THE SUMMER SUN’S EFFECTS ON YOUR HAIR

Summer can damage your hair in many different ways: overexposure to sunlight, cool dips in your favorite chlorinated swimming pool, or those humid midnight summer nights… Let’s take a deeper dive into why you might have a bad hair day this summer:

 

• TOO MUCH SUN. True, your hair can’t get a sunburn, but the sun can still cause it plenty of damage. When spending too much time in the sun, ultra-violet A and B (UVA and UVB) rays can damage the outside cover of the hair strand, called the cuticle, and even its inner structure. How? Sunlight heats your hair beyond its comfort level, burning it and drying it out, much as if you were blowdrying it for a long period of time. The result is unmanageable dry hair, split ends, and discoloration. Overexposure to sun can even affect hair growth, as the hair growth cells are highly sensitive to UV light, which can deplete the levels of vitamin E and C essential for hair growth.

 

• SWEAT. Don’t skip your yoga session but sweat leads to greasy hair and can cause serious hair problems like split ends, dandruff, or even hair loss. Why? Whenever hair gets wet, it’s easily stretched and damaged. Although sweating removes toxins from the body, excess sweating can be harmful to the hair and scalp due to lactic acid content in the sweat, which can dry your scalp and prevent new hair growth if not rinsed away quickly. The salts contained in sweat can even cause hair to lose color faster.

 

• HUMIDITY. Your hair exchanges water molecules with moist or dry air. During humid weather, hair absorbs the moisture in the air, which in turn causes your hair to swell, weighing it down, and making it look limp and lifeless (we’ve all been there, ugh!). Each hair type responds differently to moisture and, different hair strands around your head can react unpredictably, resulting in uneven absorption that cause frizz.

 

• SUNBURN. A burned scalp is not only painful but can also damage your hair roots. In order to help the healing process along after any sign of sunburn, avoid using heat tools near your roots at all costs.

 

 

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HAIR THIS SUMMER

So, how can you protect your hair and maximize its shine this summer? First of all, overtreating isn’t ever the answer -  too much cleansing (especially with harsh toxin-laden shampoos) will dry your scalp and hair even more. At the same time, not washing your hair often enough may lead to hair fall and a whole host of problems. Without question, the best thing you can do is to avoid coloring your hair as often as possible, toss aside any harsh chemical hair treatments, and be certain you only use natural restorative hair care formulas like the plant science designed ViTA Duo.

When you’re planning on going for a swim, avoid shampooing your hair right before you make your swandive (or cannonball – whichever your style). Shampoos, especially non-natural chemical-based formulas, can strip your hair’s natural protective oils and make it even more vulnerable to chlorine and salt water. Instead, use your ViTA Duo after you’ve finished swimming for the day to gently remove any harsh pool chemicals while nourishing and restoring your hair back to health for your summer evening out.  

Everyone wants to spend the whole day in the sun. But where you can, avoid additional heat to your hair this summer. Let your hair air-dry as much as possible and go low-and-slow with the hairdryer if needed. Instead of styling your hair with a hot iron or curlers, how about letting those curls down naturally?

Also, during the hot summer months, getting your hydration on is even more important than usual. Put simply, if you don’t get enough water, your hair will look flat, dry, and even hair growth will slow. Drink as much water as you can and include hydrating fruits and vegetables into your meals to give your hair all it needs to maintain it’s healthy glow.

 

THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION

Ultimately, it’s all about choosing the right hair products too, because everyone wants to have hair that shines throughout the summer sunshine. Stay away from any products that contain alcohol (formaldehyde) and harsh chemical ingredients like sodium laurel sulfates (SLS), parabens, or unnatural fragrances and dyes – these all weaken you hair, making it even more susceptible to damage.

What you can’t go wrong with is replenishing, moisturizing and hydrating plant-powered shampoos and conditioners like ViTA! With its toxin-free, carefully designed, plant science-based formulations, ViTA’s hair care Duo is ideal for protecting and revitalizing your hair after a long sunny day poolside or at the beach. Click here to learn more about ViTA’s repairing and nourishing effects on your hair and how they’ll leave your hair better than ever this summer. Oh, and using ViTA helps keep the oceans clean too ;)