Does The Snow Damage Your Hair?

PSA: Winter is coming, and it's only a matter of time before parts of the country are buried in snow again. While you might be ready to adjust your clothing, shoes, and moisturizer come the first snowfall, what you might not know is how you should alter your hair routine. You're probably more familiar with what summertime's sunshine does to your hair, but can snow damage your hair? Yes and no. I know. You love complicated answers.

OK, so technically, snow falling on you isn't going to damage your hair's health (though it will seriously damage your hairstyle), and it's basically just like getting it wet or being caught in a rainstorm, but what is damaging are the other factors that come along with snow. The preventative measures you take to guard yourself from the snow and to warm yourself up can have some damaging effects on your hair, as well as the cold air and dryness. So really, it's not the actual snow, but the conditions surrounding snow that are going to wreck havoc on your hair. Make sense?

These are the snow-related factors that can have a damaging effect on your hair and how to protect against them.

1. The Cold Air

Cold weather takes the moisture out of your hair, so you're left with dry/brittle strands. The remedy? Make sure to do a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week, either with a store-bought mask or one of these DIY treatments.

2. Your Hat Or Jacket Hood

You try to cover your hair from the snow, but the hat/hood can rub against your weakened/dry hair and cause damage or breakage. To prevent this, try wrapping your hair in a silk scarf before putting your hat on to protect against rubbing.

3. The Lack Of Sunshine

Not seeing the sun for several months can more than dull your spirits — it'll also dull your hair color. If your hair color is looking lackluster, try mixing a tablespoon of lemon juice with a tablespoon of white vinegar into your shampoo to restore shine.

4. The Wind

Redken Extreme Strength Builder Plus, $25, Premium Perfumes

Those gusty winds that accompany a blizzard will blow your hair all around and potentially cause breakage on dry/damaged hair. To keep your hair strong, try a protein treatment.

5. The Indoor Heat

Holmes Ultrasonic Humidifier, $30, Target

The heat inside will warm you up, but it will also cause serious dryness. If you're going to keep the heat blasting all winter long, it's a good idea to invest in a humidifier to keep moisture in the air.

6. Moisture & Wetness

When your hair gets wet from the snow, the moisture in your hair combined with the cold air can cause damage and dryness. To protect against this, definitely wear a hat, but just wrap up with a scarf first, as stated above.

Images: Drugstore.com; Target