How to protect hair during the summer?

During the summer months, our hair is exposed to a multitude of external aggressions that can deteriorate it, making it look lifeless, drier, weaker, brittle and dull and, even, that it can fall out since the negative effects of summer They affect both hair and scalp equally. As they are complicated months to preserve hair health it is necessary to know how to take care of the hair in an optimal way.

Hydrate – Exposure to the sun, chlorine from pools and sea salt leave hair dry and without vitality. For this reason, it is essential to moisturize the hair at this time of the year with products that improve the structure of the hair and restore the shine. But you have to keep in mind that you have to pay close attention to the formula of the products: collagen is an always welcome ingredient, since it strengthens the hair, helping it to grow.

Hats and caps – Its use is beneficial since they protect the hair from ultraviolet radiation. However, these supplements should not be abused as they stifle the scalp, which also needs to ‘breathe’.

Avoid picking up hair – In summer, the collected triumph for their comfort, but this habit damages the hair, especially if it is still wet. Continuous tension on the hair, either by the hair bands or by brushes that are too aggressive, can also cause fall: the so-called ‘traction alopecia’. In the case of using hairbands to collect it, it is important to monitor the material from which they are made. Silicone and those coated with a material that does not damage the hair are preferable.

Dry the scalp – Although air drying is allowed in summer, the dryer is the best alternative to dry the scalp, as long as it is kept within a span of the head, with cold air or first heat position.

Washing after the bathroom – After exposing the hair to the sun, the sea and the pool, it should be washed with warm or freshwater, since hot water dehydrates the hair and damages the hair proteins.

Wash before bath – Running the hair through water before entering the pool causes the hair to absorb less water and, therefore, to be less exposed to its substances, such as chlorine, a disinfectant that damages the keratin of the hair.

Power – A correct food choice is always an excellent hair treatment. During the summer, it is important not to forget foods such as sardines, mackerel, nuts and salmon (rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, nutrients that promote hair texture) citrus fruits (since vitamin C improves circulation in the scalp) and carrot, squash, peach, and apricot, whose nutritious carotenes are crucial for the prevention of dandruff and fall. And, of course, drink plenty of water, crucial to hydrate the internal structure of the hair.

Avoid dyes – Dyes, in general, damage the hair. Resorting to them in summer is not the best decision. After a color treatment, a dye, a permanent or the application of highlights, the hair is at its most vulnerable point. That is why it is advisable to avoid the pool for at least a week so that the chemical compounds settle and thus prevent any chemical reaction with chlorine and other products that can cause the hair to be dyed green, premature discoloration, dehydration, and breakage, Among other consequences.

Use of sunscreens – During the summer, as we do with our skin, it is important to use sunscreens regularly, applying it according to the indications so that the physical barrier they provide to our hair is always active. The most suitable are those with UV filters and with natural and soft ingredients that do not add the scalp but protect it.

Protectors against chlorine – Some of the sunscreens for the hair also incorporate protective agents against chlorine, offering more complete hair protection, hydrating it and repairing the fibers of our hair. These products create a film that protects hair from sun, dehydration, and loss of color that can cause contact with chlorine.