You probably do a lot to protect your skin from the sun during the summertime, but did you know that the sun can damage your hair too? If you've been working all through winter and spring to get lustrous locks, the last thing you want is to have your hair looking dull, frizzy, and fried just a few weeks into summer.
Keep in mind that the sun’s ultraviolet rays can leave hair permanently damaged, especially if you have bleached or colored hair. Even if your hair is untreated/natural, UV rays can still cause stress and can dry out the smooth outer layer of the hair shaft, leaving it coarse and lifeless[1]. Telltale signs of sun damage include fading and discoloration, split ends, brittleness, and a tendency to break, as well as frizziness and thinning. What’s more, damaged hair is difficult to manage because it’s unable to hold a style.
On the bright side, there are things you can do to protect your hair from sun damage. Here are some tips for protecting your hair with hair growth products fortified with nutrients that truly have your hair’s health in mind.
Forestall the Frizz
Hot summer days all too often lead to frizzy hair. This is because hair soaks up the extra humidity in the air. When this happens, the hair’s shaft swells and can lead to tiny breaks in the cuticle. The cuticle is the outer part of the hair shaft. When there are breaks in the cuticle your hair puffs up and has a tendency to go every which way but the one you want. The key to avoiding frizz is to keep your hair’s natural moisture locked in, and the humidity out. You can do this by using a silicon-based cream on your hair while you’re outdoors. This will protect your hair from the damaging effects of humidity.
When you’re shampooing and conditioning, using DrFormulas™ HairOmega® Argan Oil Infused Restorative Shampoo and Argan Oil Conditioner will also help your hair maintain its natural moisture. This is due to the fact that these HairOmega® products do not contain any of the harsh chemicals used in many hair products, which strip hair of its natural oils. Instead, HairOmega® shampoo and conditioner contain all-natural ingredients such as argan oil, which cleanses without harming hair, drying the scalp or damaging hair follicles.
Squash Swimming Damage
Your hair’s cuticles and your scalp are protected by a natural lubricant known as sebum. It helps keep the moisture in so that your hair doesn’t become brittle and your scalp doesn’t become flaky and itchy. As soon as you take a dip into the pool, the chlorine in the water begins to strip your hair of its natural protective oils. Swimming in the ocean can be equally damaging because the heavy salt water will draw moisture from your hair, leaving it lank, dry, and brittle. Don’t worry, you don’t have to give up swimming this summer—there are ways you can protect your locks from chlorine and saline.
The first thing to do, before you hit the pool or the beach is to soak your hair with fresh tap water. This will prevent your hair from sucking up chlorinated water or seawater. When you leave the water, you should wash and condition your hair straight away, using a shampoo and conditioner with argan oil. Argan oil comes from the fruit of the Moroccan Argan tree, and is packed with nutrients, including vitamin C, which helps promote collagen and support healthy hair growth, and vitamins A and E, which protect hair from harmful UV rays. When you use argan oil as a leave-in conditioner, it can protect your hair from frizz, split ends, sun damage, and damage from the pool or the ocean. Because of argan’s nourishing and restorative actions, it may also protect your hair from heat damage caused by styling tools like hair dryers and flat irons.
Appease Your Hair’s Appetite
You hair has a demanding appetite, and if you want to keep it healthy-looking and growing strong, you will need to make sure you feed it well. Hair growth and maintenance is a complex metabolic process requiring multiple nutrients, enzymes, vitamin cofactors, and reactions. If you are not getting the right nutrients in your diet, your hair will suffer greatly. Some of the most important dietary nutrients for your hair include:
- Vitamin A: Also known as retinol, vitamin A supports healthy hair by promoting the production of sebum and preventing the hair shaft from drying out and breaking off. It is found in spinach, carrots, peaches, and cod liver oil.
- Biotin: Commonly known to promote strong hair, biotin is a B-complex vitamin that is occasionally referred to as vitamin H. Not only does it improve hair’s elasticity, it also protects hair against dryness and breaking. Food sources include green peas, lentils, oats, Brewer’s yeast, and brown rice.
- Vitamin E: This antioxidant supports hair growth by improving circulation so that oxygen and other nutrients reach hair follicles. It also helps boost immune functions. Natural sources include legumes, soy beans, nuts, wheat germ oil, and leafy greens.
- Cysteine: The shaft of each hair strand is made from a tough protein known as keratin. It is made up of three individual amino acids, one of which is cysteine. This amino acid gives the cortex of the hair its strength. Cysteine also supports healthy hair growth by protecting hair from thinning[2]. It is found in pork, poultry, eggs, dairy, onions, garlic, red peppers, and wheat germ.\
Make sure you’re satisfying your hair’s appetite with DrFormulas™ HairOmega® DHT Hair Growth Vitamins and HairOmega® 3-in-1 Hair Skin and Nails Formula with Biotin. Not only do both of these hair growth supplements provide you with the essential hair nutrients listed above, they also include other all-natural ingredients to support hair growth, such as saw palmetto, Beta-Sitosterol, lycopene, Pygeum africanum, and grape seed extract.
Don’t make your summer a season of bad hair days. Start off with a trim so your hair is in good shape from the outset. Ditch the styling tools as much as possible to prevent unnecessary heat damage, and take charge of your hair health with the help of DrFormulas™ HairOmega® products. Hair care couldn’t be easier or healthier.
[1] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/08/best-ways-to-protect-your-hair-from-sun-damage/
[2] http://aminoacidstudies.org/major-study-confirms-that-l-cysteine-can-reverse-hair-loss/
About the Author:
Dr. Bryan Do, D.O. is an osteopathic physician whose research interests include gastroenterology, immunology, and dermatology. He is particularly interested in the role of probiotics in the gut-brain-skin axis and has written many articles on the topic. He graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) before graduating from Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana and becoming a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Osteopathic physicians are taught to take a holistic approach to medicine and to consider mind, body, and spirit when treating a patient. Osteopathic physicians receive training in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) in addition to the standard rigorous medical school curriculum. Both physicians with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree as well as a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) can practice medicine.