HAIR LOSS DUE TO WINTER

Hair Loss due to winter comes with itchy scalp, dandruff and hair loss. Dry hair is brittle and prone to breakage. Dryness of scalp leads to dandruff which makes the scalp itchy. Itching forces the patient to scratch the head repeatedly without even realizing it. Frequent itch and scratch cycle makes the scalp prone to infections. Most of this infection is passed on through contaminated hands which carry a lot of germs. These germs are unknowingly transmitted on to the scalp while scratching. These infections are usually contagious and can also be transmitted through contaminated combs, pillow covers, towels etc.

Dry hair is naturally prone to breakage. To add to it, dry scalp encourages the appearance of dandruff which abets hair fall. If you are used to hair dryers for styling your hair after shampooing, it might be an additional factor that leads to extra hair fall in winter, as the heat from the dryer or other styling tools dry out hair even faster.

Furthermore, because of the cold weather, some people reduce the frequency of shampooing their hair. This is seen in BPO workers and school children, who leave their home very early in the morning. While there may be genuine concerns of catching a cold, a basic level of scalp hygiene is very essential. There was a case of a patient who preferred to shampoo his hair only once in a month for fear of catching sinusitis attack. Well, he did not catch sinusitis, but developed a massive scalp infection and suffered hair loss in the process. One can always find alternatives to the situation. For example during winters, shampooing can be done at a different time, like in the late afternoons or evening when the weather is relatively warmer.