We are all gearing up for another amazing winter season which for most people involves long hours inside. Although it is an amazing weather but having some knowledge about what it can do to your healthy hair is valuable to protect your tresses from damage.

Cold and dry weather can be extremely harmful to the overall health of your locks. It can dry out your scalp, hair and diminish their ability to hold on to moisture. All in all, a cold climate or long winter can result in split ends, frizzy hair and loss of volume. There are many tips and tricks that can be implemented to keep your locks protected during the cold months. They include:

Limit cold weather exposure: Keep your head and hair covered when you are out. Wearing a soft scarf or a comfortable hat are great options to protect them from winter woes.

Limit shampooing: When you wash your hair, it loses natural oils and moisture. Though your scalp and hair tend to be dry during cold months, shampooing regularly can make them even more dry and rough. So wash your tresses twice or max thrice a week following a few preventive measures regarding the temperature of water and type of shampoo you are using.

Use high-quality mild shampoo and conditioner: The shampoo should contain the properties to gently cleanse your scalp and hair providing them with a protective shield. Use a conditioner that is light and creamy, making your locks soft and silky and also protecting their health.

Do not wash your hair with extremely hot water: Wash your hair with warm water to avoid damage. Although hot water bath can be tempted during winter but it washes away all the moisture from the scalp and hair making them very dry and thus prone to breakage and other damages.

Do not go out with wet hair: Exposing wet hair directly to cold weather outside can increase the drying duration. Also letting hair wet for long time will make it freeze increasing the risk of breakage. So remain inside until your hair is wet.

Do not use hair dryer: Let your hair air dry after shampooing it. Using a dryer can harm your hair as the heat coming out from the dryer can dry out your scalp taking away the moisture along with it.

Oil your hair twice or thrice a week: It is an important step to protect hair exposed to cold weather. Give your scalp and hair a hot massage with any nourishing oil such as coconut or olive oil to coat the hair shaft. The oil should contain 100 percent natural origin ingredients and it should also be free from silicone’s  and artificial colours and fragrances. Let the oil remain in your hair for one to two hours or preferably overnight for better hydration and thus protection. Rinse the next morning.

Avoid using hair styling tools: Hair styling tools such as hair curling rods, hair pressing machines etc. and harsh chemicals to keep hair styles intact for long time damage hair and make them brittle. Avoid or minimize their use during winter as the season itself sucks away moisture from your tresses making them weak.

Get your hair trimmed at regular intervals: Cold weather makes your hair ends dry and brittle which result in split ends. To avoid this problem, visit a salon at regular intervals, say every two months and get your hair trimmed to avoid damage during winter.

Use humidifier: Using a humidifier at home adds back the valuable moisture to the hair and scalp which is lost due to the exposure in cold weather, thus helping prevent all the winter woes for hair and also maintaining them healthy and vibrant.

Eat healthy: Eat foods full of nutrients especially vitamins, protein and minerals. A well-balanced diet can make your tresses naturally nourished and thus healthy and beautiful.

Drink more water: To keep your hair naturally hydrated, make sure to drink 10 to 12 glasses of water daily during winter.

Caring for your scalp and hair is important because when they are unhealthy or damaged, the overall beauty of a person becomes disrupted. With these tips, your hair will stop struggling and continue to grow strong, shiny and beautiful.