You go out in the sun, you wear sunblock. You work out in the heat, you drink more water.
Most of us know how to care for our bodies in response to the changing conditions of summer.
But summer's increasing sunlight -- as well as the amount of time we spend in the sun while swimming, playing sports or watching others do the same -- can have as much impact on your hair as on your skin.
Along with pleasant weather, summer brings a host of hair stressors that, if ignored, can lead to faded color, dried-out hair and even a green tinge in your highlights.
Keep reading for some area stylists' and educators' advice to beat summer's threats and leave the season with hair as healthy as it was when you entered.
Sun
"The sun is nature's natural bleaching agent," said Randy Rick, a creative vice president for certified learning in cosmetology. "Everything you put in the sun bleaches -- your car, your roof, paint, your clothes."
What that means for your hair, of course, is that increased sun exposure will alter the color of your hair.
"It dries the hair and lightens it, and can actually fade hair color rapidly," said Ginger Wunder, co-owner of Vanity Hair Day Spa in Wyomissing, Pa.
People with light hair -- dark blondes or sandy-colored brunettes -- may not mind the sun bleaching gold streaks into their hair.
But those with darker hair will see the sun giving their locks a reddish hue, and colored hair will fade faster.And no matter how you feel about the sun's bleaching effects, it can dry out hair of any color -- an effect Wunder said she starts to see in May and June, as older adults hit their gardens and the golf course, and younger women hit tanning beds."By September, we're dealing with a lot of sun-damaged hair," she said.There are some steps you can take to minimize sun damage.Think of your hair like your skin -- minimize sun exposure, cover it in the sun by wearing a hat and help block UV rays by using a product with SPF protection. Some shampoos give sun protection, as do other leave-in products.Be careful with commercial products designed to lighten the hair in the sun, which can be damaging. Lemon juice is a natural way to achieve the same effect."Remember that tanning beds can have the same effect as sunlight," Wunder said. If you're going to use them, cover your hair."Remember that your part line can burn the same as any other skin, and wear sun block."For dry hair, look for deep-conditioning treatments and damage-therapy lines, and invest in a leave-in conditioner.ChlorineChlorine from swimming pools is the season's other major hair threat.
Like the sun, chlorine can dry out hair and fade color, and people withlight-colored hair may see their hair take on a green tinge."Swimmers have a lot of chlorine build-up in the hair," Wunder said.Light-colored and porous hair, such as hair that's been highlighted, are more susceptible to the effects of chlorine.There are steps you can take to prevent damage or treat it if it has occurred.Wet your hair with distilled water before entering a pool."Your hair's already wet, (so) it won't just suck up all thatchlorine," said Jenn Alexander, stylist and lead network educator atBell Tower Salon and Spa in Wyomissing, Pa.Wash and condition hair after you finish swimming, before yourhair dries, Rick said. If you'll be in and out of the pool, apply aleave-in conditioner once you get out, Alexander said.Look for shampoos formulated for chlorine-damaged hair.Wear a swimming cap, Rick advised.Think twice about coloring your hair if you're a frequentswimmer -- chlorine can alter how the color will appear. Rickrecommends getting a test portion colored before doing a large area.Follow the same advice for treating hair dried by chlorine as sun-dried hair. Other ThreatsWhile chlorine and sun remain the top twosummer hair threats cited by many stylists, Alexander said she sees anincrease in a handful of other problems during the summer as well.
Anything that causes the hair to whip in the wind -- such asriding on a motorcycle or in a convertible, or water-skiing -- cancause damage such as split ends, she said.To minimize damage during these activities, wet the hair, apply a leave-in conditioner, and then loosely braid the hair.But pulling hair back can lead to other problems.Pulling back wet hair can stretch it out, causing it to loose its elasticity over time, like an over-stretched rubber band.If you must pull your hair back when it's wet, pull it back loosely, as in a bun or braid, rather than a pony tail.Source: Reading Eagle. Powered by Yellowbrix.
Source: beauty
