When you've spent a solid half an hour preening your hair before going out, you may be shocked when you catch a glimpse of your unruly mane in the mirror. But, this isn't the first time this has happened, so you'll need to learn how your heater affects your hair, so you can put some order back into your life. Or at least be prepared that if you use your heater, it may have an adverse affect on your locks — so you don't have to spend a ton of time crafting an elaborate style, that's going to be ruined before you even leave the house.
For those who are experiencing a light bulb moment — who perhaps didn't realize why their strands weren't staying put even though they were indoors, away from the elements — you'll be pleased to discover that there (probably) isn't a playful poltergeist messing up your hair after you've styled it during the colder months. Instead, it could be a simple yet subtle problem: Your indoor heating. As if you didn't have it hard enough with the wintery weather conditions outside playing havoc with your hair, you now have to defend your locks from an enemy on the inside.
But, you shouldn't throw in the towel just yet. I spoke to Honey Artists Hairstylist Wesley O’Meara, about how your heater affects your hair and what you can do about it. Because a season of back-to-back bad hair days is not an option.
According to O’Meara, you need to figure out what kind of heating is in your home first. "The heat in the apartment or house varies depending on if your heat is dry, or wet," he tells Bustle over email. To decipher which kind of heating you have, you need to observe how your hair reacts when your heating is cranked up.
"Old school New York apartments use a steam heat so that's good for your hair, just kinda’ humid effects," explains O’Meara. If your heating is of the "wet" variety, it'll likely make your hair react as if you were experiencing a hot, humid day, "so it would be similar to how you would care for your hair to keep the frizz at bay," says O’Meara.
On the other end of the scale, your heater may be causing the air in your home to dry out. "If it is a dry heat and it is really kickin' in your apartment and you end up with scarecrow dried hair, just add an extra conditioning mask to your weekly routine instead of the usual once a week," O’Meara recommends.
Depending on whether your hair is frizzier or drier than usual will help you work out what kind of heating you have. After this, just follow O’Meara's advice and your hair should be back to its old self in no time!
Images: Getty Images (3)
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