Hair and Sun Damage

By now, everyone knows that the sun can cause serious damage to our skin and health. Without proper protection, sun damage can lead to many undesirable outcomes such as wrinkles, sun spots, extreme dryness and the most serious of all, skin cancer. If you take good care of your skin, you make sure to stay away from being in direct sunlight for too long, wear a good amount of sunscreen when you go to the beach or outdoors, and stay away from tanning beds (I prefer a spray tan, myself). Did you also know that sun exposure can cause damage to your hair?

Sunlight harms your hair by oxidizing it, which leaves your hair brittle and damaged. It also acts as a natural highlight on your hair, which means quicker color fading. This is bad news for those of us who dye our hair, making trips to the salon more frequent. Your hair also has an aging process, just like the rest of your body. Constant exposure to the sun will allow the aging process to quicken, leaving you will thinner and less hair! So how can you protect your hair from the sun's strong rays?

Apply a UVA/UVB Protecting Hair Spray:

There are plenty of products that protect our locks from sun damage. These handy sprays are easily applied, leave no residue and acts as a shield against harmful rays. Most of them also smell great, which is a great bonus! A good tip to remember when choosing is to make sure it lists the amount of SPF it contains. Some products like to claim it protects your hair, when they don't. Stay on the safe side and stick to the ones who clearly have their SPF listed. The higher the SPF number, the greater the sun protection.

Avoid Going Outside During The Sun's Peak Hours:

The sun's harmful rays are strongest from 10am – 4pm. This step may be harder to follow due to your hectic life schedule but when you can, go out early or later in the day.

Wear Hats:

One of the more obvious ways is wearing a hat when going outdoors or to the beach. Although not everyone likes hats, it will protect your hair and give you some shade on your face as well. You can also protect your hair ends which are prone to easy breakage by styling your hair in a low bun.

Soak Hair In Oil Once a Week For Extra Care:

I like to give my hair a 100% argan oil soak after going to the beach or pool to give it the moisture it needs. After letting the oil soak for 10-30 minutes and rinsing it out, I use my trusty Victorya by ISA Professional flat iron . This leaves my hair looking shiny, straight and hydrated. I can definitely see the difference since I started paying attention to avoiding sun damage, always remember to do a deep oil soak once a week to keep your hair looking its best.