Winter Blues? Here are 5 Top Ways to Prevent Winter Breakage
Now that Fall is in full swing and Winter is literally a few weeks away, you’re probably getting to that point to where you’re just trying to stay warm by any means necessary. The cold is not the only thing to look forward to with the cooler season—breakage is on the way as well. Watching your precious locks break off as a result of cool weather is enough to make even the toughest of us shed a few tears. We don’t want you to have to deal with anything like that, so keep reading to get the top 5 ways to prevent dreadlock breakage this winter!
Keep Your Hair Moisturized
We alluded to this in a previous article that cooler weather means that the air has a lot less moisture. As a result, exposing your hair to the cold means that your dreads are more prone to being dry. Too much dryness is a direct cause of breakage. Therefore, you need to make sure that you keep your dreadlocks moisturized at all times. Heavy butters and fatty oils will be your best options.
Don’t Do Your Dreads Too Tight
You ever notice how when someone gets their hair put into braids that their edges begin to break off? Well, the same thing can happen when you get your dreadlocks re-twisted too tight. It all goes back to putting too much tension on your roots or edges. Although this is something that you can probably heed to year-round, it’s best that you really carry this tip with you during the cooler months. Your hair is already on the brink of being too fragile as it is because of it being so dry outside. Don’t make your hair any more prone to weakness by having your dreads twisted too tight.
Try to Limit Your Use of Harsh Chemicals
When we say chemicals, we’re mostly referring to things like hair dyes. Again, doing a bleach or adding dye to your hair strips the shaft of its natural oils. Ultimately, this can cause a lot of dryness which can lead to breakage. Now I know that we mentioned a little while ago that a lot of people like to switch up their hair color in the Fall; however, doing so when it’s really cool outside may not be the best option. It’s best to do it at the very beginning of the season before it has time to get too cold outside and potentially cause dreadloock breakage.
Don’t Cover Your Dreadlocks
As we mentioned before, keeping your dreadlocks covered with hats is a recipe for dreadlock breakage because of the excess friction. If you want to keep your ears warm, get a pair of earmuffs instead of wearing a hat. Your locs will thank you for it later.
Keep Your Diet in Check
The final tip for preventing dreadlock breakage is to take care of the foods that you eat. Sometimes preventing breakage is as simple as staying hydrated as often as possible. Healthy hair starts from within and being sure that you only eat good foods and drink lots of water is a great way to make sure your dreadlocks don’t start to break.