Winter is like the season equivalent of the “bad hair day.” Dryness, frizziness, dullness and breakage are some of the most common complaints during colder months.
Dr Gizem Seymenoglu, a medical aesthetics doctor at Longevita Hair Transplant’s Medical Aesthetics Clinic in London, notes that it’s down to a number of factors that are part and parcel of the season.
“Harsh winter weather and low humidity levels can strip the hair of its moisture, leaving it dry and prone to breakage. This dryness can be exacerbated by indoor heating and hot water baths.
“Add stress or health conditions that worsen during winter, such as seasonal affective disorder, flu, pneumonia, and psoriasis, to the mix, and they can all worsen your hair loss.”
The expert also noted that since winter is a time when our bodies prioritise keeping vital organs warm, it reduces blood flow to the scalp, resulting in slow hair growth and dullness.
Bizarre home remedies for healthy hair in winter
If you want to add inches to your tresses during winter, you need to improve blood circulation to the scalp, according to Dr Gizem, and she suggests several “interesting” ways to do so.
“Doing handstands is a sure-shot way of getting more blood to go to your scalp. Known as the ‘inversion method,’ the simple idea behind it is to invert the head, allowing for improved blood flow and supply of oxygen and nutrients.
“There are even certain yoga poses, such as the sirsasana or headstand and padahastasana, in which you bend forward and downward while standing, which can have the same effect.”
Doing more exercise, especially cardio, which can increase blood pressure is another method that will cost you nothing, and you can easily do it at home.
However, if you find these things a bit physically challenging, the aesthetics doctor also suggested that you wrap your head in a warm towel to get the blood flowing there.
She also said: “Massaging the scalp is another great way to promote hair growth, and there’s even research to suggest that scalp massages may help prevent hair loss and increase the thickness of hair.”
To make sure that your hair also gets hydrated during scalp massages, you can consider using oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, argan oil, or almond oil.
Best products for winter hair
If you’d like to up the ante, the expert also has some product recommendations for having a healthy head of hair during winter.
Starting with supplements, she said: “Viviscal supplements are filled to the brim with powerful ingredients, such as collagen, flaxseed, vitamin C, and zinc — all of which can be really good for your hair.”
The expert added, however, that she’d be remiss if she didn’t mention the holy grail of hair loss: minoxidil. Recommending Sons’ 5% Minoxidil Solution, a month’s supply of which is priced at £21.49, she explained: “Minoxidil is a blood pressure medication, which is also FDA approved for hair regrowth. It can dilate the blood vessels and increase blood flow to the scalp, helping the hair grow.”
Dr Gizem also included rosemary oil on her list — a product that’s been doing rounds on the internet of late. “Rosemary oil can also get more oxygen and nutrients to your scalp by increasing blood circulation. However, make sure to dilute it with a carrier oil so that it doesn’t irritate your skin.”
Another cult favourite that was recommended by the expert is Watermans Grow Me Shampoo — retailing for just £13.45 on Amazon. Containing a cocktail of healthy ingredients, from caffeine to biotin, argan oil, and rosemary, it can be deeply nourishing for the hair during winter.
Last but certainly not least, she rounded off her list by recommending a handy electric scalp massager, which can not only stimulate blood flow but also provide some much-needed stress relief.
| Winter hair products recommended by medical aesthetics doctor |
| 1. Viviscal Hair Supplements – £20 |
| 2. Sons Minoxidil 5% Cutaneous Solution – £21.49 |
| 3. Rosemary Oil – £13.59 |
| 4. Arboleaf Electric Scalp Massager – £29.39 |
| 5. Watermans Grow Me® Hair Growth Shampoo – £13.45 |