Hair care in winter: Blow-drying your tresses? Dermatologist says it can cause SEVERE damage

When the mercury dips, washing hair can be tough. Even more difficult is allowing it dry on its own as we often resort to blow-drying hair after hair wash, especially to escape the cold. But letting our hair dry naturally is the best option if you consider hair health, say experts.

Blow-drying hair can be harmful (Pic: Pixabay)

Washing our hair becomes especially a task in winter amid the drop in mercury. And even when we do shampoo our hair, we want to quickly blow dry our hair. To make matters worse, we often wash our tresses in warm water in winter. However, excess use of heat can be very bad for hair health, and even in winter, we should let our hair dry naturally, at least as far as possible, say experts. Dr Neha Dubey, Consultant Medical and Cosmetic Dermatologist, Medical Director at Meraki Skin Clinic, Gurugram, spoke to Zee News Digital about the harmful effect of blow drying, dos and don'ts of shampooing and using heat, and more.

What are the harmful effects of blow drying

The shaft of human hair consists of the cortex with a central medulla and an external cuticular layer, shares Dr Dubey. She adds that the frequent use of blow dryers damages the ultrastructure of the hair and leads to a change in hair colour. "The hair surface hair is like a barrier and it shields the cortex from daily wear and tear. But if we constantly apply heat to our tresses to dry or style them, it will lead to damage to the surface and the cortex too," says Dr Dubey.

Hair care: Dos and Don’ts of blow-drying, shampooing

Dos:

1) Apply oil through the length of your hair before shampooing your tresses. This creates a protective layer, and it ensures that the hair is not stripped of that extra moisture with the use of shampoo and excess water.

2) Lather the shampoo on your scalp and use only a little bit of that on the lengths of your hair to wash them. Our scalp is the one which needs washing and cleaning with the direct use of shampoo to take off the dirt and grease. The length of the hair, most of the time, does not get that oily, and when we use a lot of product, our hair loses moisture. 

3) Seal that moisture back by using a conditioner.

4) Let the hair dry naturally after most washes as it will help in maintaining the natural sheen.

5) If blow drying is a must, then prepare your hair using a heat-protectant spray.

6) Use hair brushes made of soft pliable plastic.

7) Maintain a safe distance between the dryer and your hair - 6 inches.

Don’ts:

1) Do not over-dry while using a blow dryer, always leave your hair slightly damp.

2) Use of hot water to wash your hair is equally damaging, so set the water temperature to either normal or lukewarm.

3) The right way to towel dry your hair is to use a lightweight towel made up of material like bamboo or microfibres. Do not rub while you do this; gently detangle your hair by using a wide-toothed comb. When done correctly, towel drying can help reduce frizz.

4) On the days you plan to air dry your hair, use a hair nourishing mask that will prevent frizz.

How to let your hair dry naturally in winter and monsoon

Dr Neha Dubey agrees that letting hair dry on its own can be difficult in winter and monsoon season. "Especially in winter, some people easily catch a cold if the hair is left wet for longer. The use of a dryer to just semi-dry the hair is the best option for extreme weather and using a nourishing mask is a good way to let the hair dry naturally without getting frizzy during monsoons," Dr Dubey adds.