How to Protect Your Natural Hair During Winter

African-Americans typically have kinky hair or hair that naturally curls or coils. Unfortunately, natural hair during winter can be dry and dry hair is fragile. To maintain or improve the condition of your natural hair, you buy products to prevent breakage, help it grow, and to make it shine. Still, when you compare it to other types of hair, kinky hair has the least amount of elasticity. This could spell trouble in the winter months.

Many people are unaware they should treat their hair differently during the winter months than in the summer months. Natural hair can thrive through the snow, rain, sun, and wind like a champ, but not without protection. Cold air drains moisture from the hair inasmuch as heat dries out the hair. It may appear as though you can't win for losing, but there's help. Read on to learn which strategies protect your natural hair during winter.

Trim Your Locks

Don't be deceived by the myth cutting your hair makes it grow faster. The truth is removing the split or dead ends keeps the hair healthier. Dead ends only make you think your hair is longer. You should trim your hair on a regular schedule as a part of your natural hair winter regimen. Make your appointments so that you're seen every six to eight weeks.

Use More Shea Butter

How to moisturize and seal natural hair? Use Shea Butter. It has been the go-to product for African-Americans for some time now and with good reason. You should use more of it and other hair care products containing castor oil in the winter to help protect your strands from the harsh environment. Whatever you do, avoid using humectants that dry your hair.

Deep Conditioned Hair

How to protect your natural hair in the winter? Use a deep conditioner after shampooing your hair. Normally, you would wash your hair at least bi-monthly. Since you don't need to shampoo as much during the winter, salon stylists also suggest using a leave-in conditioner regularly.

Wear Protective Styles

While braids are one of the more simple protective styles to wear during the winter, you may not want to wear them all season long. There are many cute natural hairstyles to wear to help prevent dry, brittle ends and breakage. Get some suggestions from your stylebook or stylist. They can also tell you how often to moisturize natural hair.

Seal in Moisture

Natural hair and cold weather don’t go together. To defuse the harmful effects of winter, use an anti-humectant to lock in the moisture after you shampoo your hair. Olive oil or jojoba oil comes with recommendations from professional hairstylists along with natural hair oils for winter. Store and use at room temperature for best results.

Cover Your Hair

Wearing a cap, depending on where you live, is extremely vital to keeping you warm. Besides that, a cap will help protect your natural hair during winter. However, you can't just pull the wool over your eyes. To keep it from doing damage, make sure the lining is silk. If not, put on a silk scarf before you put on your cap.

Winter Fabrics

Wool is one of the warmest fabrics during the winter. However, it's not the best when it comes to protecting your hair from damage. Just so we're clear, wool dries out the hair so, avoid it.

Avoid Stress

Stress affects us in lots of ways, including hair loss. The holidays bring on the stress, but there are ways to calm the season's madness. Try meditation or yoga as a stress reliever. You can also massage the scalp to keep blood flowing to the follicles.

Use a Humidifier

How to keep hair hydrated in winter? If you want to keep moisture in the room, in your skin, and hair, get a humidifier. You'll be happy you did considering that artificial heat is more damaging to natural hair during winter.