Beauty News, Maya Chia

Protecting your hair & scalp from UV damage this summer

09
Jul

Summer is on its way, bringing with it the joys of beach outings and poolside relaxation. While many of us diligently apply SPF to our skin, we often overlook the importance of protecting our hair and scalp from UV damage. Just like our skin, our hair is susceptible to sun damage, which can have lasting effects on its health. Let’s explore how UV rays affect our hair and what we can do to protect it this summer.

Understanding Hair Structure

To understand UV damage, we first need to know the basic structure of the hair shaft:

Cortex: The largest layer, located at the center of the hair shaft, determines hair shape, texture, and color due to the melanin it contains.
Medulla: The middle layer, made up of loosely packed air and cells, can sometimes be discontinuous or absent.
Cuticle: The outermost layer, protects the hair from environmental damage with overlapping scales called keratinocytes.

Hair, skin, and nails are primarily composed of keratin proteins (65% to 95% of hair fiber is keratin). Hair proteins consist of keratin molecules bonded with amino acid complexes essential for hair development. Damage occurs when these bonds are broken by stress, chemicals, heat, and UV exposure.

How the Sun Damages Hair

Prolonged sun exposure is a leading cause of structural hair damage. UV rays can cause dryness, reduced strength, rough texture, loss of color, stiffness, and brittleness. There are three types of UV rays, each affecting hair differently:

Ultraviolet A (UVA): These rays have the longest wavelengths and penetrate deep into the hair, causing photoaging.
Ultraviolet B (UVB): These rays penetrate the top layer of skin and are responsible for sunburn. They also cause significant damage to the hair’s cuticle.
Ultraviolet C (UVC): The most dangerous form, but fortunately, they are absorbed by the earth’s atmosphere.

UV damage manifests as color changes, weakened hair shafts, and altered hair functions. Most UVB rays are absorbed by the cuticle, while UVA rays reach the cortex, leading to hair color changes. Melanin in the cortex provides some resistance to UV damage by absorbing and filtering UVA rays. However, prolonged exposure depletes melanin, causing hair lightening and increased vulnerability to damage.

High humidity can make hair more susceptible to sun damage. Sand and water reflect harmful rays, making beach and poolside protection crucial.

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Protecting Your Hair from the Sun

Protecting the cuticle is essential for maintaining overall hair health. Here are some tips to keep your hair healthy in the summer:

Avoid Overexposure

Avoiding prolonged sun exposure is the most effective way to prevent UV damage. If you plan to be outside, try to stay out of the sun between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM when UV rays are strongest.

Wear Protective Accessories

Hats and head scarves are stylish ways to protect your hair and scalp from UV rays. These accessories also offer protection for your face.

Use Protective Products

The Mane Agent | Advanced Molecular Bond Repair is an excellent product for summer hair care. It contains high-grade, clean ingredients that repair damage, restore hair health, and protect against future damage. The proprietary complex of chia seed, polysaccharides, and amino acids forms a protective, moisturizing shield around each hair shaft without weighing it down. This formulation resists harmful UV rays, reduces friction, and increases hair density and shine.

The Mane Agent also strengthens and restores damaged hair by repairing broken bonds between keratin proteins and amino acids. It fills gaps in the hair follicle, increasing resistance to water and humidity, reinforcing the cuticle, and slowing oxidation during hair treatments. This results in stronger, smoother, moisturized hair.

Despite its potency, The Mane Agent is lightweight and easy to use. After shampooing and conditioning, apply it throughout towel-dried hair and comb through.

Enjoying a Sun-Safe Summer

You don’t have to avoid the sun entirely to protect your hair. With these simple tips, you can enjoy a fun-filled summer while keeping your hair healthy. Have a fantastic summer full of pool days, farmers’ markets, and outdoor activities, all without the worry of sun damage.