Hair care in Hyderabad: dry heat and hard water

Hyderabad sits inland on the Deccan plateau, with long hot dry summers, a moderate monsoon and a short mild winter. Humidity is low for most of the year, which is easier on frizz and harder on moisture retention.

Water is mixed. Areas served by the Krishna and Godavari systems generally see treated surface supply, while a great many neighbourhoods and apartment complexes depend substantially on borewells, where hardness is typically higher.

• Ends that feel rough and split earlier than expected.
• A scalp that feels tight after washing, sometimes with fine flakes.
• Static and flyaway strands in the driest months.
• Hair that looks dull rather than dirty.
• Frizz driven by dryness rather than humidity, which responds to oil rather than to a barrier.

Hyderabad summers are long and genuinely hot, and most of the resulting hair damage comes from how people respond rather than from the temperature.

• Lower the water temperature. Hot showers in hot weather are extremely common and strip lipids from hair and scalp.
• Rinse with plain water after heavy sweating rather than shampooing every time.
• Cover your parting in strong midday sun. It is skin and it burns.
• Concentrate conditioner and oil on the mid-lengths and ends.
• If you ride, dry the helmet lining between uses and rinse after long rides.

Mineral deposits build with every wash, dulling hair, roughening the surface and reducing shampoo lather. It convincingly mimics damage.

1. 01Use a chelating shampoo every week or two, looking for EDTA or an explicit chelating claim.
2. 02A dilute vinegar rinse, one part to four, between times.
3. 03Oil before washing so the water meets oil rather than bare cuticle.
4. 04Consider a shower filter if hardness is marked, and replace it on schedule.

1. 01Oil scalp and lengths two to three times a week, an hour before washing.
2. 02Shampoo the oiled hair before wetting it, then add water.
3. 03Keep water lukewarm and rinse thoroughly.
4. 04Condition mid-lengths and ends every wash.
5. 05Chelate every week or two on borewell supply.
6. 06Cover up in strong sun, and trim every few months.