Winter Hair Care in Dubai
During the Fall and Winter months, the weather in Dubai is amazing. The daily highs range from the
upper 70s (25C) to mid-80s (30C), making Dubai’s weather from October-March almost perfect.
However, there are a few unique environmental conditions that can harm hair during these beautiful
months:
There are a few unique environmental conditions that can harm hair during these beautiful months:
- Desalinated water exposure when showering and bathing
- High humidity, being a coastal city
- Low humidity from indoor air conditioning
- High UV index exposure being a coastal desert city
- Silica from the desert sand combined with local air pollution
EFFECT OF DESALINATED WATER ON HAIR:
As a desert coastal city, the main source of water comes from desalinization plants. The chlorine present in desalinated water dries the hair, making it feel gummy when wet, and straw-like when dry. Without
proper hair care measures to counter the effects of chlorine, hair becomes brittle and is prone to breakage.
EFFECT OF CYCLING BETWEEN HIGH OUTSIDE HUMIDITY & LOW INSIDE HUMIDITY:
As a coastal city, during the fall and winter months, the average humidity outside is typically in the upper 50% region. At the same time, inside humidity is very low due to constant use of air conditioning. The constant cycling between humid outside air and dry inside air weakens the hair’s keratin structure due to hydrogen bonds formed in humid air getting stripped away from the dry inside air.
HIGH UV INDEX
Coastal desert climates have a higher UV index than inland desert regions, making sunlight more
damaging to the skin and hair. The combination of coastal humidity, freon and hydrocarbons
released by air conditioning units deplete the ozone layer, leading to a higher UV index. High UV sun exposure acts as an oxidant and fades hair color. Letting hair dry in the sun, especially at beaches, damages the hair structure.
SILICA IN DESERTS
Silica is a sand-like substance found in deserts that is usually bound to calcium or magnesium. Silica, in combination with hydrocarbons from car exhaust systems can coat the hair, making it look dirty and weighed down with dandruff-Iike flakes. All of the above are just a few challenges that come along with living in the beautiful sensational coastal city of Dubai.
FALL AND WINTER HAIR CARE IN DUBAI:
Good shower filters can solve the desalination water issues by removing chlorine. The drastic dry inside and humid outside variations that challenge the hair can be avoided altogether by using a humidifier within air-conditioned environments. To avoid High UV index damage, mix an oil-free, SPF 30+ sunscreen into your hair styling products. It provides complete protection against moisture loss and sun damage. Use at least once a week a deep-cleansing shampoo and conditioner to cleanse the hair from silica hydrocarbon pollution particles.
