As we move into the warmer months, we often will lather up with sunscreen to protect our faces and skin. But actually, in similar ways to how the sun can be harmful to your skin, it can also damage your hair. The good news is that you can take some precautions to protect your hair from sun damage.
If you want to maintain shiny, healthy strands while enjoying the sun, read on to learn how to prevent hair from sun damage with just a few simple tips.
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.
1. 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.
2. 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. Use Natural Oils For Sun Protection
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.
4. 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.