THE DOS AND DON’TS FOR HEALTHY HAIR DURING MONSOONS
After the scorching heat of summer, the monsoon brings a welcome reprieve. However, as much as you adore the monsoons, it is difficult to overlook the havoc it can wreak on your treasured locks. The rainy season may also bring plenty of hair and scalp problems. But why exactly does it happen? Let’s find out!
Why do you need to take care of your hair during the monsoon?
As gasses condense, hazardous substances evaporating from the atmosphere produce acidic and poisonous first rainfall. With exposure to sunshine and humidity, these emissions transform into sulphuric acid and nitric acid. These chemicals harm hair’s cuticle, causing it to become sticky, harsh, and lifeless. In addition to ruining the hair and making it brittle and fall out, this can result in acid burns on the scalp. The hair loses its luster and becomes limp.
Monsoon also increases atmospheric humidity. So, a dry scalp, dandruff, and contact with acidic rainfall, increases hair loss during the monsoon season. Because the scalp loses its natural oils due to the humidity, it becomes dry and has weaker roots. During the growth period, fewer hair follicles are accessible to produce new hair. This may result in telogen effluvium, a kind of hair loss in which up to 70% of the scalp hairs fall out, typically in handfuls.
Moreover, the weather not only makes it difficult for the hair to dry, but it also makes it dull and frizzy. Also, the depositions at the hair roots serve as a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus, exacerbating your dandruff problems.
Now that you know why the monsoon causes havoc with your hair, the question arises how do you deal with them? Come on, let’s find out!
The Do’s for Hair Care during Monsoons
Establish a proper hair wash routine – Maintain a clean scalp at all times. An unclean scalp may only lead to further hair issues, such as scalp acne and dandruff. It can also aid the growth of microorganisms in your hair roots. When washing your hair, use a gentle shampoo that you repeat once or twice a week, followed by a conditioner of your choosing.
Tie your hair up – To keep moisture in and frizz at bay. Constant soaking from the rain and high humidity levels are terrible news for your mane. There is a chance that you will have a variety of scalp issues and terrible hair days. As a result, relaxed ponytails and buns are recommended.
Use coconut oil – Applying Extra Virgin, cold pressed coconut oil to your hair 15 minutes before shampooing aids in preconditioning. A pre-shampoo treatment with coconut oil makes hair oily and reduces the amount of water absorbed after washing. It also treats scalp issues in both men and women.
A good Ayurvedic Oil formulation for relaxing night massages can give your hair and scalp a deeper nourishment.
Maintain a healthy diet – A balanced diet maintains your hair healthy, and the food you consume has a direct influence on the quality of your hair. Include protein and vitamin-rich meals in your daily diet to help your hair shine. Berries, almonds, spinach, and sweet potatoes are some of the finest meals for hair development.
The Don’ts of Monsoon
Don’t let your rain soaked hair remain wet for too long– Wet hair can be very prone to breakage damage. Keeping it wet for a prolonged period of time can make the hair roots weak, thus easily prone to hair fall. Rather, use a nourishing hair mask, mild and gentle shampoo and conditioner, leave-in conditioner to minimize frizz and damage.
Don’ts of combing – Do not comb your damp hair right away since it is at its weakest. Choose a comb with a large tooth to effortlessly disentangle your hair. Make sure the comb’s teeth have adequate space between them so that the hair does not split during combing. Sharing combs should also be avoided to avoid fungal infections. To avoid hair and scalp infections, clean your comb on a regular basis.
Don’t go overboard with coloring and styling – Use caution while coloring and styling your hair, If your hair is prone to breaking, being dry and brittle, avoid coloring it during the monsoons. Coloring or highlighting your hair might make it even drier and lifeless. Hair coloring and style expose your hair to a lot of heat, chemicals, and other treatments that can cause your hair to seem dull if it gets wet. However, if you want to take appropriate post-coloring hair care, you may want to try coloring your hair. Reduce your usage of hair styling products and heat as well.
Don’t forget to condition – During the rainy season, a nutrient-rich conditioner is essential. This reduces frizz and seals in nutrients in the strands. To add shine, apply conditioner solely to the ends of your hair and rinse with cold water. If you use a leave-in conditioner, it will produce a protective layer that will shield your hair from rain.
How much hair fall is normal during monsoon?
According to most experts, hair fall may rise by 30% during the rainy season. Your hair goes through a cycle that includes growth, resting, and shedding. Under typical circumstances, you may lose 50 to 100 strands of hair every day, which is ultimately replenished if your hair cycle is regular.However, during the monsoon, they may lose 150-200 hair strands.
But what if we told you that taking exceptional care of your hair and treating the underlying issues can help prevent hair loss and stimulate new hair growth is now feasible at home? Let’s look at some easy DIY hair masks you can prepare and apply all inside the comfort of your home.
DIY hair masks:
Aloe Vera, Vitamin E Oil and Shea Butter Hair Mask
Melt 1-2 tablespoons of raw shea butter. Remove from the stove and add a tbsp aloe vera gel and 1-2 tsp vitamin E oil after it feels warm to the touch. To make the shea butter hair mask, combine all of the components.
Wait 30-40 minutes after applying it to the scalp and hair. Remove with plain water and a mild shampoo. Once or twice a week, reapply.
Benefits – Monsoon makes your hair frizzy and difficult to tame, but shea butter is your solution. This easy and quick hair mask will make your hair soft and silky smooth. The aloe vera works as a natural conditioner to help your hair feel smooth, It also helps soothe itchy, scaly scalp, caused by toxins in rain water. It contains a substance known as proteolytic enzyme which helps repair the dead cells on the scalp, and reduce the itching. Vitamin E helps increase blood circulation in the scalp. This leads to improved transfer of oxygen and other nutrients to hair follicles, repair of damage, and stimulation of new hair growth. And our star ingredient, shea butter, is high in several vitamins, including A and E. They are well-known for their moisturizing abilities. Vitamin A promotes sebum production, which aids in the restoration of dry hair and scalp. It also aids in the promotion of hair growth and the prevention of hair loss.
Coco Honey and Chamomile Hair Mask
Combine 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon honey, and 3-5 drops chamomile essential oil in a mixing bowl. Work the paste into your hair from the roots to the ends, until it is thoroughly coated. To minimize tangling, carefully run a broad tooth comb over your hair before twisting it into a bun. Wrap a warm towel turban-style around your head for 30 minutes, then wash it off with a light shampoo.
Benefits – Coconut oil is one of the best ingredients to take care of your hair during monsoon. Coconut oil is incredibly moisturizing, penetrating deep into the roots and imparting body and lustre to the hair. Chamomile helps control dandruff and frizz, and thus strengthen hair and prevent hair loss while softening and adding shine to the hair.
Rosehip Hair Mask
Take 1 tablespoon Rosehip Oil, 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil and 1 tablespoon Castor oil. Warm the coconut oil and castor oil slightly. Then add the rosehip. Mix them thoroughly and massage them into your scalp and hair length. Put on a shower cap. Keep it overnight and wash it with chemical-free shampoo the next day.
Benefits – Rosehip oil effectively soothes a dry and itchy scalp and reduces irritation which can be caused by toxins in rain water during monsoon. It helps to maintain your scalp healthy and your hair follicles strong, resulting in a dandruff-free scalp. The antioxidants protect the scalp from free radical damage and minimize flakiness, resulting in scalp comfort. For monsoon hair treatment, coconut oil is the go-to ingredient. It aids in the reduction of protein loss from the hair shaft and the formation of a thin film on the surface of the hair, which aids in the alignment of the cuticles and prevents them from chipping off. Castor oil has antioxidant properties. It protects the hair against free radical damage as well as environmental factors (pollution, UV exposure, harsh weather conditions, heavy rain etc.), allowing you to keep our hair less frizzy, lustrous, and soft.
We hope these DIY masks will help you take care of your hair during the harsh monsoon at the comfort of your home. Now, let’s take a look at a few commonly asked questions on monsoon hair care:
FAQs
Can I use oils other than coconut during the monsoon season?
Yes, you can use oils such as almond, jasmine or Amla for your monsoon hair care routine. Amla oil is also well-known for its ability to reduce frizz. Amla oil can help to smooth out unruly hair. Almond oil can be an excellent alternative. It can help shield your hair from rain. When your hair becomes wet, it becomes more prone to damage. Almond oil can assist to form a barrier between your hair and water, preventing damage. Jasmine oil can also help with frizz and make your hair more manageable.
What are some of the common foods I can consume during monsoon, to make my hair healthy?
People face a lot of hair fall during the monsoon season, along with additional hair issues including dandruff and an overly greasy scalp. Foods like eggs (Eggs are a great source of protein and biotin, that help in stimulating roots) Spinach (which helps to maintain hair development) and Jamun (which is extremely high in Vitamin C and so helps to enhance the strength of the scalp) can be very beneficial.
Other than oils what ingredients can I use to nourish my hair during monsoon?
Ingredients such as onion (a potent antioxidant with antibacterial qualities, onion aids in the prevention of dandruff and infection, it includes sulfur, which helps to prevent hair thinning and breakage), Aloe Vera (which has various enzymes that help to heal scalp cell damage, they activate dormant follicles, promoting renewal), Methi (rich in nicotinic acid, which helps combat hair thinning and balding) can be used to nourish your hair during the monsoon season.
Bottomline
The monsoon brings with it a lot of moisture, which may be bad for your hair. To avoid hair damage, you must take particular care of it. Hair issues such as dandruff, frizziness, excessive oiliness, and so on must be managed properly so that the weather does not exacerbate the matter. Eating a nutritious diet, keeping your hair clean and dry, and applying a hair active and hair mask can keep your hair happy during this rainy season.
