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Hair transplant expert reveals how to save your hair from damage this Winter

5 Things You Will Be Doing This Winter That Damage Your Hair

Dr. Shahmalak, a renowned hair transplant surgeon, explains what it is that we can do each season to avoid hair loss and breakage.

 

Research suggests that winter brings the most trouble for your hair. We must be aware of what this season brings to ensure we prevent unnecessary damage. Here are some of the things you might be doing wrong this winter and how to avoid them:

 

  1. Excessive use of electric heaters: Electric heaters won’t only affect your wallet this winter, they will also damage your hair if used in excess. To avoid this and be able to retain the moisture in your hair, decrease the amount of time you spend next to electric heaters or decrease the power setting your equipment is usually set at.

  2. Going on strict diets before/after Christmas: Whilst these can help you feel and look amazing after all the food you eat at Christmas, they can also cause great damage to your hair. By being strict with what you eat and cutting out specific foods that provide vitamins for your hair, you may cause it to become dull, dry, and breakable.

  3. Overindulging in comfort food: Winter is the season of comfort foods, and with that, comes plenty of carbohydrates. Overindulgence in carbs could cause your scalp to produce extra sebum. Whilst sebum isn’t exactly damaging to your hair, the build-up of it can cause dandruff and itchiness which could be damaging to your scalp.

  4. Not taking your vitamin supplements: Your body will use all the extra energy it can get to warm you up as the temperatures decline. This will leave no energy left to maintain your hair. Make sure to take extra vitamins to help your body help you.

  5. Bleaching your hair: This isn’t to say you can’t bleach your hair in the winter at all, but do try to minimise the amount you do it as your hair is already plenty dry from the use of artificial heat sources and wearing hats. If you do decide to bleach your hair, make sure to keep it extra hydrated.

Hair health depends on various factors, some of which we cannot control, the different seasons of the year being some of them. According to the research we present to you below, spring is the time of the year your hair will be at its healthiest, due to several reasons:

 

  • Blood flow is at its most efficient as the weather gets warmer, which increases hair growth rate. Whilst this is great news for the length of your hair, blood flow also increases the production of sebum. Dr. Shahmalak says “Increased blood flow does help but it can also increase sebum which can affect the hair growth if the hair and scalp are not cleaned by washing.”

  • Hair receives a break from harsh weather conditions that the rest of the year can provide.

  • The chocolate that we consume at Easter gives us an excellent potassium boost that is essential for promoting hair growth.

  • Spring brings many seasonal foods and fruits full of vitamins that give our hair a boost.

 

Please find below the complete research regarding what happens to hair in the different seasons, what dietary decisions you should make and what vitamins you should take to promote hair health and growth.

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Hair in the different seasons

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

As the weather gets warmer, it is normal to shed hair. The common amount of hair shedding is up to 100 strands per day.

Hair grows the most during the summer. Around 10% more than in other seasons.

During October and November, the effects of the dryness of the summer months is prominently seen in your hair, so special care is to be taken.

As the weather gets colder, our houses get warmer with the use of electric heaters which can dry out our hair.

In the spring our hair gets a break from any harsh conditions that the rest of the seasons provide. This includes any extreme hot UV rays in the summer, cold winds in the autumn and drying artificial heaters that we use in the winter. Spring provides a welcome break for our hair to recover from the rest of the year.

Due to the increased level of sweat that we produce during the warmer months, our hair will need to be washed more than usual, which removes healthy oils from our hair more often.

During the autumn months our lymphatic system slows down which increases the risk of having a dry and itchy scalp. In some cases this can lead to hair loss.

Our body chooses to use lots of energy in the winter to keep warm instead of in other “less important” aspects of our hair.

Blood flow becomes more efficient as the weather gets warmer. Increased blood flow helps more blood reach the scalp which in turn allows hair to grow faster due to the higher level of nutrients reaching it.

The use of blow dryers and straightening irons should be lessened as your hair is already getting enough damage from the heat of the sun.

As the weather gets colder and the days shorter, mental health can sometimes take a toll on you. Stress can lead to an increased rate of hair loss.

We are more likely to be ill during the winter months so it is natural to shed more hair than normal during this time.

Vitamin D is essential for hair growth so with the increased exposure to the sun in the summer, you are more likely to notice an increase in length during these months.

Limiting the use of bleach and hair dyes that dry out your hair can help your overall hair health in the winter as your hair is already plenty dry from the use of artificial heat sources.

 

Dr. Shahmalak confirms that diet makes a huge impact on the health of our hair. He says “Strict diets, depriving the body of key nutrition, can be one of the causes of hair loss”. Understanding how we can use each season’s foods for the benefit of our hair can be a game changing tool for our self-care routine.

Diets in the different seasons

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Fasting for lent can lead to a loss in calories and essential vitamins which in turn can lead you to experience hair loss.

Fish can often be a diet choice in summer but fish with high mercury has been linked to hair loss.

Pumpkins aren’t only great decorations for the autumn season, they are also hair growth superfoods! They include omega fatty acids and vitamin B7.

Diets rich in carbohydrates may contribute to hair loss and people are more likely to eat these during winter for comfort food as they can increase sebum production.

Earthy green vegetables are a staple in cooking during spring time. These will provide your body with essential vitamins that are great for your hair.

Summer is the season of the year with the most seasonal foods that benefit your hair. Some examples are avocados, berries, papaya and carrots.

Speciality drinks such as pumpkin spice or maple drinks may need a rethink as they contain high amounts of sugar. Some drinks contain over 50g of sugar – consuming this on a daily basis can have lots of adverse health effects such as liver problems and weight gain which can all hinder hair growth.

Post-christmas intense diets that focus on calorie deficits and cutting back on certain foods can push more hair into the shedding phase. What’s more, periods of intense exercise causing excessive sweating and sebum creation on the scalp can cause hair loss.

During Easter we often eat higher amounts of chocolate. whilst chocolate isn’t the healthiest snack option, it provides a great source of potassium which is beneficial for hair growth.

After summer time, our vitamin D levels go down from the decrease of exposure to the sun. VItamin D stimulates hair follicles to grow so it’s essential to take vitamin D supplements during the colder months to ensure this does not impact our hair growth goals.

 

Seasonal Foods For Your Hair

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Spinach

Avocados

Nuts

Sweet Potato

Lentils

Berries

Kiwi

Olive Oil

Barley

Beans

Oysters

Chickpeas

Peppers

Chia Seeds

Papaya

Citrus Fruits

Carrots

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