Protect Your Tresses From Summer Stresses: Physician Guided Summer Hair Care
Protect Your Tresses From Summer Stresses: Physician Guided Summer Hair Care
As the warm rays of Memorial Day sun signal the unofficial start of summer, it's the perfect time to ask: Is your hair ready? Welcome to our summer hair care series, where we'll dive into hair care tips for the summer season.
Over the coming weeks, we'll delve into the science behind scalp health, tackle common summer hair issues, explore benefits of natural botanicals and phytonutrients, and provide practical advice for maintaining healthy locks in the face of summer stressors.
Why Summer Hair Care Matters:
While we often focus on protecting our skin from the sun's harmful rays, it's equally important to prioritize our hair and scalp health. Skin cancer is more common on the scalp because it's one of the most sun-exposed areas. UV rays can also damage hair, leading to dryness, brittleness, and color fading. The combination of UV exposure, heat, humidity, and saltwater or chlorine can take a toll, causing issues like summer dandruff, itching, and inflammation, which can impede hair growth. With the right summer hair care and a proactive approach, you can keep your mane looking its best all season.
Common Summer Hair Issues and Solutions:
Excessive sun exposure and summer stressors can significantly impact your hair. Let's discuss some common summer hair issues and why it's crucial to give your hair and scalp extra TLC this time of year.
UV Damage and Importance of UV Hair Protection: Prolonged exposure to UVB and UVA rays can cause structural damage to the hair shaft. UVB radiation breaks down hair proteins, while UVA radiation alters hair color. When UV rays hit your hair, they are absorbed by photosensitive amino acids, producing free radicals that attack keratin, leading to weakened structure and color changes.
- Symptoms: Dryness, brittleness, split ends, color fading
- Sun Protection For Hair: Limit direct sun exposure to hair and scalp, wear a hat or scarf, and use products with UV protection for hair containing antioxidant-rich botanicals like aloe, saw palmetto, hops, sage, orange, and almond oil.
Dryness: Sun, saltwater, and chlorine can strip your hair of natural oils.
- Symptoms: Rough texture, increased frizz, split ends, dullness
- Prevention/Treatment: Stay hydrated, use moisturizing hair products with ingredients like aloe, and incorporate hydrating masks and oils into your routine.
- Color Fading: The sun can cause color-treated hair to fade more quickly.
- Prevention/Treatment: Use sulfate- and paraben-free color-protecting hair products and wear a hat outdoors.
Frizz: Humidity can make frizz-prone hair unmanageable.
- Prevention/Treatment: Use anti-frizz hair serums and creams, and opt for protective summer hairstyles like braids, buns, or twists.
Flaky Scalp: Increased oil production in response to heat and humidity can clog hair follicles, leading to an itchy, flaky scalp commonly referred to as summer dandruff.
- Symptoms: summer dandruff, itchiness, flakiness, greasiness
- Prevention/Treatment: Regularly cleanse your scalp with products like Buongiorno Tea Tree Oil Shampoo and Conditioner; tea tree oil has antimicrobial properties against summer dandruff-causing fungi. Use a gentle scalp exfoliant and massage to remove dead skin cells and prevent buildup.
To combat these issues and maintain optimal hair and scalp health, adopt a targeted summer hair care routine that includes the right products, techniques, and habits. Choose lightweight, moisture-balancing formulas, utilize UV hair protection and environmental aggressors, and take proactive steps to ensure your locks remain healthy, shiny, and strong throughout the season.
Physician Formulated All-Natural Botanicals
Conclusion
Summer hair care is crucial for maintaining hair health and beauty. By understanding hair and scalp health and the challenges posed by the summer environment, you can take proactive steps to protect and nourish your hair during the summer season. Remember, a little preparation prevents damage and ensures your hair stays vibrant and strong all season. Stay tuned for the next installment, where we'll dive into the science behind healthy hair growth and explore common summer hair problems in depth. Until then, stay hydrated, protected, and enjoy the sunshine responsibly!
