"My hair is like straw!" What mistakes we make when caring for hair in summer
Elena Kvitun, a dermatologist-trichologist, told "Minsk-Noviny" how to care for hair during the summer and why it is undesirable to do tight hairstyles.
Photo: vecteezy.com
Why hair quickly loses its look in summer and if SPF is needed?
Summer aggressively affects hair. Ultraviolet rays penetrate deep into the hair shaft, destroying keratin and melanin. This causes fading and makes strands porous. Infrared radiation dries out the inner layer of the hair — the cortex — which causes it to lose elasticity and become brittle.
SPF for hair is necessary. It is important to choose products with physical filters and special polymers that create an invisible protective film.
An important nuance: moisturizing sprays with SPF without waterproof properties can act like a lens. Under the hot sun, water droplets on the hair focus the rays, intensifying cuticle burn. Therefore, beach products must contain silicones or oils that repel water.
How to wash your hair properly in summer
In summer, the work of the sebaceous glands accelerates, so walking around with a dirty head is more harmful than washing it often — the latter can be done even daily.
Use warm, not hot water (high temperature stimulates the sebaceous glands even more).
Choose products for daily use or marked "deep cleansing" (with clay, zinc, salicylic acid). Wash your head twice: the first time to rinse off dirt, the second to cleanse the skin.
For itching or dandruff, every 10–14 days, use a mild scrub or shampoo with AHA/BHA acids, and for rinsing, water with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (an acidic environment is hostile to bacteria).
Never go to bed with wet or damp hair. Contact with the pillow creates a greenhouse effect — an ideal environment for fungi to multiply.
Headwear and Air Conditioners Indoors
Headwear itself does no harm, but the danger lies in the combination of dirt, sweat, and heat. Under a dense synthetic cap, this mixture clogs pores, causing itching and dandruff. Prefer natural fabrics — cotton or linen — and remove headwear indoors.
Air conditioners dry out the air, drawing moisture from the hair. In the office or car, apply a leave-in cream or oil to the ends — they will create a protective barrier.
How to minimize damage from swimming in reservoirs and pools
Chlorine destroys the lipid layer and washes out pigment, sea salt acts as an abrasive and extracts moisture, and hard fresh water leaves calcium and magnesium salts.
Recipe for salvation: wet your hair with clean shower water before swimming. Since they will already be filled with moisture, salt and chlorine will not be absorbed. After leaving the water, rinse your head, and at home, use shampoo and a leave-in conditioner.
Why it's harmful to dry hair in the wind and do tight hairstyles
Drying hair in warm wind is very harmful. A steam bath effect is created: moisture evaporates only from the surface, while remaining inside, which literally tears the scales apart. In addition, dust sticks to damp strands.
"Slicked-back" ponytails, buns, and metal hairpins lead to traction alopecia (hair loss from tension). It is safer to gather hair into loose braids or low ponytails, use silk ribbons or plastic "claw clips" with smooth teeth.
Summer diet and coloring
The summer diet works with a delay of 2–3 months. Strawberries and blueberries (vitamin C, antioxidants), cherries (copper against early graying), and young greens (which should be eaten with fats) will strengthen hair follicles only by September. Moreover, any berries will be ineffective without a sufficient amount of protein (legumes, peas).
Coloring and keratin. This is a bad idea before a vacation, as the sun and salt will quickly destroy the result. Plan such procedures at least two weeks before your vacation.
Dry shampoo. After use, it must be brushed out at night so that starch particles do not clog pores.
Three main rules for summer hair care from a trichologist
Rinse off "beach" water before shampooing. Before washing, apply a mask or balm for 2–3 minutes to neutralize salt and chlorine without damaging the cuticle.
SPF — daily. Apply SPF spray before leaving home. The sun destroys natural keratin no less than a curling iron.
Give up high temperatures. Blow-dry only the roots, and let the length dry naturally.
Comments