The 5 ways winter is ruining your hair – from dandruff to thinning – and how to get longer, healthier locks by Christmas
WE all know winter can strip our skin of moisture and leave it dull, dry and cracked.
But the season’s impact on our locks can be less well known.
If you hair feels brittle and is lacking in lustre as we head into the festive period, the colder weather might be to blame, according to trichologist Kate Holden.
In association with hair care brand Noughty, she tells Sun Health: “As the temperature drops and we crank up the radiators, the air around us becomes drier.
“Lower humidity means there’s less moisture in the air – and your hair and skin feel the impact.
“If your hair is damaged or your skin barrier is disrupted, the dry air can wreak havoc.
“Our scalp health can also suffer from the combination of the cold, increase in illnesses, lack of vitamin D, changes to our diet, and shampooing less frequently.”
With party season now cranking up, you might be using heat tools on your tresses more often.
Sadly, your festive styling can also take a toll on your hair, according to Anabel Kingsley, consultant trichologist and brand president at Philip Kingsley.
Not sure if cold weather is to blame for hair woes? Here’s what you should look out for.
“Expect a tight, itchy scalp and brittle, lifeless hair as the lack of moisture strips elasticity and shine,” Kate says.
“If you tend to have dandruff or flaking, this often gets worse.
“Frizz is also a frequent frustration – wearing hats, jumpers and scarves with synthetic fibres creates a build-up of static electricity, and the windy weather makes our hair a tangled mess.”
The trichologist also warns: “Damage takes time to accumulate.
“If you’ve been neglecting your hair and scalp throughout the year, it’s difficult to salvage by the time you get to winter.
“If this is you, make prioritising a healthy hair routine on your New Year’s resolutions.”
From hair loss, to split ends and heat related damage, here are all the ways winter could be ruining your hair.
1. Hair loss
Whether you can’t be bothered with the faff of shampooing, rinsing and drying, or your hair simply seems to hold up better than during summer months, you might find yourself washing your hair less during the winter.
When you finally get round to lathering up your scalp, you may notice more hairs coming away than you’re used to.
Anabel says: “People tend to shampoo less often in the winter, which can lead to the illusion you are losing more hair than usual.”
It’s important not to skip wash days too often as “good scalp hygiene is essential to hair growth”, the trichologist notes.
Your scalp is an extension of the skin on your face, so deserves equal attention
Anabel Kingsley
“After all, your scalp is your hair’s support system,” she adds.
“Your scalp is skin and needs similar care to the skin on your face.
“I advise most of my clients to shampoo frequently to obtain the best scalp conditions for healthy hair growth.”
Just how often you do so will depend on the texture and thickness or your tresses. Here’s Anabel’s advice.
“Every day for fine hair, every other day for medium hair and no more than three days apart for coarse or coiled hair textures,” she says.
“A healthy scalp is vital to hair growth – and a healthy scalp is a clean scalp.”
2. Flaky scalp
On the subject of scalps, yours might be a little worse for wear come winter – becoming flaky or dry as the months wear on.
An unhappy scalp can result in unhappy hair and could lead to some hair loss.
Anabel explains: “We do know that dandruff and a flaky scalp are more common in winter and it’s important to treat it as soon as possible as it can increase hair fall.
“So, it becomes even more important to look after your scalp.
“Your scalp is an extension of the skin on your face, so deserves equal attention!
“It is a living tissue that produces oil, sweats, and sheds skin cells.”
To bid the flakes goodbye, Anabel recommends using a targeted anti-microbial shampoo- such as Philip Kinglsley’s Flaky/Itchy Scalp Shampoo – paired with a daily soothing scalp toner.
Kate adds: “For irritated and flaky scalps, make sure you are taking your vitamin D supplement and eating lots of fruit and vegetables to counteract the lack of sunshine and increase in sugar and alcohol most of us partake in over the party season.”
As for a scalp-supporting shampoo, she suggests giving Noughty’s Care Taker range a go.
3. Dehydrated hair
“There are a lot of external factors that can cause hair to become drier in the winter,” according to Anabel.
“We tend to forget that central heating can have a big impact.
“Dry hair tends to be more porous. It will absorb moisture quickly and lose it quickly too, whereas healthy hair will retain moisture making it elastic – dry hair becomes brittle and breaks.
“Tell tale signs of dry hair are frizz, lack of shine, tangles, crisp straw-like texture and breakage.”
If this is you, pamper your parched strands once a week with a deep-conditioning treatment before you shampoo.
Anabel recommend’s Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer for a moisture boost.
Meanwhile, Kate suggests using a rich treatment mask such as the Noughty To The Rescue.
She adds: “To avoid frizz, use a microfibre towel to dry your hair.
“If your hair is curly, gently detangle while it’s wet or nearly dry if you have straight hair.
“Treat yourself to natural fibre hats and jumpers made of wool, cotton or cashmere to reduce flyaways.”
Hair loss tips
We can lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, according to the NHS.
It is not usually something to worry about, but occasional it can be a sign of a medical concern.
These include illness, stress, cancer treatment, weight loss and iron deficiency.
The NHS advises to book an appointment with your GP to see if you can get to the cause of it.
Experts at American Academy of Dermatology Association also recommend to eat healthy, limit curling irons and only use them for special occasions.
They also recommend using a gentle shampoo, and make use of leave-in conditioners.
4. Split ends
Your ends may also deserve some extra love this winter.
“As hair becomes drier and frizzier due to external factors in winter, the chances are your hair might break easily – especially if you don’t use treatments that improve hydration,” Anabel explains.
“Breakage can lead to split-ends, which if not looked after can really damage hair health, as they can split further up the hair shaft, causing even more damage.”
That’s why it’s important to schedule in regular trims, even if you’re trying to grow your hair out, as this will help swerve the dreaded split ends and leave your hair looking and feeling healthier.
5. Festive over-styling
Your packed December schedule of Christmas parties and work dos might see you breaking out your hairdryer and straighteners more often than normal.
“This can, over time, break down the keratin in the hair making it weaker and more prone to breakage,” Anabel warns.
“While it may take a little longer, a low to medium heat setting will give you great styling results, but without dryness, breakage, and split ends.
“You should also always use a heat protective product such as our Perfecting Primer Heat Protection Spray and don’t hold your dryer right next to your strands.”
Sun Health's favourite hair products
Strolling the aisles in Boots and Superdrug can be overwhelming.
With so many hair products on offer, it can be difficult to know which to buy – especially when they all claim to do wonders for your tresses.
Well, these are our favourites.
Vanessa Chalmers, Assistant Head of Health
Shea Moisture Superfruit Complex 10-in-1 Multi-Benefit Hair Masque
“I wouldn’t use any other hair mask. As someone with ringlet curls, it’s necessary to keep them hydrated to stop them from knotting. I only use it once a fortnight or so – otherwise I’ll use the Curl & Shine conditioner. I can tell the difference straight away – the curls are very soft and silky. This brand is best for people with more coarse hair as it provides a lot of moisture but fewer protein-building ingredients.”
Alice Fuller, Health Features Editor
“I’ve been using it for about 15 years and I don’t want to try anything else. It glides through wet and dry hair so easily, and doesn’t make it fall out.”
Isabel Shaw, Health Reporter
OGX Renewing+ Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Penetrating Oil
“I like to apply this to the ends of my hair when it looks particularly dry and wispy. It helps make my hair look healthier, less damaged, and a bit thicker, plus it smells really good.”
Sam Blanchard, Health Correspondent
“I have fine and unruly hair and this will hold it in any style easily. I’ve tried a lot of hairsprays since I was a teenager and found this has the best combination of strong hold, easy to brush or wash out, and it doesn’t stink like a lot of others.”
Eliza Loukou, Health Reporter
“I’ve used this since I was a teenager. I spritz this into my roots for some extra texture and it smells pleasantly salty and sandy, like the beach. Plus, it doesn’t break me out in the back of my neck or hairline like other texturising products I’ve used in the past.”