Winter is here and it’s time to start taking care of your hair. As the weather gets colder, there are several ways you can protect your hair from damaging winter elements such as dry air, wind, snow, and ice. In this post, we will go over a few treatments you should try this season so that your locks stay healthy! So read on for some helpful tips!
How do cold temperatures affect hair health?
The cold temperatures of winter can wreak havoc on your hair. Cold air can cause moisture to escape from your strands, leading to dryness and brittleness. On the other hand, low humidity in the winter months means that it is easier for moisture to evaporate from your scalp’s oil glands, which leads to itchiness and flaking.
Extremes of temperature, humidity, and air can cause breakage, brittleness, dryness, and frizziness. These elements can sometimes even strip color or bleach hair fibers. Cold winter air is especially harmful to the health of your hair because it contains less moisture than warmer weather.
Finally, exposure to extreme cold (such as that experienced during winter sports) can cause the blood vessels of your scalp to contract. If you wear hats or helmets frequently, this can increase the chance of hair breakage and fragility since more of your strands are concentrated in one area of your head.
These are 3 main effects:
- Cold temperatures can cause dryness in the hair
- Hair is more prone to breakage during winter time due to cold weather
- Dry, damaged hair can lead to frizziness and split ends
However, with just a few simple practices you can protect your hair during the frigid weather!
Signs Your Hair Needs a Special Treatment
It’s hard to tell if your hair needs special treatment without the help of a professional. However, there are some signs that can point you in the right direction.
Here are 11 common reasons why your hair might need more care than usual:
- The natural wave in your hair is gone – When the weather gets cold, many girls begin wearing their hair wavy, straight, and smooth. If you discover that your natural waves have suddenly disappeared, this could be a sign that it’s time to use something like coconut oil or curling cream before blow-drying.
- Your hair seems to have shrunk – This may be a sign that it’s time for a trim. Split ends will lead to tangles, which create more split ends.
- You’re spending more time flat ironing – Flat irons are great for adding volume to wavy or straight hair, but if you find yourself relying on it every day, it could mean that your hair is getting too dry.
- You’re finding lots of split ends – Split ends are the tell-tale sign of over-processed hair.
- You can’t fight the frizzies – If you find yourself constantly battling the frizzies despite your arsenal of flat irons, curling wands, and smoothing serums, then it’s not just humidity that is causing all the frizz. Your strands are probably lacking moisture.
- You have dandruff – Not everyone who suffers from the dry scalp has flakes.
- Is your hair dull? – Dull hair can be caused by excessive sun exposure, over-washing, pollution, and humidity.
- Your locks are brittle – Brittle-looking locks are another sign that your strands need a little more TLC.
- Your scalp gets itchy – Scaly flaky skin on your scalp is often flogged as ‘dandruff’ but is in fact dry skin. The scalp is naturally oily, so this type of scaly skin can be caused by dry winter weather or not washing your hair enough. You may also be using the wrong shampoo for your hair type.
- Have you been using heating appliances frequently? – Heat damage is one of the worst things that can happen to hair as it not only dries out the hair but also damages the protein structure.
- Your ends are breaking off more easily than normal – this could be because you’ve left chemical processes on too long or not followed up with a correct after-care routine.
If you’ve noticed that your hair feels dry, or looks dull and lifeless, then it’s time to give it a special treatment. Read on for some tips about what you can do to get the look back.
Hair Treatments for Keeping Your Hair Healthy During Winter
We all know how important our hair is. It’s the most obvious way to show off your self-expression, and it can also be a great tool for making you feel confident when you’re feeling down. Your hair is one of the most valuable assets that you have, so it’s important to take care of it by adding some special treatments in between salon visits.
Protein Treatments
Protein treatments are a great way to get your gorgeous locks looking shiny and beautiful again. Many people who have dry, damaged hair will use protein treatments to restore it back to health. The truth is that all of us need these treatments because our daily lives are filled with abuse for our hair – shampooing, heat styling, blow-drying, flat ironing, etc. Harsh chemicals are also abundant in our daily lives which is why it’s important to give your hair a break with protein treatments.
Protein treatments are usually very easy to apply at home, depending on the type of protein treatment that you purchase. If you have really dry or damaged hair, it might be a good idea to purchase a protein treatment that is specifically made for dry and damaged hair. For people with healthy, strong hair, you can use the basics at home – eggs, mayonnaise, and yogurt.
Keratin Treatments
Keratin treatments are a phenomenal way to keep your hair healthy and shiny. They work by infusing keratin into the cortex of your hair, which prevents frizziness and split ends.
Keratin treatments are usually done in beauty salons as they can be rather expensive and time-consuming, but you can purchase keratin shampoos or conditioners for a much lower price.
Hot Oil Treatments
Hot oil treatments are exactly what they sound like – treatment for your hair by applying warmed oils with essential benefits. This type of treatment is one of the most common ones, according to the AllThingsHair survey, up to 42% of women are using this useful treatment.
Hot oil treatments are usually done for about 20 minutes before showering using an oil of your choice – olive, coconut, almond, or argan oil all work well. You can also buy pre-mixed hair oils which work just as well. After you wash out the oil with shampoo and conditioner, your dry winter locks will be hydrated and smooth.
A lot of people will use this on dry hair before showering to really seal in the benefits, but you can also use this on wet hair after showering before conditioning.
Hair Detox Treatment
If you are very committed to using natural products, then try doing a hair detox! It is just like giving yourself a deep conditioning treatment but lasts for about two months. To do this, mix baking soda and apple cider vinegar together until they form a rough powder. Add an egg white into the mixture and stir well. Apply this on your hair and leave it on for about an hour before rinsing with cool water.
Deep Conditioning Treatment
Winter is notorious for making hair dry and brittle. This season, combat these problems by shampooing your hair and applying a deep conditioning treatment to it while you shower.
Bathe yourself in the luxury of warm water and avoid washing your hair with cold water as that can cause further damage. Put some conditioner on your strands and focus on your ends. Stay in the shower for about 10 minutes before rinsing it off with lukewarm water.
Then, put a few drops of argan oil or coconut oil to hydrate your hair even further. You can also try putting an egg yolk mixed with cucumber juice on your tresses before washing it off.
The winter season can be especially hard on your hair. But with these simple but effective treatments, you can keep your locks looking healthy and full for the holidays!
Additional Hair Care Tips for Winter
Wintertime is a great time to take some extra care of your hair. Cold weather can cause your hair to become dry and brittle, so it’s important to take steps now in order to prevent damage later. Here are some additional ways you can keep your locks healthy all winter long!
Get Regular Trims
Winter air can cause your hair to become dry and over-processed. If you wait too long to get regular trims, you could end up with split ends and difficulty growing out your hair. Be proactive and go to the salon for a trim every 4-6 weeks!
This time of year, many people lose more hair than usual due to dryness. Getting frequent trims will help prevent this!
Wear A Hat
The cold winter air can be damaging to your hair. Protect your locks by wearing a cute hat when you go outside! If you spend a lot of time in the snow and don’t want to wear a hat, you should purchase a special spray that protects your hair from the harsh elements.
Decrease Static
The low humidity during the winter can cause your hair to become static. At night, make sure you dry off your hair before going to bed – this will decrease some of that annoying static electricity!
To prevent static during the winter, you should rub a small amount of conditioner into your hair before you dry it.
Keep Heat Styling To A Minimum
Heat styling can make your hair dry and brittle – especially during the winter. If you must use a curling iron or flat iron, make sure that it is new. You should also spray on a heat protectant before using any hot tools.
Apply A Thermal Protector
If you must use hot tools, make sure to apply a thermal protector. A thermal protector will lessen the impact of heat on your hair – prolonging its life and keeping it healthy.
Conclusion
As the winter months approach, you may be wondering what to do with your hair. Here are some treatments that will keep it healthy and looking good all season long!
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