Our crowning glory has become our ultimate obsession and fascination. With summer fast approaching, it is the perfect time to let our hair down and look its absolute best. Women are trying on different hairstyles and colors by donning their mermaid hair and knotless braids.
But between all the fun times, summer brings damaging effects to our body, especially with our hair. The scorching sunlight, intense heat, and other self-contributed factors can get our hair badly damaged. Instead of getting beach waves, we’re left with frizzy, brittle, and greasy strands that look beyond repair. Some even buy themselves expensive hair care products and visit a salon for hair treatment services to give their hair some TLC it deserves.
While we can just sit and worry about our hair condition, it is better to find the best solution and eliminate our hair issues once and for all. In this article, we’re going to look at the worst hair problems during summer along with some easy-to-follow solutions to overcome tough hair challenges and feel your absolute best all summer long!
Chlorine Damage
We’ve heard this many times before; taking too much time in the water can change the hair color, especially those with very light hair. As a matter of fact, this belief isn’t just an old tale. According to experts, a swimming pool with poor chemical balance contains copper that can easily leach onto our hair. Once the chlorine molecules in our hair oxidize the copper, it will eventually cause the hair to turn green. This often affects people with treated blonde hair.
Chlorine also has damaging effects on our hair. When exposed to chlorine, the outer layer of the hair cuticle will lift up, causing the water to reach the center of the hair, which results in hair brittleness. This usually happens among swimmers who suffer from constant hair breakage, especially when straightened or dyed.
Using a spray alone may not completely wash out the elements from your hair. For those with treated hair, pre-treating it using a pH balancer and allowing it to reach 3.5 pH will create a protective barrier against greening substances.
Another tip is to rinse the hair thoroughly before dipping it into a chlorinated ocean or pool. Combine it with pre-pool hair products such as a leave-in conditioner. If you use fresh or tap water to rinse the hair, the chemically treated water will not easily attach to your hair’s protective scales. For long-term protection, applying a hair mask weekly will repair any hair damage and seal the cuticle.
Sun damage
The sun is the worst enemy of our hair during summer. Without protection, the UV rays harming the skin can affect our hair as well. Heat can easily dry the hair out, especially with processed and depleted hair. It collapses the bonds which supposed to strengthen the hair keratin, resulting in weaker strands and color fading.
To avoid sun damage and scorching, wearing a hat serves as your hair’s protection against the sun. To avoid a hat head, wear a silk scarf beneath it.
Hair products with UV protection will also help. But applying a thin product to the hair may not work. You need to be thorough as if you’re applying a conditioner to ensure you’ve coated all the strands. If your hair has already been sun-dried, treat it with a leave-in conditioner with moisturizing features. It will not only protect your hair, but will also add more volume.
Pre-treating the hair using an SPF spray will also do the work. This will protect the scalp from the harmful effects of skin cancer. A great choice is a light mist spray with SPF 15 or 30.
Frying or raking tortured locks
Too much brushing, combing, and blow-drying is the easiest way to weaken hair. People have a habit of roughly brushing wet hair after bathing. Doing this will only pull the hair out of its roots, leading to more hair fall. If you’re in a hurry to prep your hair, use a wide-toothed comb than an average brush. If you’re going to use the dryer, use a tourmaline blow dryer instead and attach with it a hair diffuser on its end to reduce frizz and maintain your hair’s natural wave pattern.
If you just got out of the pool, rinse it with fresh water and blot the hair gently with a soft towel. Rubbing it harshly will only raise the cuticle which damages the hair when applied with heat. Afterward, reapply a leave-in conditioner before blow-drying it. For those with full-bodied hair, apply a texture product and fluff up those curls using your fingers instead of turning on the dryer.
Now you know the proper ways to handle the toughest hair issues during summer, it’s time to apply these tips to enjoy having healthy hair under the sun. Whatever length or hair type, these simple tricks will help you beat the harshest elements to overcome your hair woes and enjoy healthier hair all year long.
