Protect hair during winter

– Pavithra N Raj –

Protect your hair from the elements

·      The best way to protect your hair from the elements is to cover your head with a hat or scarf, but make sure that it’s not so tight that it will restrict the circulation in your scalp.

·      While it protects your hair, wearing a winter hat can also lead to a buildup of sweat that could irritate the scalp.

·      So make sure you use an anti-dandruff shampoo to stop dandruff in its tracks before flakes start to appear.

Keep your hair and scalp hydrated

·      If you’re dehydrated on the inside, it will show on the outside too so make sure you drink plenty of water to help keep your hair and scalp hydrated.

Have your hair trimmed regularly

Whether you have long or short hair, winter weather can make the ends of your hair dry and brittle. Regular trims will keep your hair in good condition and reduce the chance of split ends.

Wash your hair in warm or cool water

·      It might be tempting in the colder months to turn the water temperature up, but try to avoid washing your hair in very hot water – use warm or cool water to avoid damage.

·      Hot water can dry out your hair and damage the delicate skin on your scalp, which may be extra sensitive during the winter.

Don’t leave home with wet hair

·      Take the extra time to blow-dry your hair or let it dry naturally before going outside. In cold weather your hair will take a long time to dry – and if your hair freezes, you risk breakage.

Tips to improve the hair during winter

·      A deficiency of vitamin A may lead to dry and itchy scalp. Eggs and Dairy Products: Milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs etc., are loaded with essential nutrients such as proteins, vitamin B12, iron, zinc and omega 6 fatty acids. Dairy products are also a great source of biotin (Vitamin B7) that is known to fight hair loss.

·      Healthy hair needs healthy fat. In fact, low-fat diets can make your scalp dry and inflamed and lead to hair loss. Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and are easy— add them to smoothies, oatmeal, or make chia pudding. Other excellent sources include flaxseed, walnuts and salmon.

·      Hot oil massage – Take coconut oil and heat it up so that it is warm, but not too hot. Massage your scalp with this hot oil for a few minutes. It helps to stop hair loss and promote hair growth.

·      Curd and lemon: This combination helps you to reduce hair fall and acts as a natural conditioner during the winter season. It cures dryness of the scalp and reduces dandruff. Squeeze a few drops of lemon in curd and apply on your hair as a mask. Let it dry for 15-20mins and then rinse.

·      Onions are rich in sulfur which is an important nutrient to promote hair growth by promoting collagen production, regeneration of hair follicles. Squeeze juice of onion and apply it to your scalp. Leave for approximately 15 minutes before washing. Do this twice weekly for better results.

·      Amla – richest source of vitamin C, powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial helps to maintain a healthy scalp and promotes hair growth. Make a mixture on one tablespoon of amla or Indian gooseberry pulp with one tablespoon of lemon juice. Massage your scalp thoroughly with the mixture.

·      Egg-rich in protein, sulfur, zinc, phosphorus, iodine. Using egg as home remedies for hair loss is one of the effective mixtures as all ingredients present in it are essential for hair growth.

Take egg white and make its paste with olive oil massage it in the scalp and after leaving for 20-30 minutes wash it off. Do this twice weekly to get the best results.

·      Hibiscus flowers have many natural properties making it best and effective home remedies for hair loss. Besides hair fall treatment it also cures dandruff and thickens hair.

To make its paste for application on scalp make a mixture of 10 hibiscus flowers in coconut oil by heating the solution. After cooling down apply this oily mixture on your scalp. Best to leave overnight and rinse in the morning. Recommended using twice weekly for faster hair growth.

·         Fenugreek – It enhances hair growth by regenerating hair follicles and also stimulate hair growth because of richness in proteins. You can use it by soaking fenugreek seed in water overnight. Make its paste in the morning and apply it on the scalp. Rinse after an hour. Using this regularly can minimize your hair fall and makes your hair grow faster.

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About the author

Pavithra N Raj

Author and  Senior Consultant