How Can I Protect My Hair From Sun Damage
After entering the hot summer, in order to avoid sunburn, we will choose to apply sunscreen to avoid direct ultraviolet rays,. But actually, in similar ways to how the sun can be harmful to your skin, it can also damage your hair. do you want to know how you can take some precautions to protect your hair from sun damage.
Does The Sun Damage Your Hair?
Actually, if your hair undergoes prolonged exposure to the sun, the UVA and UVB rays can damage the outside cover of the hair strand, called the cuticle, thus damaging the hair shaft and leading to discoloration, early greying, dry, and brittle strands, broken or split ends, thinning and frizziness.
Before we delve into what can be done to protect your hair from UV rays, let’s take a quick look at which are some signs of sun damage to your hair.
What Are the Signs of Sun Damage to Your Hair?
If you have any of the following hair problems, then it could be that your hair has had too much exposure to the sun:
Faded hair color;
Dry and brittle hair strands;
Broken or split ends;
Frizzy hair;
Weakened and thinning hair;
So what is the best way to protect hair from the sun?
How To Protect Hair From Sun Damage
Just like you use SPF daily to protect your face and skin, there are several things you can do to protect your hair from sun damage naturally.
- Minimize Peak Sunlight Exposure
To avoid getting sunburned, it’s best to steer clear of sun exposure during the hottest part of the day. And the same goes for protecting your hair.
As we all know, the sun is the most intense between 10 AM to 2 PM. If you plan to go outside, please aim for the morning or late afternoon. Although you won’t totally escape the sun, you can avoid some of the harshest and most damaging rays, thus reducing sun damage.
If going out is inevitable, it is best to cover your hair with a scarf or use your wide-brimmed hat.
- Get A Trim
While cutting your hair might not be plan A, trimming the ends of sun-damaged hair might be one of the best ways to keep strands healthy and stimulate growth.
By trimming as soon as you see split ends or experience dryness, you may prevent further damage down the line and ensure that your hair is in good condition and there is less risk of split ends.
3.Natural oils pull triple duty: smooth the cuticle, add shine and deliver natural sun protection. My favorite natural way to protect hair from the sun is to apply a small amount of coconut oil to your hair before going out.
- Keep Hair Moisturized With A Hair Mask
Even if you're not outside every day, just a few minutes in the harsh summer sun can leave your hair feeling parched. An excellent option which is one of the most popular natural ways to protect hair from the sun and help with any damage is to use a homemade hair mask.
Or, you can use a leave-in conditioner to keep hair moisturized. Only need to apply it to the roots, and then secure your hair in a towel overnight.
- Throw On A Hat
Protection of hair by physical barriers is probably the best and most effective way to protect against UV damage. For example, a wide-brimmed hat that can cover your face and neck offers extra protection from the sun to minimize sun damage.
- Style Your Hair In Protective Styles
When it comes to protecting your natural hair from sun damage, nothing is better than to style a simple protective hairstyle. Like a French Braid or a sleek bun can completely cover your scalp and decrease the surface area of hair that’s exposed to direct sunlight, which means you are protecting most of your hair strands from sun damage。
- Take a Break From Heat Styling
If your hair is already being exposed to the rays of the sun, then it doesn’t need another heat attack from straighteners and blow-drying.
If possible, please use heat tools as less as possible. After all, the heat from these styling appliances will damage the keratin sheath around the hair and leave it open to sun damage. Thus, allowing your hair to air-dry is the kindest option.
If you are in hurry or still have to use these hot tools, please keep it at a low temperature and opt for a serum to protect your hair.