If you have started finding more hair on your pillow, in the comb and in the bathroom drain since the weather turned, you are not alone. A lot of people notice their hair fall gets worse as October and November arrive, and their scalp starts to feel tight, itchy or flaky at the same time.
Most of that comes down to what winter does to your scalp and to the habits that come with the season. Change a few of those habits and your hair has a much easier few months.
Why hair fall gets worse in winter
Your hair is only as healthy as the scalp it grows from. In winter, that scalp gets dry.
The air holds less moisture, so it draws more of it out of your skin, scalp included. Indoors, gas and electric heaters dry the air even further. And the hot geyser water that feels so good on a cold morning strips away the natural oil your scalp needs to stay comfortable.
A dry scalp is often an itchy one, and many people find dandruff flares up in these months too. Scratching and rubbing a dry, flaky scalp is hard on the roots. Dry hair is also more brittle, so more strands snap during brushing and drying. Together, that is a lot more hair in your hand than you are used to seeing.
What actually helps
Wash with lukewarm water, not hot. This is the change people resist most and notice most. Very hot water pulls oil from the scalp and leaves it tighter and itchier afterwards. Lukewarm water cleans just as well.
Wash less often. Two or three times a week is enough for most people in winter. Washing every day gives a dry scalp no chance to settle.
Oil your scalp before you wash. A regular oil massage is the oldest winter hair habit in Pakistani homes for good reason. Massaging oil into the scalp and roots puts back the moisture winter takes out, and the massage itself is gentle on the roots compared with scratching an itchy scalp.
Always use a conditioner. Put it on the lengths of your hair, not the scalp, and rinse it out well. Dry winter hair breaks much more easily without it.
Be gentle when it is wet. Wet hair is at its weakest. Squeeze it in a soft towel instead of rubbing, comb it with a wide tooth comb once it is a little drier, and use a dryer on a cool setting if you use one at all.
Never go out in the cold with wet hair. Let it dry first. Cold air on wet hair leaves it rough and brittle.
Cover your head outdoors. A soft cotton scarf or a loose cap protects your hair from cold, dry wind. Avoid anything tight that pulls at the hairline.
Keep a little distance from the heater. Sitting right next to it for hours dries out your hair and scalp along with your skin.
Where RYP fits into a winter routine
Our RYP Herbal Hair Oil is made from four ingredients and nothing else: mustard oil, coconut oil, castor oil and black seeds. Massage it into your scalp and roots, leave it for two to three hours or overnight, then wash it out with a mild shampoo. Use it three or four nights a week.
Give it a full four weeks before you judge it. Most people see about half as much hair fall in that time, and new growth usually shows around week seven. Hair fall slows first, and growth comes later.
To wash it out, our RYP Herbal Hair Shampoo is made with amla, aritha and shikakai, without harmful chemicals. Wet your hair, massage the shampoo into your scalp for two to three minutes, and rinse with lukewarm water. Follow it with a conditioner every time. This shampoo needs one, and in winter that matters even more. A few customers have told us their scalp felt dry when they skipped it.
If you want both together, our Hair Fall Routine Kit has the oil and the shampoo in one order.
When to see a doctor
Some extra shedding when the weather changes is common, and a good routine helps most people through it. See a doctor or dermatologist if your hair is coming out in patches, if you are losing much more than usual very suddenly, if your scalp is red, sore or crusting, or if the hair fall continues for months whatever you try. Hair fall can have causes that no oil or shampoo was ever meant to fix, and those deserve a proper check.
If you are not sure whether RYP is right for your hair, message us on WhatsApp at +92 334 1834483 and we will tell you honestly.
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