Can a Hair Mask Help Winter Hair Fall?

Not many things can spoil a nice hot shower more than combing your fingers through your hair and finding them coated in strands. Wouldn't it be great if we could just put them back and pretend it never happened? While discouraging, there's no reason to panic. Winter hair fall is actually normal. 

Just as your skin health goes through changes throughout the seasons, so does your hair. Many of us go through seasonal hair loss at the beginning of the fall and then go through a shed phase in the winter. 

The winter season's brutal temperatures, gusty winds, snow flurries, and icy rain pulls moisture from your skin and strands. Indoor climate changes, including overheated homes and offices, lead to dryness, breakage, and the appearance of thinning hair. 

Hair masks can help winter hair fall. Your hair and scalp need nourishment and protection from the elements to maintain their health and vibrancy. The right hair mask can prevent radical damage and slow hair fall during the winter months. 

Keep reading to discover how replacing your regular conditioner with Better Not Younger's Hair Redemption Restorative Butter Masque or Silver Lining Purple Butter Masque a few minutes a week can restore your scalp and hair biology. 

Seasonal Hair Loss and the Growth Cycle 

If you live in a colder climate, you likely find healthy hair more challenging to maintain all year round. This is especially true for those of us with aging hair. 

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), we typically shed between 50 and 100 strands every day. Any more than this, and we are likely experiencing excessive hair shedding or telogen effluvium. 

Our scalps contain between 80,000 and 100,000 hair follicles, each creating strands with growth cycles lasting between three and six years. Growth cycles are split into three phases: 

• Anagen phase — This hair growth phase can last as long as six years and happens slower in the winter months.
• Catagen phase — This transitional phase only lasts about 10 days.
• Telogen phase — During the telogen phase, your follicles rest, and your hair shaft is shed from your scalp. 

Fortunately, growth cycles occur independently of one another; otherwise, you would lose all of your hair at the same time. 

A large number of women go through seasonal hair loss in early fall. Some researchers believe our bodies react to fewer daylight hours in late summer and produce lower melatonin levels. This, in turn, sends our follicles into the telogen phase when we lose hair. 

How the Winter Season Affects Aging Hair Health

Several factors affect your scalp and strands during the winter months, causing brittleness, breakage, and hair fall. These factors include: 

• Low humidity
• Indoor heaters
• Prolonged hot showers
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Excess ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure
• Increased use of scarves and hats
• Holiday-related stress 

Chronic scalp issues like dandruff and age-related scalp issues are exacerbated in cold weather. Dandruff itchiness can make your head feel extra unhealthy. 

Age-related hormone changes lead to higher dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, which causes follicle shrinkage, resulting in fine, wispy hair. Additionally, your scalp produces less sebum oil, which can leave your hair cuticles unprotected and prone to split ends and breakage. 

Other hair and scalp challenges that appear as you get older include widespread graying and a general thinning on your hair part and the crown of your head. 

When purchasing hair products, it's essential to make informed decisions based on your particular needs. 

Wouldn't it be great if there was a hair mask that could tackle age-related issues while also helping to prevent winter hair fall? Great news: there are two — both made by Better Not Younger. 

Deep Conditioning Your Hair Needs Right Now 

Whether it's provoked by seasonality or changing hormones, hair loss can severely damage our confidence. Better Not Younger’s Hair Redemption Restorative Butter Masque was formulated to replenish vital nutrients and boost hair vibrancy. Silver Lining Purple Butter Masque softens wiry strands and reduces yellow tones in gray hair. 

Each works to improve your hair's overall look and texture while helping you keep more of what you already have.  

In the last several years, advances in technology and the popularity of natural butters among consumers have prompted the development of various seed and nut butters that offer nutritional benefits to combat aging, dry hair. Better Not Younger's secret is a blend of five high-quality butters, including: 

• Mango butter — Butter produced from mango seeds is loaded with antioxidants, vitamin E, to promote sebum oil production. Mango butter is easily absorbed into your hair fibers, allowing it to strengthen and moisturize your locks from the inside out. Additionally, it generates a robust scalp environment by restoring skin elasticity diminishing cell degeneration.
• Avocado butter — Avocado butter is an emollient that can fortify hair weakened, dried out, or damaged from aging, environmental pollution, or lack of humidity suffered during winter's colder months. The combination of phytosterols, monounsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants unclog follicles and nourish your strands, promoting healthy hair.
• Macadamia ternifolia seed butter — Macadamia tree seeds are packed with vital micronutrients, including magnesium, copper, iron, vitamins, and potassium. The butter produced from these kernels is made up of nearly 84% monounsaturated fats, strengthening your hair and nourishing your follicles. Its naturally occurring squalane reduces oxidative stress on your scalp.
• Murumuru butter — The butter extracted from this palm seed is nearly 40% butter and contains a combination of pro-vitamin A, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and lauric acid. Lauric acid reduces breakage and tangle by sealing your cuticles closed. This thick yet light butter promotes elasticity, increases shine, and reduces build-up.
• Cupuaçu butter — Due to its water absorption properties, cupuaçu butter is an excellent moisturizing agent to help soothe your scalp and hydrate your strands. With its long-chain behenic and arachidonic acids, and the organic compounds known as polyphenols, it works perfectly to protect and repair your mane from harsh winter weather. 

Use BNY Masks for the Softest, Silkiest Hair of Your Life  

Substituting your daily conditioner with a Better Not Younger's moisturizing hair mask one to three times a week will, over time, nourish and bolster the integrity of your hair from the inside out. You'll even experience noticeable results after just one use. 

To use Hair Redemption Restorative Butter Masque or Silver Lining Purple Butter Masque: 

• Use about a quarter-sized amount for dry, winter-damaged hair
• Work it between your hands
• Massage it into your hair for about one to three minutes, targeting the shaft and ends (and avoiding the roots)
• Rinse thoroughly 

Much like healthy food, Hair Redemption Restorative Butter Masque and Silver Lining Purple Butter Masque are loaded with nutrients to strengthen and hydrate your locks from the inside out. This provides nourishment to arrest winter hair fall, improve scalp health, and keep strong and vibrant until spring. 

For more hair-strengthening products from Better Not Younger, visit our Shop page.