Beauty Expert Reveals Five Essential Summer Protection Tips to Prevent Hair Damage
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Article reproduced with kind permission of Hannah Adams and Fresha -who retain copyright
More information here: https://www.fresha.com
With summer fast approaching, caring for your hair becomes more essential than ever. As temperatures rise and sun exposure increases, your hair faces a seasonal surge of challenges.
The go-to booking app for beauty and wellness, Fresha, has revealed the five most important tips for protecting hair during the summer months, when exposure to sun, sea, and chlorine can cause significant damage.
Many people forget that hair needs just as much protection as your skin during warmer weather, otherwise, it can lead to dryness, breakage and colour fading.
These expert tips offer the ultimate guide to keeping your hair healthy and protected all summer long.
Avoid excessive heat exposure
Heat causes significant damage to hair by weakening it and creating a drying effect, making it more susceptible to breakage. Most people apply heat to their hair on a daily basis, whether this be from hair drying, straightening or other appliances that can cause damage to their hair.
Just like your skin, your hair is also vulnerable to UV rays. UV weakens the hair protein keratin, which is what keeps your hair strong. When the hair protein structure is weakened, it becomes brittle and dry, making it more prone to breakage.
Adding excessive heat to your hair through styling products when it is already weak will lead to a higher chance of permanent damage.
To combat these issues, let your hair dry naturally whenever possible. If you must use a hairdryer, select the lowest heat setting. Save straighteners and curling tongs for special occasions only, or even consider using heatless ways to style your hair, such as sock curls, braids, pin curls, or even the famous TikTok overnight robe tie.
Use UV protective products for your hair
Many people apply sun cream to their skin but completely neglect their hair. Hair sunscreens create a barrier against harmful UV rays that would otherwise strip colour and damage the hair shaft.
Applying protective products before swimming and reapplying throughout the day, similar to how you would use regular sun cream, maintains optimal coverage for your hair.
When it comes to coloured hair, it can fade up to four times faster when exposed to strong sunlight without protection. In addition to applying hair SPF, use gentle, sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners made for colour-treated hair to maintain the applied colour.
Shampoo your hair less frequently
The summer heat can make us want to wash our hair more often due to sweat buildup. However, frequently washing with shampoo strips away your hair's natural oils that otherwise protect and nourish it, and this can leave your hair feeling dry and more prone to sun damage.
In summer, the sun, chlorine, and saltwater already dehydrate your hair. Overwashing can worsen dryness and frizz, especially for textured or colour-treated hair. Rinsing with water after swimming or sweating is a great way to refresh your hair without stripping it of its natural oils. It is advisable to reduce washing frequency to every 2-3 days during summer for the best results.
For extra care, try using dry shampoo between washes if necessary to prevent a greasy appearance from building up without washing away natural oils. When you do wash your hair, use lukewarm rather than hot water, as this helps close the hair cuticles and lock in moisture.
Cover up your hair
Wearing a hat in the sun isn't just a fashion choice, it's a highly effective form of sun protection that benefits both your skin and hair. It creates a direct barrier between your scalp and UV exposure to avoid burns, flaking, and long-term damage.
A wide-brimmed hat protects both your hair and scalp from direct sun exposure. This style of hat also provides protection from common areas susceptible to skin cancer, such as the ears, neck and nose.
After-sun hair care
What you do after sun exposure matters almost as much as prevention.
Using intensive conditioning treatments weekly during summer months, focusing on the ends of hair, which tend to be most damaged, is the best way to combat sun damage.
Deep conditioning masks with ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil or argan oil can also help restore moisture lost through sun exposure.
A spokesperson from Fresha commented:
"In summer, your hair faces a lot of challenges, so it's important to take precautions to ensure your hair still thrives during the hotter months of the year.
Although hair care is important year-round, summer means longer days, more sunshine and for some, holidays away to hotter countries. If you don't take care of your hair, it can lose moisture, become damaged, and look dull, which will most definitely bring down your summer mood.
By protecting and moisturising your hair during summer, you help keep it healthy, shiny, and manageable despite the tough conditions. This will allow you to enjoy the season to the fullest without worrying about your hair."
