Many people associate summer with fun in the sun, swimming at the pool, beach days, and other fun ways to beat the heat. But unless you take preventative measures to protect and nourish your hair during this time, all of this can be detrimental to its health.
In the same way that the sun is damaging to your skin, it can also be damaging to your hair. The UV rays lift the hair’s cuticles, which weakens the protective layer. This protective layer is what keeps your hair more smooth, less brittle, and more vibrant in color. Exposure to the sun, however, causes the hair to lose keratin and become dry.
Swimming in all forms can be damaging to your hair—from the chemicals in pools to the salt in the sea. Individuals who thrive on water activities in the summer need to be aware of how it will affect their hair health. Stay mindful of:
Luckily, you can work to mitigate the consequences of your summer activities when you adequately support your hair. There are a variety of tips and tricks you can implement to best support your hair.
Wear a hat to protect your hair from those harsh UV rays. This will protect your hair, scalp, forehead, and ears, which are often forgotten and prone to an increased risk of skin cancer.
Wet your hair before going into any water. This allows your hair to soak up natural water, making it more difficult for it to soak up harmful or drying agents. An added tip would be to add some leave-in conditioner to your hair before swimming, which acts as an additional barrier.
Washing your hair less during the summer will help to maintain its natural oils that can act as another protective barrier against the sun.
After swimming, make sure to rinse your hair thoroughly. This will help to rid your hair of any harsh or drying chemicals. An additional pro-tip is to add apple cider vinegar with your rinse; this will help to limit discoloration caused by chlorine.
Properly hydrate both yourself and your hair. Utilize leave-in conditioners and natural oils like coconut or jojoba to help counteract the negative impact of the sun.
Your hair can experience some additional dryness during the summer months, or it may be a more chronic concern. Your hair will provide signs to let you know it needs extra love and hydration. Some of these signs include brittleness, frizz, or dull color.
Environmental factors can play a big role in contributing to your hair’s dryness; however, additional issues may include scalp health, age, hair care, or health problems. Assessing these factors and how they relate to you can help you to combat the issues of your dry hair more effectively as you seek to restore your locks to their desired lusciousness.
You can address generally dry hair by applying some basic principles.
Washing your hair too often can dry out your scalp and hair. If you are experiencing hair dryness, try decreasing your hair washings. This may be difficult for a daily washer to do, but you can decrease the number of times you wash your hair slowly until you are only washing 1 to 2 times a week. This will also allow your hair to retain more of its natural oils.
Using heat on your hair further dries and damages your hair. If you are washing only once or twice a week, you are hopefully using a blow dryer or heat tool even less often.
Try experimenting with techniques like heatless curls or different hairstyles that limit the need to apply heat to your hair.
Shampoo acts as a stripping agent to strip the buildup from your hair and scalp. Unfortunately, shampoo also strips your hair of its natural and protective oils. Perhaps try more gentle shampoos or even a cleansing conditioner. By being more aware of the products and the drying detergents and chemicals you are placing on your hair, you can lessen the negative impact they have.
For additional hydration and nourishment, try massaging natural oils into your hair. Leaving them on as a mask or rinsing them out immediately can help provide more hydration to your hair. Some oils to consider using include coconut oil and jojoba oil.
Many hair products have chemicals that can dry out your hair. This is especially true of products that have alcohol in them. Alcohol acts as a drying agent and should be avoided.
While supporting your dry hair from the outside is important, remember that ultimate health comes from the inside. Try taking supplements that have been shown to increase hair health. Some of these supplements may include iron, vitamin b12, selenium, folate, and biotin.
Never underestimate the power of a professional. Not only should you be scheduling regular trims to help keep split ends at bay, but you can also get professional deep conditioning treatments to help treat hair dryness.
Don’t let the summer heat destroy your beautiful mane. Take preventative measures to protect your hair. When in doubt, book a consultation with an expert to get more guidance or to treat your tresses.
Learn more about our institution and contact us today.
Cosmetology Skills That Can Help You Rock Your Cosmetology Program