How To Protect Hair From Sun Damage
Nothing beats having fun under the sun but did you know that too much sun exposure can ruin your hair? Sun damage can make your strands limp and lifeless. The high humid content in the atmosphere weighs down your tresses as it settles, making it look limp.
Sun exposure also means heat, and when you feel hot, you become sweaty. The combination of sweat and sun damage translates to split ends, frizziness, dandruff, and hair fall. Discoloration is also a common effect of sun damage as burnt hair turns into a lighter color. Color treatments tend to fade easily as well if you stay under the sun too long.
So, how can you make sure that your hair stays healthy, shiny, and bouncy under the heat of the sun? Luckily, there are lots of preventive measures that you can do to avoid sun damage to your tresses. Here are some tips:
1. Avoid heat
The sun’s heat is damaging enough as it is so you should avoid adding heat to your hair. Air-dry your hair instead of using a blower and avoid styling your hair with the use of hair curlers or iron.
2. Shampoo
Experts say that using shampoo every day can actually damage your hair. Too much shampoo dries up the scalp and strands. But if you’re the type who sweats easily on the scalp and gets greasy hair, it is advisable to use a mild shampoo to keep you fresh without adding damage.
3. Condition
The sun dries out your hair so it is important to keep your hair moisturized. Any leave-on conditioner can do the trick for you as long as you make sure that the product you use suits your hair type and texture. It’s also best to use products that have keratin in them.
4. Avoid coloring
People usually lighten their hair color or get highlights especially when summer comes. But experts do not advise this. Summer is when the sun really hits you — and your crowning glory — hard. The heat in the atmosphere is enough to wreak havoc on your hair so you have to make sure to go easy on treating your hair with chemicals during summertime. If you really want to give your hair some hue, it is advisable to do the process a month or two before summer.
5. Take precautionary measures before swimming
Whether you’re going to the pool or hitting the beach, make sure that you do not shampoo your hair beforehand. This will rob your strands of their protection and will only make them extra vulnerable to the chemicals or salt in the water.
If you are conscious of your hair and don’t mind wearing a swimming cap, you can place conditioner on your hair and then place the cap over it as you swim. If the swimming cap does not appeal to you, you can shower using a shampoo that contains ethylene tetra-acetic acid to remove the harmful effects of chlorine. It also helps when you wet your hair first before you go swimming — this way, your hair won’t absorb too much of the saltwater or chlorine.
6. Tie up your hair
The heat does not only make your hair dry but it also makes your hair frizzy. You can control your hair by tying it up. Think of it as an opportunity to try different styles of braids, buns, knots, and ponytails. This does not only avoid frizziness but tying your hair also reduces the sweating. Make sure that you don’t pull the strands too tightly to avoid breakage and that your hair is dry before tying it up. It’s also best if you switch the way you tie your hair from time to time so that you won’t be stressing out the same strands.
When the damage is done and you see signs of sun damage, there are also some solutions for your hair problem:
- Trim it down – Dry hair and split ends go hand in hand. This is not only unhealthy for your hair but it also does not look good. The only option is to cut your hair. But if you can’t carry sporting on a short hairdo, you can always opt for a small trim that will deal with the ruined ends of your hair.
- Color care – If the warning came too late and you just colored your hair, just make sure that you take extra care of your tresses. Choose products especially made for colored hair. It’s always best to stay out of the sun since sun damage, combined with chemical treatments, leads to color fading. If you need to stay under the sun, always use a wide-brimmed hat or scarf to help you cover your hair.
- Home treatment – Trying to regain your hair’s luster usually means expensive salon treatments. If you’re on a budget, there’s no need to fret because there are numerous home remedies for treating sun-damaged strands and you don’t have to spend much since most of the items needed can be found in your usual grocery list. Items such as eggs, honey, bananas, avocados, yogurt, and beer can do wonders for your hair. These remedies don’t give instant effects but when you do use them regularly, you can see that the results will be worth it.
Maintaining healthy hair under the sun can be challenging but it is not impossible. With all these preventive measures and solutions, rest assured that your hair can still be healthy, glowing, and bouncy despite the blazing heat. Enjoy the great outdoors! 🙂
Image Credits: Photl.com
