What do you think of when you hear the word winter? Blankets? Christmas? New Year? Or hair fall?

If your answer is hair fall, then you’re not alone. Winter can make your hair fall even more pronounced. The cold air makes your scalp dry up due to a lack of moisture. With no moisture in your hair, it becomes very brittle and prone to breakage, thus causing a range of different hair issues. Most of which lead to weaker roots and therefore, hair fall.

So, is there any solution to it? Yes, there are a lot of hair care remedies you may opt for to keep your hair healthy and strong. But first, let’s try understanding the different winter hair problems! So that we’re able to find the perfect solution for it too.

- Frizz and Dullness

Frizz is something that disrupts the overall look and feel of your hair, thus messing up with your favourite hair styles too. In winters, your hair is subjected to cold wind outdoors and warm air indoors due to the heaters we use. Additionally, the lack of humidity drains out all the moisture. Thus, removing the shine completely and making hair look dull as well as lifeless.

- Tangled hair

Well, now this is something no prince can solve, your tangled-up hair! All the wool your hair comes in contact with, through mufflers, scarves, etc. makes hair strands tangle up, due to the continuous friction. This can ruffle up your hair cuticle and make your hair look as well as feel matted. Especially for wavies and curlies, this can become an extremely difficult issue to tackle.

- Breakage

Your hair looks healthy because it has a beautiful coating of moisture on it. The oils that are produced on our scalp, also help keep our hair hydrated and healthy. However, during winters, the air makes everything dry, including your tresses. Since this protective layer of moisture is weak, your hair becomes more prone to breakage than ever.

- Hair fall

Winter air does put a lot of stress on your hair strands as well as your scalp. Just like your skin becomes extremely dry and flaky, so does your scalp. This makes your hair weak from its roots. Thus, causing you to lose more than the normal 50-100 hair strands you usually lose on an everyday basis.

Now that we have understood the different hair problems, we all face during winters, let’s get into the winter hair fall prevention which can help us alleviate them. Given that the holidays may give us a little more time to kick back and indulge in selfcare sessions, these remedies will give you something to be super excited about.

- Hair Wash the Right Way!

Washing your hair, the right way, is an important skill that everyone needs to master, to avoid the problem of hair fall. Here are a few tips:

Even though you may be tempted to pump the heat in your showers during winters, do not use hot water to wash your hair. This can dry your scalp and make it excessively itchy, thus weakening the roots of your hair. Besides, your hair cuticles don't close properly if you use hot water, making you more susceptible to hair fall. So, always keep in mind to use cold or lukewarm water.

It's always good to be gentle in life, right? It's also the same when it comes to your hair! If you want your hair to be healthy, you must use gentle pressure while massaging the scalp as well as the roots of your hair. This massage will help you increase the blood circulation on your head, stimulating hair growth. Also, never use your nails to massage your head, as it only promotes hair fall.

There is a misconception that washing your hair daily is a good practice. On the contrary, it can cause more harm than good during winters. Washing it three times a week enough to keep it healthy, beautiful and strong.

- Healthy Inside = Healthy Outside!

Believe it or not, having a proper diet can help you reduce hair fall. It plays a key role in slowing down and then putting an end to this problem, making your hair stronger and healthier.

So, winter or no winter, what are the foods you absolutely need to have? Protein rich foods, foods with essential nutrients and foods that help you maintain a balanced diet are critical. Also, it is best to avoid excessive sugar and over-processed starchy items like pasta, bread, cakes, among others, if you want to promote healthy hair growth.

You can start by including spinach, sunflower seeds, salmon, beetroot, oats, chicken, eggs, lentils and so on, in your diet. These will provide the perfect balance of nutrition your hair needs.

- Stress Ain’t Good for the Tress!

Many researchers say that stress is one of the major reasons for hair fall. With all the pressures of making New Year resolutions and following them, in addition to long work hours, it is a condition that everyone experiences to varying degrees. Even as you may not be able to shun it completely, you can always bring about some lifestyle changes to help reduce it. Exercising regularly, maintaining a balanced diet and getting a good night’s sleep can help you deal with it a lot better. It is also advised, to do something that makes you happy every day. It could be reading your favourite novel, watching your favourite show, sipping on your green tea mindfully, so on and so forth. When stress is reduced, you will automatically see a drop in your hair fall!

- Hydrate, hydrate!

Dehydration of your skin and hair is caused when there's an inadequate amount of water in your body. The winters usually cast a dry spell on your hair and skin anyway. Additionally, if you don’t drink enough water to compensate this, it’ll only make matters worse. Dehydration can cause your hair to thin, become brittle and prone to breakage. So, be sure to drink at least four to five liters of water a day, to really replenish all that lost moisture.

- Shampoo + Conditioner = Happy Hair!

Every person requires the right shampoo and conditioner for their hair. You have to identify the type of your hair and buy the products accordingly. For instance, if you have oily hair, you should prefer a purifying shampoo.

However, in winters, it is always better to look for hydrating shampoos and conditioners as they make your hair smooth and manageable. Look for naturally enriching ingredients that help you battle hair fall and restore the moisture. Pantene’s Hairfall Control Shampoo and Conditioner are packed with natural Pro-Vitamin B5 as well as fermented rice water, both of which work together to control hair fall and make your hair feel healthy inside out.

So, what are you waiting for? Equipped with all this info on winter home hacks, it’s now time to enjoy the coziest season of the year with fabulous open hair and hair fall free days!