Monsoon mane
Hair fall generally increases during the monsoon. But with the right kind of care it can be avoided
Dr Sonal Shah

Keep your hair and scalp always clean. It will help your hair grow faster. Thinkstock

It’s that time of the year again when you’ll find yourself grumbling about having bad hair days.

The rains can spell disaster for your mane, as they turn your hair frizzy, scalp greasy and result in hair fall.

They often make your hair limp and lifeless. Moreover, your hair gets tangled and turns flat due to the excessive amount of moisture in the air.

Rainwater carries atmospheric pollutants that weaken the hair roots causing hair fall.

Hair fall problems generally increase during the monsoon but with the right kind of care hair-fall problems can be minimised in rains and also be kept healthy during this period.

Few problems faced in the rainy season:

• During the first showers, the pollutants in the environment are high causing great damage to the hair.

• The hair becomes tangled, wet and messy due to the moisture present in the atmosphere.

• Now-a days acid rains are also common in city areas causing additional damage to the hair.

• Hair fall worsens when the rains start.

First shower pollutants

There is a great damage to the hair shaft due to the environmental pollutants present in the air. This damage causes severe hair fall and the hair comes out in clumps. So it is really important that one does not get exposed to the rain water directly due to its ill-effects on the hair shaft.

Moisture in atmosphere

As the moisture content in the atmosphere is really high, the hair becomes tangled, wet and messy. Whenever the hair becomes wet one must dry them immediately with the help of a towel gently.

Acid rains

Acid rains are common as sulphur-di-oxide and nitrous oxide in the environment gets converted into sulphuric acid and nitric acid when they bind with the water. These compounds are acidic in nature and harmful to the skin as well as the hair. They also lead to hair fall in monsoon season.

Increased hair fall

Most of us face the hair fall problems at the start of the monsoon season. Even other as season changes there is some hair fall due to the sudden change in the climatic conditions.

Style it right

• Be careful about the hair style that you choose during the monsoon season as it would have an impact on the health of the hair.

• Choose a very sensible hair style. It is always better to choose a style which can bounce back into its original place easily after it gets wet. The high level of humidity in the atmosphere can make hair limp and therefore avoid hairstyles which require hair to be straightened, crimped or curled. This is one of the most important hair loss tips to be followed.

• Stay away from the gels and the sprays as much as possible.

• If you use hair sprays and gels on the hair it will make your hair and scalp sticky and oily leading to dandruff. This is especially meant for men and also for those who have got oily scalp.

• Make sure that your hair stays dry and use a towel as and when needed. Excess of hair wetting can be damaging to the hair therefore it is important to keep your hair dry.

• Protect your hair from the rain with the help of a rain coat or an umbrella or avoid going out when it is raining very heavily.

Hair care in monsoon

• Keep hair clean. Make sure that your scalp and hair are always clean. It will help your hair grow faster. Dirt clogs the hair follicles, which makes it more difficult for hair to grow.

• Rinse hair with lukewarm water. Never use too hot or cold water to wash hair. It makes them brittle.

• Say no to chemical treatment of hair and hot hair-treatments such as perming, straightening or colouring in the rainy season. When combined with wet weather, these treatments further tend to weaken the hair shaft and promote breakage, split ends and hair fall.

• Conditioning your hair becomes twice as important during this season.

• Don’t shun conditioner if you have sticky hair, instead opt for a light conditioner that is suited for limp and oily hair.

• Keep your hair trimmed and short during this season.

— The writer is a Mumbai-based trichologist and founder of Richfeel trichology centre

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