With Fall quickly creeping up on us, I thought now would be a good time to discuss ways to protect your hair from the winter chill. If you're fortunate enough to live in sub-equatorial climate that doesn't experience huge seasonal changes then consider yourself lucky as you probably don't have to think of newfangled ways to protect your hair from the elements. However, if you're in the same boat I'm in - that is, stuck in a place where the changes are quite extreme - it is probably a good idea to start thinking about how you will protect your hair from the elements. Fall and winter tend to be problematic for kinky/curly naturals because the air tends to be drier, (hair that is prone to dryness + dry air = NO M'AAM!), it's cold, often windy and don't forget the icy temperatures. Here are a few tips that should help you ease into the cooler seasons without a setback to speak of:
1. Hide Your Hair: Just as the bears go into hiding during the winter, consider applying this same practice to your hair. Wear protective styles like twists, braids, updos, buns. My personal new favorite is braided hair under a full wig.
If you choose to wear your hair loose this winter consider wearing a head scarf or silk-lined hat whenever you're outside then removing them when indoors. The goal is to keep your hair from being dried out or experiencing wear and tear from the cold and harsh winds.
2. Moisturize + Seal: During the winter you may notice the dryer air tends to leave your hair drier and more fragile than usual. Therefore, moisturizing your hair then sealing it to prevent the moisture from escaping becomes more pertinent. Consider doing a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week then sealing the moisture in with a hair butter or oil of your choice afterwards.
3. Good Nutrition & Exercise: Often times we think of hair care as being entirely external but the truth is internal health plays an integral role in the health and growth of your hair. If your body is not receiving adequate nutrition it will manifest in your hair as hair-fall or thinning hair and/or slower growth. You may notice slower growth during the winter months. I can only speculate as to why but my guess would be blood circulation slows in the cold thus resulting in slower delivery of nutrients to your hair follicles. Or it could have something to do with a vitamin D deficiency since many of us tend to spend more time indoors during winter. Whatever the reason it wouldn't hurt to give your hair, (and body) a boost by eating nutrient dense foods or if you don't trust yourself to eat better during the holiday months, consider a multi-vitamin or hair,skin and nails vitamin, (Note: always consult a physician before starting a new vitamin regimen). Also consider working out or getting some physical activity to help boost your circulation.
4. Re-evaluate Your Products: With the seasonal change you will notice that some products don't work as well as they did in the summer. Humectants like glycerin for example function by pulling moisture from the air into your hair. This is great for those humid summer months where there's plenty of moisture in the air to pull into your hair. However, in the winter when air tends to be dry humectants have the opposite effect. With no moisture to pull from the air they instead pull the moisture in your hair out into the dry air consequently making your hair dryer. Humectants work best when the dew point is between 1.5 - 10°C so keep that in mind if you still choose to continue using them during the winter.
Et voila! With a little effort and care you'll make it through the harsh winter months beautifully. Happy hair growing everybody!
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