Signs that your hair is dry and needs serious attention

Dry hair needs extra care to retain it’s moisture. Picture: Pexels.

Dry hair needs extra care to retain it’s moisture. Picture: Pexels.

Published May 20, 2024

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Just like the skin, most people’s hair goes through a dramatic change in winter. During the cold season, it is likely to suffer from dry hair.

This can be caused by the low humidity level during winter, which results in the hair being stripped of its natural oils and moisture, causing it to be dry and sometimes brittle.

There are three critical stages to dry hair, and Kérastase helps us identify them.

Scalp stage: Insufficient proteins, fatty acids, and vitamins contribute to a dry, irritated scalp prone to discomfort.

Lengths stage: Lack of essential nutrients and a weakened protective shield lead to rough, lacklustre hair.

Ends stage: Nutrient deficiencies and damaged cuticles result in brittle, split-prone ends.

Two factors contribute to dry hair, which are internal and external.

Internal Factors: Some people naturally have lower oil production, which hampers the formation of a protective film on the hair. This genetic predisposition requires consistent nourishing care to replenish the missing oil and retain moisture in the hair.

External Factors: Winter elements like frequent combing, exposure to UV rays, cold, and chemical treatments exacerbate dryness by damaging the cuticle and depleting essential proteins and lipids.

This leads to difficult-to-manage hair, split ends and a lacklustre appearance.

Solutions to dry hair

To stop your hair from being dry in winter, you must have a healthy routine. Like the skin, your hair also needs extra care and that includes having a consistent routine to keep it well nourished.

For starters, you have to apply oil or treatment to your hair at least once a week. You can do this by applying an avocado hair mask or a hot oil treatment.

Also, get into the habit of hydrating your hair with water first before applying any product, that will help seal whatever product you are using.

Moisturise your hair daily. By so doing, you’ll be feeding your hair all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.