Protect your hair from the sun in the summer, they will thank you

If applying sunscreen to the skin of the face and body is part of the habits of one in two French people before exposing themselves to the sun, hair is the big forgotten in UV protection. However, we all have to earn by paying attention! Follow the leader.

Why should you protect your hair from the sun?

If UV rays are harmful to the quality and health of the skin (sunburn, premature aging, pregnancy mask, melanoma, etc.), their destructive action does not stop there: they can also damage the raw material of the hair, keratin. And the result on the hair fiber is even worse when sunbathing is followed by swimming in the sea or diving in the pool with treated water.

He tells Adam Reed magazine about a professional hairdresser who counts many celebrities among his clients Get the gloss :

The combination of sun, harmful UV rays, swimming in the sea or in a chlorinated pool affects the condition and quality of the hair. They will dry out, become brittle, blondes will turn green from chlorine, and colored hair will lighten and become dull.

In addition to avoiding having a doormat on your head at the beginning of the school year, another great reason to protect your hair in the summer is to avoid a painful sunburn on your scalp. Yes, like the rest of the skin, this area can suffer from UVB burns and, as dermatologist Kavita Mariwalla confirms to the magazine rhythm” the scalp is equally likely to develop cancer “.

How to protect your hair from the sun?

To protect the hair and scalp from the damaging effects of the sun, the most effective way is to cover the skull with a hat. Floppy hats, boat hats and panama hats are very trendy as soon as the warm season returns, so you might want to take advantage of them to combine style and sun protection!

For those without a particular “hat head”, Adam Reed gives some advice in the columns of Get the gloss :

If you don’t like hats, you can wrap your hair in a scarf, headband or turban. It is very simple to do and the result is superb, as well as protecting the hair from the sun’s rays.

Accessory or not, opting for a protective hairstyle such as braids or a chignon will reduce the surface of exposure to the sun, and therefore will limit the damage to the texture and color.

Which hair sunscreen to choose?

Many hair products have been specially designed to protect hair from UV rays but also to restore softness, vigor and shine after prolonged exposure to the sun. Some formulas also offer an action against chlorine and salt, which can be very useful for the summer period!

Protect your hair from UV rays

Conditioners, creams, oils, protective sprays and mists … There are many options to protect your hair before sun exposure. Whatever the chosen texture – the thinner the hair, the lighter it should be so as not to weigh down the lengths – it is important to apply it evenly from roots to ends, in order to obtain a fairly homogeneous shield. One last pass of the comb will ensure the good distribution of the product.

Good to know: Like a sunscreen for the little one, the anti-UV hair treatment should be reapplied after each bath.

Repair hair after sun exposure

When the day is over, it’s important to use a mild after-sun shampoo to rid your hair of sunscreen (and chlorine / salt / sand if you haven’t rinsed your head after a bath) and moisturize it thoroughly. . Once or twice a week, you can also apply a repairing mask instead of your usual detangling product, in order to promote cellular reconstruction of the hair and smooth the hair fiber.

In late summer, offering your lengths a vegetable oil bath can also be good for them, as well as a little scissors, which will eliminate split ends.

Shopping to protect your hair from the sun’s rays

Cover image photo credit: Anna Tamila