Cold weather can be brutal on your skin and that includes your scalp. What affects your scalp can have an impact on your hair… so cold weather can be brutal on your hair even though the temperatures themselves are not responsible.
Confused? As with everything related to hair loss, the discussion of cold weather and your hair isn’t simple or even clear. But it is important to pay attention and do what you can to protect your hair.
Does Cold Weather Affect Your Hair?
Yes and no. Hair stylists suggest that the cold and dry air can cause the cuticle to stand up, leading to even more drying. Dry and brittle hair is more prone to breakage – so it can make it seem like you are losing more hair.
The research suggests that the season itself doesn’t usually affect hair loss. In fact, we might actually benefit from the colder weather the way animals do. We may have some evolutionary predisposition to grow our hair thicker in the winter.
But some of our winter behaviors might increase the damage to our hair and subsequent hair loss. Almost everyone gets stressed over the winter holiday season and that stress can lead to hair loss. And that thing you do to keep your head and hair warm? It might be worst of all.
Research suggests that traction alopecia gets worse in the winter. Taking on and off tight head coverings, hats, caps and maybe even scarves can pull out healthy hairs… potentially leading to hair loss. When combined with the drying effect of winter air and blown heat inside buildings, you could face substantial hair loss in the cold weather months.
How Do You Take Care of Your Hair in Cold Weather?
Many of the tips for cold weather hair care are exactly the same as warm weather hair care: Make sure to eat right, avoid pollution and use the right products for your hair.
Eating right means lots of leafy greens and healthy fats from things like salmon and nuts. These provide the nutrients your hair needs to grow. Then you need to make sure to use a good scalp moisturizer to counteract the drying effect of the winter winds and indoor heat.
Shampoo less often to preserve the natural oils on your hair and consider leave-in conditioners to help fight the dry air and static electricity. Even something as simple as lining your favorite hat with silk or satin – fabrics less likely to grab and pull at your hair – can help.
Call RHRLI for a Free Consultation
When you have questions about your hair, whether it’s preventing hair loss before it becomes a problem or looking for a solution to your thinning hair, Robotic Hair Restoration Long Island can help you figure out what you should be doing. We offer free consultations to help you decide if this is just seasonal shedding or a hair loss problem. Contact us today!