Using lukewarm water is best because it activates the cleansers in your shampoo while protecting your hair and scalp for your healthiest hair growth.
Beneficial for your hair
Additionally, cold water helps to close hair cuticles, which enables the hair to reflect light resulting in a high shine. Dermatologist, Jessica Krant, states that cold water also decreases inflammation around the hair follicles, making hair look healthier and stronger.
Cold water not only helps the scalp retain its moisture—it also seals down the hair cuticles and helps lock moisture into the strands themselves. "The cool water temperature closes and strengthens the hair cuticle, which can result in stronger, healthier hair over time," notes celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons.
Hot showers aren't just damaging to the skin, either – they can also wreak havoc on your hair. Scalding water is just as stripping for your scalp and strands. It can cause the scalp to overproduce oil and can also break protein bonds and damage the hair cuticle.
Washing your hair with very hot or cold water can strip your hair of moisture and result in dull, brittle, and frizzy hair. Using cold water improves blood circulation in your scalp and reduces dandruff. Washing hair with hot water removes excess dirt and oil and prevents scalp infection.
First of all, always wash your hair with distilled water. Hard water contains minerals like magnesium and calcium that can build up on the scalp and hair and harm them in the long.
Cold showers will do wonders for your Hair and scalp. The cold water closes up your pores and cuticles, keeping the moisture in, creating smoother, shinier and less frizzy Hair - which, as a curly Haired human, is pretty high in my priorities.
Disadvantages Of Cold Water
When washed with cold water, there are chances that your enclosed hair cuticles lock in excessive moisture. This may weigh down your hair and make it flat. Also, the moisture increases the binding of your hair strands, resulting in a decrease in hair volume overall.
This is because cold water closes the hair cuticles and pores in the scalp. This process adds luster and shine to the hair as the cuticles have been closed. It helps in sealing in the hair's moisture and also helps in clumping your coils and curls together for even more definition.
Hair can be overly porous: Hot water can dehydrate the scalp and strip your hair of its natural oils, which can lead to breakage. Frizz: Since the hot water strips the natural oils in your hair, the escaped moisture can leave your hair frizzy and dry.
The shock of cold water can stimulate the blood cells that fight off infection (leukocytes). One study in the Netherlands found that people who switched to cold showers for 30, 60, or 90 seconds for 90 days called out sick from work 29% less than people who didn't switch to cold showers.
Using hot water on your hair regularly can make it brittle and porous, leading to increased breakage and hair loss. Moreover, hot water opens up skin pores that can make your hair roots weaker, further aggravating hair fall.
Cold water also helps improve blood circulation, ensuring better delivery of the nutrients and minerals from your diet up to your scalp. Better circulation also helps your body remove wastes more efficiently, which otherwise could cause your hair to grow more slowly. Cons: However, cold water tends to flatten the hair.
To help control frizzy hair after washing it, first avoid any hair products that contain alcohol. The best ingredients for frizzy hair are nourishing oils like argan oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil.
The main cause of frizz is a lack of moisture in your hair. This causes your hair to seek out and absorb moisture from the air, causing frizz - which also explains why humidity can make frizz even worse.
Hot water melts away your natural hair oils, leaving it dry, brittle, and frizzy. Excess heat also lifts your hair cuticles, the outermost layer. When that happens, the cells separate and the cuticle layer can't seal itself—another cause of frizzy hair.
Factor, a clinical dermatologist and researcher, said, "Cold water can help your hair to become stronger and healthier over time. Cold water not only helps the scalp retain its moisture, [but] it also seals down the hair cuticles and helps lock moisture into the strands themselves."
When to wash. Rossi generally tells his patients they should wash their hair once or twice per week. But if you've had chemical treatments that can make your hair drier — such as bleach, perms or relaxers — you might want to wash it less than once weekly to avoid breaking or brittle hair or split ends, he said.
Water-only washing works best with curly, coily, thick, and coarse textures that are prone to dryness. Chambers-Harris recommends following up with a deep conditioning mask or conditioner to seal in moisture after washing the hair with water.
Lukewarm water is advisable to wash your face with, but cold water has its benefits, too. Cold water tightens the appearance of your skin, so it may make you look renewed and refreshed. It also helps boost your circulation, which can help give your skin a healthier appearance, albeit temporarily.
After 30 days of cold showers, most individuals report feeling more alert, having more energy, having healthier skin and hair, improved mental health and resilience, improved circulation, and more.
In a clinical trial, researchers found that taking a cold shower for up to five minutes once or twice daily can help relieve symptoms of depression. Cold showers can also help clear your mind and combat overwhelm by decreasing your heart rate.