The Secret To Avoid Dry, Brittle Hair for Winter Months

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The winter months bring along cozy nights, fireside celebrations, and winter wonderland activities. For some, this time of year truly is the best time of the year. In many places across the country, the change of seasons from fall to winter entails significantly lower temperatures, dry, cold air, windy weather, and an overall change of atmosphere. While this shift in the weather affects our mood, daily routines, and our social lives, it is also our hair that seems to suffer the brunt of it. In fact, let's face it. Winter can simply be one very long bad hair day. Cold weather and less humidity result in a lack of moisture, which makes our hair become dry, brittle and lifeless.

How do we protect our hair and keep its suppleness, fullness, and shiny appearance even through the brutal winter months? Topical treatments can’t hurt, but today we’re going to explore a longer-lasting, efficient and nutrition-based approach to winter hair-care: Collagen Peptides supplementation. Furthermore collagen, found even in the basic structure of the hair, also has an important role to play in its health, shine, and thickness.

Protecting Your Mane in Winter Months

In some parts of the country, it may seem as if we’re completely powerless against grueling winter weather. However, there are certain steps you can take to turn the odds in your favor and minimize the damage your hair experiences. First and foremost, you have to know the enemy before facing it. In the winter time, it is not just the wind and dry air that you’re up against, but also the lack of humidity inside your home due to the indoor heating. It is important to state that staying hydrated is a must not only in the summer season but also once the temperatures hit a low point during winter. Various topical treatments can bring back the moisture into your hair temporarily, though it is much more important to take care of your body from the inside-out for long-term results. What’s more, investing in a humidifier seems to be another clever step in many “How to Survive Low Temperatures” guide.

Another important piece of advice coming from hair experts is to try to not to wash your hair as frequently as you do during warmer months. Since your hair is already dry during the winter, you don’t want to dry it out even more by using shampoo too often. This includes you dry shampoo lovers as well! While we don’t normally appreciate moisture in our hair, stripping your scalp of its natural oils will only contribute to its overall dryness and brittleness. In addition, not washing your hair as often means not blow-drying it as much either, which is definitely a plus (and not only in the winter time!).

It is also advised to continue with your regular hair trims during winter time since you can expect more split ends due to the harsh weather. Regular hair trims will allow your hair to grow long and healthy, while split ends will spread upwards, creating a frizzy, unpolished texture.

However, if you’re looking to assess the root of the issue and create a protective barrier for your hair from the inside, you have to examine the basic structure of hair, which is where collagen comes into play. Collagen Peptides, therefore, allows for the protection of hair from a much deeper level, which is exactly what you need in the upcoming months. Let’s see how collagen supplementation can make a major difference in your hair quality and appearance this winter and beyond.

Collagen Peptides for Hair Care

Before we dive into detail about the significant effects of collagen intake for shiny hair, let’s talk a bit about collagen in general for to those not already familiar with its countless health and beauty benefits.

Collagen is an essential, amino acid-enriched proteinvital for normal functioning of the human body. Naturally, collagen is present in our entire bodies, including our connective tissue, skin, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, ligaments, joints, cartilage, nails, and hair. While our body is able to manufacture this protein on its own, as shown in a study by James Varani, the aging process limits the amount that humans are able to produce. For this reason, a daily collagen supplementis recommended.

According to HealthLine.com, some of collagen’s principal benefits include improving skin elasticity, reducing signs of aging and changes in skin texture such as wrinkles and cellulite; aiding in the building of lean muscle (hence promoting fat loss), preserving the health of your gut lining, and promoting healthy digestion, as well as improving joint health and relieving injury or disease-related pain.

It’s easy to see many reasons to take collagen even before we get to the topic of hair!  

Faced with a lack of moisture in the winter time, your hair is likely to be dryer, and more brittle both of which begin in its structure. In addition, during winter months you won’t be able to air-dry your hair as much as on those balmy summer nights, which calls for much more blow-drying and exposure to heat - further jeopardizing the moisture in your hair. Dryness of the hair often leads to hair losshence all that hair you find in your drain after showering.

How can you protect your hair and avoid hair loss? According to a study conducted in 2012, nutritional supplements do make a difference when it comes to thinning hair in women. Moreover, consistent collagen production, that requires an intake of amino acids, has been linked to hair hydration, healthy pH balance, and production of healthy skin cells which is fundamental for healthy hair growth, Rana Neha et. al conclude in their recent study.

Moreover, Japanese researchers have discovered the link between age-related hair loss and a lack of collagen, further emphasizing the undeniable role of collagen in maintaining hair thickness. According to this study conducted by Tokyo Medical and Dental University’s Emi Nishimura, “as collagen disappears with age, the follicles shrink, causing hair loss”.

Collagen represents a chain of amino acids, including proline, which has an important role in preventing cell damage, scientists concluded in a 2009 study. Since healthy cells represent the foundation of hair growth, prevention of cell damage is of utmost importance not only to keep hair strong and full but also to preserve your overall health and combat free radicals. Free radicals have been found to attack hair follicles, compromising the quality of hair, as well as hair growth. Proline, found in Type 1 Collagen Peptides, protects the hair follicles from free radical damage, and collagen, being a structural protein, supports them. Hair follicles are the source of our hair’s strength, which means that keeping them strong and healthy is the first predominant step towards healthy, thick hair.

Article References:

1. Decreased Collagen Production in Chronologically Aged Skin
   Roles of Age-Dependent Alteration in Fibroblast Function and Defective Mechanical Stimulation;James Varani,* Michael K. Dame,* Laure Rittie,† Suzanne E.G. Fligiel,* Sewon Kang,† Gary J. Fisher,† and John J. Voorhees†
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/collagen-powder-benefits
3. A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study Evaluating the Efficacy of an Oral Supplement in Women with Self-perceived Thinning Hair;Ablon Glynis, MD, FAAD
4. Efficacy of Alimental Components in an Oral Supplement for the Treatment of Hair Fall, Hair growth, Skin & Nail Problems and Role of Hairvit Plus in their Composition Upgradation;Rana Neha (Pharmacist)*, Mathur Shabla (Researcher) ,** Dr. Taneja indu & Dr. Taneja Evita with inputs from Eric Favre Laboratoire, France
5. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/02/05/national/science-health/age-linked-hair-loss-caused-disappearing-collagen-researchers-say/#.W-G73dVKiM9
6. Proline modulates the intracellular redox environment and protects mammalian cells against oxidative stress;Navasona Krishnan,a Martin B. Dickman,b and Donald F. Beckera,*
7. HISTOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS OF INFLAMMATORY SKIN DISEASES
   An Algorithmic Method Based on Pattern Analysis
   Third Edition;A. Bernard Ackerman, MD, Almut Böer, MD, Bruce Bennin, MD, Geoffrey J. Gottlieb, MD