Why winter is wreaking havoc on your hair—and how to solve it

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15th Jul 2019

In Australia, it’s safe to say that, collectively, winter isn’t our preferred season. Among the long list of reasons we can’t cope with the cold—our homes are built to welcome coastal breezes; our wardrobes skewed towards warmer climes—the hair on our heads generally protests to any form of cold snap. Much like our complexions and the associated winter woes, our scalp has to deal with the onslaught of cooler temperatures and drier surrounds, which leads to a host of hair concerns.

“Hair is pretty robust, but during winter the movement between the cold outdoors and the heated inside, hair is constantly trying to get back to equilibrium,” says Dyson design engineer, Rob Smith, whose primary concern when creating the brand’s Airwrap was maintaining hair health. While humidity changes can affect style retention, strands already damaged by heat styling struggle to adapt to hot and cold changes. “Thermally damaged hair actually takes longer to get to this equilibrium, meaning that water is moving into and out of the hair for longer, keeping it in constant flux,” says Smith.

During winter, even people with naturally oily strands might begin to notice dry ends, a flaky scalp and increased static electricity. “I find hair and scalp dryness to be a very common issue for people that I consult for, especially during seasonal changes,” explains trichologist, Simone Lee. “The hair may become dryer, brittle, knotty and appear to have less shine while the scalp can become sensitive, tight, itchy and loose white flakes of skin may appear.”

Aside from staying in a temperature-controlled bubble all winter, there are a few simple changes we can make to see us through the colder months. Firstly, switch your thinking on heat styling: blowdry strands instead of letting them dry naturally, which can actually lead to breakage. “Never leave the house with wet or damp hair as the bonds of the hair are disrupted by water, so are still very weak and very easily damaged,” notes Dyson style ambassador, Jayne Wild. Another small change which can make an impact? Avoid tying your hair into a pony-tail or topknot while wet. “The hairband you use will fracture the hair,” says Wild. “I also say to never brush the hair while wet, use a large tooth comb to smooth it out [instead].”

When it comes to protecting your hair from the elements, the formulas in your beauty cabinet can assist, too. To add moisture and counteract environmental factors like UV and wind damage, always apply a heat protecting product before styling. “Like a sunscreen provides a protective barrier to the skin from UV, thermal protectors work by forming a film over the hair to reduce damage from hot styling tools,” says Lee. And as always, the simplest beauty advice still rings true. “Pay attention to how much water you’re drinking,” says Lee. “Like all cells in your body need water to function, so do the skin cells of your scalp for optimum health.”