Hair

Summer hair protection: What you need to know

You protect and cover up your skin during the summer, but do you know about summer hair protection?

by : Jennifer Weatherhead Harrington- Jul 24th, 2014

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Slathering SPF on your face and body and wearing a wide brimmed hat are no brainers (we’ve been doing that since our teens and will do just about anything to prevent a wrinkle). But our summer hair? It just gets twisted up into a topknot without a thought. Until now. Roger Medina, styling pro for TRESemmé, gives us the dirt on just how damaging the summer can be to our hair, and how we can protect it from the sun.

Summer hair UVA and UVB
“UVA and UVB rays have the power to damage the hair from the cuticle to the inner structure of the hair,” explains Medina. “Unlike skin, which can regenerate melanin after UV damage, your hair is dead and can no longer make melanin. The cuticle contains a web of tiny overlapping scales. When the scales are damaged they cannot lay flat and will look lifeless, brittle and dry.”

Those harmful sunrays can also burn the sensitive skin of your scalp (we’ve all bee there with a painful, red, centre part). The best way to avoid this is by covering up with a hat.

Summer hair: Protect your strands
“Many people know how skin care and UV protection go together like summer, beaches and fun,” says Medina. “But many forget to include their hair in this protection.” According to Medina you hair should never be exposed to intense UV light, and just like with you skin, especially at peak sun hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The best way to keep your hair healthy and undamaged? “Sun hats, sun bonnets, caps and head scarves provide great UV protection,” suggests Medina.

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Summer hair: Post sun exposure
Let’s face it – an entire summer in a hat or scarf just isn’t going to happen, no matter how much we love healthy hair. For those non-hat days, Medina recommends dousing hair in a leave-in conditioning spray. “It will provide your hair with more moisture, strengthen it and will even help to maintain the frizz on a hot summer’s day,” says Medina. “Use this before going into the sun for a smooth, silky and shiny hair that’s manageable.” TRY: TRESemmé Split Remedy Leave in Conditioning Spray.

Coloured hair needs to be extra wary of the sun’s rays as it can strip the colour and leave it looking dull and flat. Medina suggests using a shampoo and conditioner for colour-treated hair.

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Summer hair: Post sun repair
After exposing your hair to loads of sun, give it a chance to repair by boosting the moisture in it. A super hydrating shampoo, conditioner or hair mask will help reduce dryness caused by sun exposure and keep your hair healthy.