Why Does My Hair Feel Different Every Season?

This blog post was written and submitted by Melanie Webster, a leading expert in all things natural. Mel has a Bachelor of Naturopathy, a Diploma in Clinical Nutrition & a Diploma in Herbal Medicine. 

As the weather changes, it's so easy to get caught up in how our skin is doing without thinking too much about our hair. But our hair and scalp go through plenty of seasonal changes too, and sometimes it can be hard to know what's normal and when we need to get things checked out.

Let's start with some hair 101.

Your hair is alive at the root, and it responds to light, temperature, stress, food and hormones, just like the rest of you. As we move out of spring and into summer, plenty of us start noticing a difference in how our hair looks, feels and sheds.

First, a Quick Look at the Hair Cycle

Every hair on your head follows its own cycle. It grows for a few years, rests for around three months, then sheds to make room for a new one.

Because each hair is on its own timeline, some are always growing while others are on their way out. That's why you never lose them all at once. It's a pretty amazing process!

How Much Hair Shedding Is Normal?

Losing around 50 to 100 hairs a day is typical. You'll see them in the shower, on your brush and on your clothes when you're heading out on a date, but that's all part of the process and totally normal.

Many people also notice a seasonal rhythm, with more shedding in autumn and fresh regrowth through spring and summer. Light, temperature and hormones all have their own role here.

It can look dramatic when it happens, but seasonal shedding usually settles on its own.

What Your Scalp Does as Summer Arrives

As the temperatures rise, your scalp has a few adjustments of its own to make.

• Oil: Warmer weather can ramp up oil production, so hair may look greasy sooner and feel heavy by day two.
• Sweat and build-up: With more exercise and socialising in the warmer weather, sweat, sunscreen, dry shampoo and styling products can all sit on the scalp and leave it itchy or flaky.
• Sun: I think we've all suffered the horrendous pain of scalp sunburn, especially along the part line! NZ's UV is strong, and a sunburnt scalp is not a happy one.
• Water: With more swimming comes more exposure to chlorine and salt water, which can strip natural oils and leave hair feeling dry, rough and brittle.
• Dryness: After a winter of heaters and hot showers, some scalps are still trying to catch up on that extra moisture.
• Flaking: It can show up in cold, dry weather or hot, sweaty weather, just for different reasons.

When It's More Than Just the Season

Shedding that starts to stress you out because it feels excessive, lasts longer than a few months or comes with visible thinning is worth investigating.

Hair often responds to what happened two to three months ago. A stressful stretch, an illness or a big life change can show up in the shower drain well after it's over, which can make it genuinely hard to connect the dots.

Some common things that can contribute to hair shedding include:

• Stress: Significant physical or emotional stress can push more hairs into the resting phase at the same time.
• Nutrition: Low iron, low protein or simply not eating enough overall can affect your hair. Hair isn't essential to survival, so your body prioritises nutrients for more vital functions.
• Hormones: Postpartum changes, perimenopause, thyroid conditions and conditions like PCOS can all affect hair growth and health.
• Medications and illness: Some prescription medications and illnesses can trigger temporary shedding.
• Over-washing or harsh products: A stripped, irritated scalp isn't the best environment for healthy hair.
• Dandruff and yeast: Persistent flaking, itching or redness can be associated with an overgrowth of yeast on the scalp. A yeast called Malassezia naturally lives on our skin, but an imbalance can contribute to irritation and dandruff.

Important: Patchy hair loss, a painful or very inflamed scalp, or hair coming out in clumps is worth getting checked by your GP or a qualified health practitioner.

Looking After Your Scalp This Summer

A healthy scalp is the foundation for healthy hair. Get these simple habits down, and your hair will be better equipped to 'weather' all the seasons.

• Keep it clean: Wash regularly enough to clear sweat, oil and sunscreen, using a gentle cleanser.
• Rinse after swimming: Whether you've been in the pool or at the beach, give your hair a good rinse afterwards.
• Protect your scalp from the sun: Wear a hat or use a little sunscreen along your part line.
• Be gentle with styling: Go easy on heat tools and tight hairstyles that can put unnecessary stress on your hair.
• Give yourself a scalp massage: Treat yourself to a gentle scalp massage now and then. It's a lovely way to relax and care for your scalp.
• Nourish from within: Eat plenty of protein, leafy greens and whole foods, and remember to drink enough water.

Keep an Eye on the Pattern

If you're not sure whether your shedding is seasonal or something else, it helps to track it.

Notice when it started, how long it's lasted and what was going on in your life a few months beforehand.

Hot tip: Take a photo of your part line every month or so. It can help you spot changes that are difficult to notice day to day.

The Takeaway

Some seasonal change is completely normal. Your hair is simply keeping pace with everything happening around it.

Support your scalp, nourish your body and give it time.

If something still feels off, chat with your GP or a qualified health practitioner about whether testing your iron levels, thyroid function or hormones might be appropriate.

It doesn't have to stay a mystery, and it doesn't have to stress you out.