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The extremes of summer might have inspired us to create reels romanticizing winter. But just like that, the season of Wonderland has arrived. The sun wants to feel like a soft embrace rather than boiling you to a pulp in real time, the AC remotes have probably been put away for the next few months and the comfortable, loose-fitting clothes are finally coming out of the wardrobe – albeit with a small fuss.
Everything feels weird when your scalp isn’t in the best condition – and before getting fit and having fun, unfortunately it’s the first thing winter temperatures affect. If you’re one of those people who makes step-by-step changes to your skin care routine as the seasons change (and it’s a good thing to do!), know that your scalp deserves and demands the same attention to detail. We asked the experts to show us a great winter getaway for hair.
your manual
Dr Kiran Sethi, MD and Founder, Isya Aesthetics in New Delhi explains how dry and cold air directly impacts the scalp, however using hot water on it activates yeast on the skin causing it to become flaky. “How often you wash your hair depends entirely on your scalp type as well as the season. So first of all you have to identify what is your scalp type in every season. So in summers your scalp can be oily but in winters your scalp can be dry. It is very important that you observe your scalp. Secondly if you start exercising a lot then excess sweat also increases in the scalp. Can cause blockage, so that’s something to be mindful of. Third, high glycemic foods, processed foods can really increase the amount of oil you secrete and worsen the condition of your scalp,” she says. “If you have an oily scalp, you can wash your hair two to three times per week, usually using a shampoo that has salicylic acid or something like that,” she says. “Cuts out oil. If your scalp is dry, you may need to shampoo less often, maybe even once a week (look for) shampoos with urea or more hydrating shampoos that also contain conditioners in these cases.”
Now it is not at all necessary to change your entire range of hair care products as soon as the temperature drops. Dr. Sethi explains, “You can change your hair products with the change of seasons, but only if your scalp is reacting to the change of seasons. If oil is high in the summer you want to use lighter products, perhaps conditioning quarts. You want to avoid your waxes and heavier products. If your (scalp) is dry, you can continue with these products, but remember, heavier products can increase acne and dandruff.”
Should we be checking bottle labels for any miracle ingredients? “I really like behentrimonium chloride. It’s a wonderful cationic agent that reduces hair loss. I would also avoid too many surfactants, they contain a lot of surfactants which dry out the hair”, she shares.
Healthy hair starts in the gut
You can spend money on the most expensive haircare lines, no-heat stylers, and XYZ supplements — but if you’re not eating right, no amount of combing and coaxing your hair will turn it green overnight. Especially when the temperature starts falling. “Scalp and skin depend heavily on a person’s nutritional status and hydration levels. During winter, due to less humidity, the skin produces sebum at a slower rate, which can lead to flaking and dryness,” explains nutritionist Rashi Chahal of La Dame.
But how does one combat this? She says, “It’s best to supplement your diet with omega-3 fatty acids to fight dry hair. Flax seeds, walnuts and chia seeds are good sources. To control hair fall, make sure your diet has enough protein, folic acid and B-vitamins. Good sources are mung beans, lentils, millets – but also increase water intake in your diet.”
A puzzling and very common conundrum during the winter months is also matted lengths and a sebum-soaked scalp, giving us the worst of both worlds. To this end, Rashi suggests, “To balance sebum production on the scalp, include antioxidants like vitamin A in your diet, especially zinc found in pumpkin sweet potatoes and seeds.”
Skin and hair are rarely one size fits all. That being said, there are some common superfoods that can work wonders for your hair over time — and winter is a great time to start. Rashi suggests amla, which is a good source of vitamin C, which also boosts collagen production, flax seeds, which help fight inflammation apart from being an excellent source for omega-3, fermented foods, which keep the gut healthy so the absorption of all the essential nutrients and vitamins is increased, sweet potatoes and carrots are a good source of vitamin A and antioxidants, and all the green vegetables which help in hair growth due to their magnesium content. Are.
Will you be giving your scalp the TLC it needs this winter?
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