Winter weather damaging your hair

Trichologist Iain Sallis tell you why, and how to combat it

Oct 2010

Iain Sallis, one of only a handful of trichologists in the country, is extending his reach to those with hair and scalp problems across the UK this month as he talks about the effects the winter weather has on your hair and just how you can deal with it (Including a homemade formula with eggs and yoghurt!)

Winter months have a double impact on the hair - firstly and most obviously the weather is very cold and dry, as our hair cannot ‘react’ and tell us how dry it is becoming (like the skin can) we have to find out by how it feels and how it reacts.

If you think of how dry and chapped your lips can become, you can now imagine how dry your hair can become before you actually ‘feel’ that it’s been affected.

But there is an equally damaging process going on in the winter months...the cold weather does have a drying effect on the hair, not to mention the damp weather making styles last less time, but the main problems is actually man made.

Central heating makes for very dry atmospheres inside homes and businesses which can cause just as much damage as the cold weather outside. In centrally heated rooms this moisture content is very low and so the moisture is expelled from the hair causing it to dry and frizz...this exacerbates the drying effect of winter.

The reason this ‘drying out’ phenomenon outside and in is because the hair is ‘Hygroscopic’.

A substance which is Hygroscopic allows it’s moisture content to equalises to the atmosphere it’s in at that time, This means that in a dry atmosphere (such as a centrally heated room) hair will expel moisture until it is the same level as the room it’s in, or in damp atmospheres (eg mist, or an indoor swimming pool) it will absorb the moisture in the atmosphere until it is the same ...this is the chemistry which allows blow dries to work and why styled hair never lasts in damp conditions!)

Now you’re aware of this amazing property of hair you can now use it to explain to your clients (in scientific terms) about best hair care practice for the winter.

Educate them by teaching them that to avoid this two-pronged onslaught to their hair they will need to follow some simple rules:

• Using humidifiers in the home (or even a bowl of water where the radiators are located) will have a long lasting effect on the atmosphere of the room, making the hair less arid and so the hair will not expel the moisture content into the atmosphere so readily!

• Wear a hat! You can put your hair into when you’re going outside in the cold, the heat from your head will allow the immediate atmosphere to stay ambient and again not lose that precious moisture into the air.
 

• Use intensive treatments in the winter months, intensive conditioners are really good as they offer a simple solution to this major problem and your clients are more likely buy one intensive treatment rather than a shampoo and a conditioner.

The best ones on the market are pre-shampoo treatments, these are enriched with different types of oils (avocado, castor, sunflower, almond, olive) all of which are too heavy if used after shampooing, but if used before, they are ideal at getting the lost

MAKE YOUR OWN WINTER HAIR CARE RELIEF FORMULA!

Failing all this you can make up your own masks for home/salon use! All you need is

• 2 Eggs

• 3oz Plain Yoghurt

• 1/2oz Olive oil

• 1/2 oz Lemon Juice

• 1/2oz Purified water

• 1 Ripe avocado (peeled and stoned)

Whisk in a blender and your good to go! A perfect winter pre-shampoo treatment full of proteins and oil which is great for the hair!