Summer season means intense heat, humidity and rise in temperature that may not only damage your skin but hair too. Sun exposure, excess heat and strong winds will take away all the shine from your hair, leaving it dull and frizzy. Therefore, following a proper hair care regime will help shield the hair from the harsh heat.
In this blog, we will discuss how summer heat is damaging our hair? What are the hair care tips one needs to follow in summer? What are the common hair concerns in this weather and the solutions for the same?
Summer heat makes your hair dry, while the humidity dehydrates it. Also, the high temperature damages the tips of your hair, resulting in split and dried ends. Therefore, it is essential to follow a proper summer hair care regime so as to reduce the above issues. We will discuss in the next section about how the hair gets damaged from the hot weather.
Understanding Summer Hair Damage
Sun’s UV rays and hot weather may damage the outermost layer of the hair (cuticle). This in turn makes the cuticle rough. It swells up to attract more humidity, making hair frizzy. Also, the excessive moisture and sweat may lose the volume of your hair. Thus, there are different types of hair damage caused by sun, sweat and chlorine. We will discuss this in brief:
Hair damage caused by sun
The rays of sun (UV-A and UV-B) may break down the bonds between the keratin protein in the hair. As a result, the hair becomes more prone to breaking off when being combed or brushed. Secondly, the sun's rays might dry out your hair. Thus, making it fragile and susceptible to breakage. Higher temperatures will also strip off the essential oils from hair, which will lead to rough and frizzy hair.
Hair damage caused by sweat
Sweat contains salt that might dry out your scalp, slow down hair growth, disturb the microbiota of your scalp and damage coloured hair. Excess scalp sweating in the scorching heat may result in bacterial infections and dandruff. Also, sweat contains sugar or glucose that causes keratin protein in the hair to become hardened. This makes the hair brittle and lacks volume.
Hair damage caused by chlorine
In the summer, some people like to swim in pools to beat the scorching heat. However, water in the pool contains chlorine that creates oxidative stress, discolors the hair and damages the hair cuticles. This leaves your hair tangled and messy. There are other metals like copper present in this water that bind to the hair shaft and change the color of your hair.
Summer Hair Care Tips
Summer doesn’t have to be the season of bad hair days. With some extra care, it’s time to follow certain summer hair care tips. Some of these are discussed below:
Revamp your routine with the right products
Summer means excessive heat and humidity. This will lead to more sweating in the scalp. Therefore, you may be tempted to wash your hair often. However, excessive shampooing can further dry out your hair by removing the natural oils from your scalp. So, revamp your routine by washing 2-3 times a week only with a sulphate free shampoo that is good for your hair and scalp.
Protect strand and scalp from heat damage
UV rays from the sun can damage your hair. Therefore, apply hair care products like gels and sprays that contain UV protectants. This will maintain the color of your hair and will further protect from heat damage.
Avoid heat styling tools
It is advised to minimise the use of heat styling tools like straighteners, blow dryers and curlers. This is because the heat from these tools will intensify the already existing summer heat. Therefore, it is advised to go with a natural hairstyle in summers.
Trim your hair
Trimming ensures that your hair has no split ends. Regular trimming makes it easier to manage your hair and will keep it healthy. Generally, your hair grows faster in summers as compared to other seasons. This is because hair strands are in anagen phase (growth phase) that leads to more growth of hair follicles.
Cover up
The sun can make your hair dry. To prevent sun damage to your hair, put on a hat like wide-brimmed hats, denim hats, and canvas hats. You can also put a silk scarf around your hair before putting on the hat so as to provide an additional layer of protection.
If you are uncomfortable wearing hats, you can try a scarf or headwrap. These will also provide full protection from the damaging rays of sun.
Apply leave-in conditioner
Before going swimming in pools containing chlorinated water, it is advised to apply a leave- in conditioner on the hair strands. This is because hair won’t absorb the chemicals present in the pool water. It is also recommended to rinse your hair after swimming.
Summer Home Remedies for Healthy Hair
Summer is usually that time of the year when we experience sweaty, oily scalp and frizzy hair. Due to extreme heat, you may also lose hair from the scalp. However, just make sure that you take extra care of your hair in the summers. Try some of these home remedies for healthy hair in summer:
Oiling with lightweight hair oil
In summer, your scalp is usually oily and applying high density or your regular hair oils may make the situation worse. So, instead of thicker oils, use lightweight oil to give nourishment to hair follicles. This won’t make your scalp and hair oily.
Apply aloe vera and lemon juice
Take 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and aloe vera and mix it together. Apply this hair mask on the scalp and hair. Wait for 15-20 minutes and rinse off with water.
Aloe vera is a natural hair conditioner that smoothes the hair from within. It also balances the pH of hair that got disrupted due to high temperature and dry air. On the other hand, lemon juice is a natural cleanser that removes excess oil, dirt and sweat from your scalp. This keeps the hair fresh and clean.
Apply cucumber
In summers, cucumber is one of the best remedies that you can use in your hair care regime. The heat makes your scalp dry, sweaty and oily. Therefore, apply the pulp of cucumber directly on the scalp and hair to give a refreshing look.
Neem paste
Take neem leaves and grind them in a mixer. You may add honey or olive oil to it for better results. Apply this paste to the hair roots and wash after keeping for an hour.
Neem leaves are an effective solution in preventing hair fall and restoring balance of scalp. It also acts as a natural conditioner that makes your hair smooth.
Common Summer Hair Concerns and Solutions
During summer, the UV rays of sun, sweat, high temperature, dry air and humidity may cause lots of hair problems. Some of the hair concerns with their solutions are discussed below:
Hair fall
The extreme heat in summer may take away the moisture from your hair. This leads to breakage of the hair, and thus hair fall.
The best way to control hair fall in summer is to wash your hair using
Kosmoderma HairGen Shampoo. The presence of essential amino acids and proteins in the shampoo fortify hair and reduce hair fall.
Niacinamide and anagain is the active ingredient in this shampoo that stimulates hair growth and enhances the appearance of it. It boosts the circulation in the scalp that grows long and strong hair. The lemon extract in the shampoo controls excess oil and sweat in the scalp.
Frizzy hair
In summers, frizzy hair is the most common hair issue. Due to excessive humidity, the hair follicles absorb more moisture from the air. This disrupts the protein bonds in hair. As a result, your hair becomes brittle, dry and frizzy.
The best way to deal with frizziness is to use Kosmoderma Hair Gen Serum. This
serum tames frizz by making your dull hair shiny. It also detangles the hair knots and improves the hair texture. The presence of active and natural ingredients helps in smoothing the rough ends of hair. It protects the hair from the humid climate by repairing the damage.
Dandruff
During summer, dirt, sweat and sebum on your scalp accumulates to form dandruff. Furthermore, it leads to scalp irritation and itching.
The ideal solution to remove dandruff from your scalp is to use Kosmoderma HairGen Shampoo. The presence of lemon extract in the shampoo controls sebum production and thus reduces dandruff, flakiness and itching. The shampoo also balances the pH of the scalp, thus reducing dandruff-causing bacteria.
Conclusion
It is important to take extra care of your hair during summers due to high temperature, dry hair and humidity. Following a proper hair care regime and using the right products for your hair could prevent it from damage. Hydrate yourself thoroughly in summers and use protective shields like hats and scarfs to avoid hair from drying.
Summary of Key Points
- Hair loses all of its shine due to exposure to the sun, excessive heat, and strong winds during summers.
- In order to protect the hair from damaging heat, a regular hair care regimen should be followed.
- Take extra care of your hair using some home remedies and also use the right hair care products.
FAQs
Should we oil our hair in summer?
Yes, oiling is necessary in summers. But instead of using high density oil, use a lightweight oil and massage on the scalp. This will nourish the hair roots from within.
How often should I wash my hair in summer?
You should wash your hair 2-3 times a week in summer. If you wash it on a regular basis, natural oils from the scalp will be removed. Thus, making your hair dry and frizzy.
How can I keep my hair healthy in summer?
You may keep your hair healthy in summers by drinking lots of water. Also, follow a proper hair care regime, use the right products and trim your hair on a regular basis. Avoid going outside in high temperatures with open hair.
How do you treat sweaty hair in summer?
You may treat sweaty hair by washing it twice or thrice in a week. Also, use lemon on your scalp to soak your sweat. Rose water is another good cure for controlling sweat and preventing foul odours.
How can I keep my hair moisturised in summer?
For keeping hair moisturised in summer, use a moisturising shampoo and conditioner. You may also use serum for taming frizziness of hair.