Winter is here, and nothing feels more comforting than a long, hot shower. Sometimes it’s all you need to relax after a busy day, and it seems very convenient to wash your hair while you’re in there. But the water temperature in the shower is usually too hot for your hair, and the habit of shampooing your tresses in hot water can actually affect their health and beauty. In fact, it’s better to use cooler water for rinsing your hair and to wash it in the sink where it’s easier to ensure temperature control.
We at Bright Side decided to dive deeper into the reasons why washing your hair in the shower might not be the best choice.
1. It can dry out your hair.
Not much can compare to the relaxing feeling of a hot shower. But just like hot styling tools can damage your hair, steaming hot water can dry out your hair and cause it to look like straw. It’s better to control water temperature when washing your hair and use lukewarm water.
2. It may lead to hair loss.
Washing your hair with hot water regularly can weaken your strands, making them brittle and prone to breakage. Hot water also opens up the pores on your scalp, making your hair roots weaker and causing more hair loss. Shampooing your hair in the shower when the temperature is high removes natural oils from your hair and damages its keratin protection, which, in turn, can lead to breakage.
3. It might cause your scalp to itch.
Hot water is great for removing dirt and product buildup, but it also strips away much-needed oils, causing dryness. Your scalp has a natural fatty epidermal lipid layer that protects it against bacteria. Washing your hair with hot water can melt this layer away, causing your scalp to become itchy and irritated.
4. Your hair color may fade faster.
One of the first things hairstylists usually say to their clients who just dyed their hair is to avoid washing it with hot water. In addition to drying out your hair, hot water opens the hair cuticle, allowing the color molecules to escape. If you want to keep your new hair shade shinier for longer, shampoo and condition your hair in cool water and do a final rinse in the coldest water you can stand.
5. It might give you dandruff.
If you’re suffering from dandruff, it’s better to resist the temptation to shampoo your locks in hot water, even on the coldest days. Washing your hair in a hot shower dries out the skin on your scalp, and a dry scalp is the most common reason for dandruff.
6. It may cause frizz.
Frizziness can be pretty annoying, and you typically need to use special anti-frizz products to tame those stubborn flyaways. The habit of washing your hair in a hot shower can actually be one of the reasons why it looks so frizzy. It’s because dry hair tries to absorb the moisture out of the air, causing the cuticle to swell up and your hair to appear frizzy.
Do you wash your hair in the shower or in the sink?
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