Stripped of Natural Oils: Our scalp produces sebum, an oil that helps keep hair hydrated and protected. Hot water acts like a super cleanser, stripping away this natural defence layer. This can leave your hair dry, brittle, and prone to breakage.
Hot showers can strip the scalp of its natural oils, leading to dryness and potential damage to hair follicles. While occasional hot showers may not cause significant hair loss, moderation and proper hair care practices are essential. Using lukewarm water and gentle hair products can help minimize the risk of damage.
But much healthier is a cold shower, both for the skin and hair. Hot water strips the natural oil layer and resulting in dry brittle hair. Cold water seals the hair moisture and lays the cuticle flat and hair becomes smoother and shinier. Cold water also helps excellent against dandruff and itchy scalp.
Wear a shower cap
Incorporating a shower cap into your routine helps keep hair dry while you shower between wash days.
Washing your hair with very hot water can strip away the natural oils that keep your hair healthy and hydrated. This can lead to dryness, breakage, and ultimately, increased hair fall. It's generally recommended to use lukewarm or cool water when washing your hair to help maintain its health and strength.
Hot water can provide deeper cleansing and lift follicles, while cold water helps smooth cuticles, retains moisture and stimulates circulation. Tailor temperature use to your specific hair properties and supplementary regimen - alternate intelligently without overdoing extremes.
You need a temperature that's high enough to deep clean dirt and grime, but not so high as to cause irritation. Just above body temperature is perfect– so around 100F. It's the ideal balance to keep your hair clean and healthy and your scalp free from irritation.
Scalding water is just as stripping for your scalp and strands. It can cause the scalp to overproduce oil and can also break protein bonds and damage the hair cuticle. By triggering inflammation, overly hot water can negatively impact hair growth. In some cases, it can even lead to some hair loss.
The research on how hot water affects our skin and hair is thin, dermatologists said, but most experts agree that scorching showers may strip away oils and moisture-retaining substances. Generally, it's best to take lukewarm showers, experts said.
Hats, bandanas and scarfs are a great way to shelter your hair from the sun's damaging rays, but what about hat hair? The best way to prevent it is to wear a loose-brimmed hat and use dry shampoo or a volumizing spray to keep your hair from getting flattened.
Taking cold showers every day for 30 days may lead to increased energy levels and alertness as well as improved overall health. Your skin and hair may feel and look better due to the reduced drying and irritating effects of a hot shower. However, remember, individual responses to cold therapy vary.
Scalding showers can lead to the removal of skin layers and essential oils from your body, which can be damaging, and regularly exposing your hair and skin to too much hot water can be detrimental to both, research shows.
Generally, he says, the range is somewhere between once a day and once a week. “If you have very fine or thin hair, you may need to wash more often, while those with thick or curly hair may need to wash less often,” says Dr Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, a double board certified dermatologist and hair health expert.
Hot water takes away your scalp's natural oils, leaving it looking frizzy and brittle. Makes your scalp dry which leads to dandruff, irritation and itchiness. It makes your roots weak, leading to excessive hair loss and fizziness. It damages the texture of your hair which results in breakage and brittleness.
Cold Water Can Be Part of a Healthy Hair Routine
Both warm and cool showers have their benefits, but to keep hair in the healthiest condition, start off with warm and end with cold. The routine is unlikely to help you grow hair, but it does have its tress benefits.
Yes, you can wet natural hair everyday, and it is actually advised to do so to maintain moisture. Let's be clear though: by wetting your hair, we don't mean washing it. We simply mean rinsing natural hair either in the shower or spritzing water over your hair.
"Lukewarm water, usually water temperature between 98 to 105 degrees, is best," Bunimovich says. A warm, but not hot, shower is the way to go, Ovits agrees, because this is toasty enough to feel relaxed without scorching the skin or compromising its health and ability to retain moisture.
Start the change by lowering the thermostat to a lukewarm range of 37 to 40 deg Celsius. Of course, hot showers are only one cause of premature skin aging. Keep at a moisture- and antioxidant-rich skincare routine to maintain a youthful appearance.
Cold water: the pros
But since cold water helps lock in moisture, you're essentially bringing the “glow” back to those lovely locks when you set the dial to chill mode. Rinsing in cold water also improves scalp circulation, which can aid in hair growth–a worthy bonus in our opinion.
Usually, any temperature above 200ºC/392ºF will cause damage to the hair – in fact the hair can start to melt at 220ºC/428ºF!
Optimal Shower Temperature
Hot water is typically described as somewhere between 110°F and 140°F. However, you should never turn your shower or bath water anywhere near 120°F due to the risk of a serious burn injury. Cold water is generally defined as 60°F to 80°F, though it can be even lower.
It can damage and dry out the scalp where follicles reside, disrupting hair growth. So while hot water doesn't cause hair loss, or alter the hair structure, on its own, it can harm our scalp. And a healthy scalp is vital for preventing excess hair fall and supporting new, healthy hair growth.