Hair Quicktip: Prevent Thinning & Hair Loss This Winter!

I love her fro! [source]

In yesterday's post I touched on the importance of keeping your scalp exfoliated during the winter months. Dry air from central heating as well as the lack of moisture outside can wreak havoc on your scalp triggering inflammation. As I mentioned before, scalp inflammation is the number one cause of hair loss amongst women.

Ladies the health of your scalp is just as important as taking care of the length of your hair. Healthy hair starts at the scalp. When your scalp is covered in excess sebum, product buildup and dead skin, one of two things can occur; hair loss or thinning coupled with dry, flaky conditions. - Scalp maintenance is important no matter how you choose to wear your hair this winter. If you plan on wearing protective styles like wigs, extensions and braids it is even more important as the hair that is touching your scalp can trap bacteria, excess product, sebum and dead skin cells.

Shampoo Regularly: I am a proponent of shampooing regularly even during the winter months, and here is why; the cooler months is when I tend to pack on the ultra thick moisturizers and styling products. Because of this, my hair is much more prone to build-up and clogged hair follicles. Buildup and clogged follicles is a breeding ground for bacteria and inflammation.

Keep your scalp protected with a scalp serum: Just as you should keep your hair protected from the dry hair, your scalp is no different. Reach for a light serum especially one formulated with essential oils to keep your scalp nourished, moisturized and protected from the elements.- Apply a serum directly to your scalp 3-4 times weekly to keep your nourish your follicles, protect and hydrate your scalp, as well as prevent any issues with skin inflammation.

Here are a few of my favorite products geared towards protecting and nourishing the scalp:

Hair & Scalp Treatments at Beauty Habit
Hair & Scalp Treatments by Phyto

Ion Scalp Exfoliating Treatment: This inexpensive product [$2.99] can be found at your local Sally's Beauty Supply. It is formulated to help remove dead skin cells, excess sebum and relieve issues associated with skin inflammation.

Phyto Scalp Elixir: This is a blend of essential oils mixed in a carrier oil base [corn oil]. While I do like this product, those that are handy in the kitchen can whip up their own mix using the same essential oils but in a better carrier oil like Jojoba. - With all of that being said [lol] this product can relieve scalp issues associated with skin inflammation and encourage healthy hair growth.

Jane Carter, Scalp Nourishing Serum: My favorite product for protecting and nourishing the scalp. This all natural product is formulated with essential oils that delivers nutrients deep into the cortex whilst promoting healthy hair growth. Not only does it nourish and promote growth, it also corrects chronic scalp issues naturally.

Tip: Use this product around the nape and hairline to promote growth to those areas.

John Masters Organics Deep Scalp Follicle Treatment: Another highly recommended product, this treatment can correct excess sebum production, protect your scalp from free radicals, promote growth, and correct chronic scalp issues.

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Winterproof Your Hair! The Weather Is Changing. Has Your Hair Regimen?

Straight or curly for the winter? [source]

The cold winter months can wreak havoc on your kinks, coils and curls. Extreme winter weather can rob moisture from your hair leaving it dry, brittle and filled with static electricity due to the dryness in the air. The heat from your central heating is also a culprit contributing to the lack of moisture as well. Here are a few winter tips to help combat dryness and retain moisture.

Put away glycerin for the winter: My favorite moisturizer is comprised mostly of glycerin, so I have to pack it away during the cold winter months. Glycerin is an amazing humectant when there is actually moisture in the air. Glycerin keeps hair moisturized by attracting water molecules to your strands which hydrates your hair. During the colder months there is very little "moisture" or humidity in the air, so glycerin has the reverse effect. It pulls moisture from your hair instead of from the elements around you. What this means is using glycerin during the winter could have drying effects; leaving your hair hard, gummy and dry.



* I only stash the products that contain a substantial amount of glycerin. Lets say in the first 2-3 ingredients [think moisturizing spritz's, or moisturizers with glycerin as the second or third ingredient] . Products that contain humectants further down the ingredient list may still work for me [and may also work for you] during the winter, it's just a series of trial and error and dependent upon the product and the climate of your location.- For example, lots of curlies in colder climates rave about Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive being their staple product during the winter, yet this product contains glycerin. Although I don't know the exact product formulation, I can tell by looking at the ingredients that come before and after it to know that it doesn't contain that much [ingredients are listed in descending order of weight, from most prevelant to least].

Use sulfate-free shampoo: The name of the game during the harsh winter months is moisture retention. Put away your regular shampoo and reach for a product that is sulfate free. Sulfate-free shampoo's are less drying to the hair and scalp which helps your hair retain more moisture.

Product Recommendations:

• Keracare Sulfate Free Hydrating, Detangling Shampoo
• Jane Carter's Hydrating Invigorating Shampoo
• Carol's Daughter Hair Milk Shampoo 

Always use a leave in: Leave-in conditioners nourish the follicles with hair-loving vitamins and nutrients whilst protecting the hair from the harsh elements of winter.

Product Recommendations:

• Lanza Leave-In Conditioner
• Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Conditioner

Moisturize daily with a light moisturizer and seal with an oil: This replenishes moisture and helps your strands brave the elements of the dry, cold winter months. The moisturizer hydrates and nourishes your hair while the oil acts as a barrier and seals in the moisture.

Product Recommendations [Moisturizers]:

• VO5 Strawberries & Cream Moisturemilks mixed with water
• Jane Carter Revitalizing Leave-In
• Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier 
• Carol's Daughter Tui Leave-In ** 

Product Recommendations [Oils]

• Castor Oil
• Avocado Oil
  

Apply a heavy moisturizer twice weekly for extra reinforcement: Apply a heavy moisturizer to the ends of your hair only, as the ends are the oldest most fragile portion of your tresses.

Product Recommendations:

• Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream
• Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Butter Cream
• Oyin's Whipped Pudding**

Weekly deep conditioning steam treatments: Slather on your favorite heavy duty deep conditioner and sit under a steamer for a deep treat. You can also put a plastic cap over your head and wrap a warm towel around the cap for a steam treatment as well. Steam treatments during the winter helps keep your hair soft, manageable, improve elasticity of the hair, and helps the conditioner better penetrate the shaft by using steam to gently open the cuticles.

Product Recommendations:

• Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose
• Lanza Moisture Treatment

Exfoliate scalp regularly: The dry, harsh weather can leave your scalp dry, itchy, flaky and inflamed. Please remember to exfoliate your scalp regularly to avoid hair loss and thinning due to inflammation. You can clarify to gently remove excess dirt, sebum, and dead skin cells, or you can use a natural DIY alternative like the methods outlined in {this} post.

Protective styling: Protective styling is an option to get through those winter months without exposing the most fragile portion of your hair [the ends] to the elements. You can wear buns, braids, wigs, extensions and even phony ponies. Often, many women also decide to go straight for the winter as they find it easier to deal with the needs of their hair while straight. - Over the next few weeks I will offer heat-free protective styling ideas that are a bit more fancy vs the run-of-the-mill bun.

**These products contain glycerin but still work well for me during the winter. 

What do you do to your hair over the winter to keep it soft and hydrated? 

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