overtime to lubricate and keep the hair moisturized. In the winter, you are repeatedly going from a cold, damp exterior environment to a heated environment where the air has been stripped of all moisture by any one of the heating methods available today.
You need to make sure to keep your hair protected from the leeching effects of the heated interiors you will be spending so much time in. Use a leave in conditioner, and/or an anti-frizz serum to make certain the hair is sealed against the loss of moisture.
Don’t go outside with wet hair: Most of us were warned as children that if we go outside with wet hair during the winter months we would catch pneumonia. Well, medical science has debunked that old wives’ tale, but if you go outside with damp hair in freezing weather, there is a very good chance that your hair could freeze. Freezing water causes it to expand, and if your hair has absorbed moisture and that moisture freezes, when it expands it will lead to damaged hair.
In the winter, to make sure your hair is protected, always be sure and dry the hair thoroughly before you go outside. Be sure to use a protein-rich moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and an extra leave-in conditioner before using a blow-dryer on the hair, but dry the hair completely.
Try a silk scarf: Winter hats are a fashion statement and a cold-weather necessity, but all the different materials mixed with dry air can cause friction that leads to static — and even worse — breakage. So before you put on that hat, try wrapping your hair with a silk scarf to protect it from harm.