Has your hair been a dry, frizzy mess of split ends since the days got colder? Have you been scratching an itchy scalp continuously since the sun disappeared behind the clouds, locked up in winter’s fortress?

These are the typical hair and scalp care woes we face during the cold, dry days of winter. While there is nothing you can do to change the weather, thankfully, there are some ways you can protect your hair and scalp from winter’s damaging effects.

Tips for Dealing With Dry Hair in Winter

The dry air during the winter months tends to leach moisture right out of your scalp and locks. Here are some tips for keeping your hair and scalp hydrated:

• Don’t wash your hair too frequently. The more often you shampoo your hair, the more you will dry it out. What is just right in the summer could be too frequent in the winter.
• Get rid of shampoo that dries out your hair. If you are using shampoo with sulfates, that will pull moisture out of your locks. Replace such shampoos with products which do not contain them.                                                                           
• Apply a healthy hair oil. There are numerous types of nourishing, natural oils which you can apply to your hair to lock in moisture. Some examples include coconut oil, almond oil and olive oil.
• Try not to expose your hair to high heat. While the cold air of winter can dry out your hair, so can high heat from your blow dryer, shower, or even your space heater. That doesn’t mean you should avoid hot hair or hot water, but you should try to moderate your exposure to both.
• Take a healthy hair supplement. One more way you can protect your hair and scalp during the winter is to take a healthy supplement for hair. Ingredients such as biotin, pantothenic acid, thiamine, collagen, keratin, pumpkin seed extract, zinc, iodine, choline, vitamin A, vitamin E, MSM, bamboo stem extract and inositol all can help keep your hair soft, smooth and vibrant through the winter months.

Tips for Fighting Dandruff in Winter

The other issue which can become problematic during winter is dandruff, sometimes taking the more severe form called seborrheic dermatitis.

The National Rosacea Society writes, “Although the cause is unknown, several contributing factors may play a role in developing seborrheic dermatitis: abnormality of the oil glands and hair follicles, a yeast fungus with bacteria growing in the sebum, production of certain hormones, stress, change of seasons (outbreaks seem worse in winter) and fatigue.”

What can you do to treat it? In severe cases, a medication might be necessary, but many patients can keep symptoms under control with diligent use of a dandruff shampoo.

Conclusion: You Can Protect Your Hair and Scalp During the Winter

It can be an uphill battle in winter to prevent a dry, flaky scalp and frizzy, brittle locks. But if you create a strict winter hair care routine, you should be able to keep seborrheic dermatitis from getting out of hand and maintain hydrated, silky, beautiful tresses.