With summer officially here, we are all excited to be outside at the beach or by the pool. For those of us that live in the northern part of the country, we know how important it is to squeeze out every last minute of this beautiful and warm weather. However, when it comes to our hair, summer is not the most friendly season. We are going to look at some of the top summer activities that wreak havoc on your hair and what you can do about it.
Swimming in Chlorine Water
Chlorinated water in swimming pools actually makes hair more vulnerable to summer stresses of heat and sun. Chlorine has an oxidizing effect, which weakens strands, removes natural oils, resulting in dry and damaged hair. To protect your hair from chlorine, the easiest option is to wear a swim cap when swimming. You can even use a leave in conditioner before putting on the cap, which creates a seal and doesn’t allow as much water into the cap. To repair damage from chlorine, always rinse hair immediately and don’t let the chlorine sit on the hair and use a deep conditioner, like the Medi Tresse Keratin Deep Conditioner, to add moisture back into the hair.
Swimming in Salt Water
Seawater leaves a layer of saline on the strand and when it dries the higher concentration of salt crystals will pull moisture out of the hair strand, making it more fragile and therefore, break easier. It is extremely important to rinse your hair immediately after swimming in salt water. Leave in conditioners or oil treatments, like the Medi Tresse Hydrating Serum are a must to add moisture back into the hair strands.
Excess Sun Exposure
Sunlight is essential for Vitamin D and has positive effects on our mood, but the ultraviolet radiation is responsible for both short-term and long-term damage to our hair and skin. Hair that is overexposed to the sun can become discolored, dry, and brittle. The easiest way to prevent sun damage to the hair is to wear a big hat and keep the hair moist so that it does not dry out. My favorite option is to apply a conditioner spray or oil and cover with a large-brimmed hat. If your hair does become dry or brittle from the sun, then adding back moisture with a hydrating serum and deep conditioner is a must.
If you noticed a common theme above, it is that summer activities tend to remove moisture from the hair strands, causing them to become dry and brittle. The truth is that all types of hair can be affected by these summer activities, and it is so important to add moisture back into hair strands. Our hair has limited ability to protect itself or repair itself when damaged.
The good news is by utilizing deep conditioners, oils, and hydrating serums, there are great ways to protect and repair your hair from drying out. So enjoy all of your planned summer activities, just make sure to protect your hair.
Posted by Dr. Mary Wendel
