Long, hot and steamy showers are one of life’s simple pleasures. It makes us feel clean, relaxed and ready-for-bed. It elevates our mood, reduces muscle tension and frankly makes us happy. Unknown to most people though, hot showers may cause unnecessary hair loss and directly affect the health of your scalp.

While taking a hot bath or a steamy shower session doesn’t directly cause hair loss, it does affect the health of the scalp. Hot water opens up the skin pores and hair follicles, allowing water to wash away dirt but also natural essential oils that are needed for a healthy hair. When these essential oils are washed away, hair loses its thickness and becomes more prone to breakage, affecting the hair’s overall life cycle. Over time, the damage to the hair follicles become excessive causing hair loss to become more and more evident.

On the other end, cold showers help improve blood circulation to allow nutrients to be better delivered throughout the body – the scalp included. While this is the case, it is understandable that cold showers are not for everyone. It is a preference and a recommended approach for people with hair concerns, but it is not a requirement. If you are the type of person that prefers a warm bath, there’s no reason you should deny yourself that privilege. Just make sure when you are washing your hair, always wash it with lukewarm water and finish off with a cold rinse to close and tighten up the hair follicles. This way hair strands lock in the essential nutrients and minimize its chances of hair breakage. Just a friendly suggestion to give you the healthy hair you know you deserve.