The Heat and Your Strands: Summer Hair Care

by Dr. Jaspreet Sarna M.D April 10, 2021

Summer is that time of the year when we need to take extra effort to protect ourselves from the harmful UV rays of the sun when it beats down on us with enormous intensity. Apart from the general issues such as dehydration, sunburn, etc. It can also affect your scalp and it can also affect the scalp and hair leading to hair fall and other issues.Let's see how to sunproof our tresses, this summer!

How Does Summer Heat Damage Your Hair?

A few days out in the scorching sun and you will find that your strands have become dull and dry and you start looking for anything under the sun (pun intended) to fix it! But do you know what the sun really does to your hair? Let's find out

The UV rays penetrate your scalp and damage your cuticles as you experience brittleness and dryness.
Sweating from the heat leads to additional problems like frizzy hair, dandruff and split ends.
Exposure to high levels of humidity can lead to excess moisture absorption.
Your hair will also end up looking a shade lighter during summer. The UV rays have a bleaching effect on your hair strands. While this change might not be very prominent with darker shades of hair, this fade will appear more glaring in lighter tones.

Experts Tips to Avoid Hair Damage in Summer

The first thing to keep in mind before you begin to take steps for your summer hair care is to ascertain your scalp and hair type. Scalp psoriasis and dandruff issues are at peak during this time and one needs to be prepared well in advance to deal with them effectively.

Is your scalp oily, dry, itchy, full of dandruff or any other condition?

Is your hair straight, curly, coloured, treated, wavy, permed or of any other specific type?

Shampoo and conditioning: There is always an urge to keep shampooing and conditioning your hair during the summer months to deal with a sweat-filled itchy scalp. This should be avoided as it will lead to dryness. If your hair is oily use a mild hydrating shampoo and try to apply it only on the scalp and not across the entire length of your hair. It is also advisable to use a leave-in conditioner to maintain the moisture levels in your hair. This is one of your summer's must haves!
A mild dry shampoo for your wash is recommended. This is the ideal summer hair shampoo. Always use lukewarm water to wash your hair. This is an important part of your summer hair care.
Oil massage: Dust and dirt tend to accumulate in your hair during the dry season and that is why frequent oil massages help remove the dirt and strengthen the roots. You can wash off the oil with a mild shampoo 45 minutes later.
Hair treatment: Avoid too many hair treatments on your hair during this time as your hair is already over exposed to heat. Coloured hair will come under a lot of stress because of the chemicals and so it is more advisable to do your colouring before the summer hits its peak. You use a a scarf on your hair to prevent bleaching.
Apply serum: Use an anti-frizz serum to manage those flyways that come with the humidity in this season.
Safe hairstyling: Avoid tight hairstyles as they stretch the hair from the roots. This could cause hair breakage of the strands that have already been weakened by the summer heat.
Hair trim: Sun damage can cause split ends of your hair and make it look unhealthy. Trimming your hair is an important part of your summer hair care and will solve the problem of split ends and also prevent further tress troubles. You can make this part of your summer hair care routine.
Avoid the chlorinated pools: Try not to take a dip in chlorinated pools as they make your hair more susceptible to the harmful effects of the sun. Rinse your hair as soon as you step out of the pool.

Home Remedies to Reverse Sun-Damaged Hair

There are several remedies that one can use to treat hair that has been damaged by the sun. The sun’s rays work like bleach on your hair and completely dry them out. A warm and humid climate can trigger seborrheic dermatitis in summer. Home remedies that use natural ingredients are the best for your summer hair care.

Curry leaves: This is an excellent way of restoring vitality to your tresses and bringing back the natural shine and gloss. Add some curry leaves to boiling water. Heat for 10 minutes before you wash off your hair with the liquid. You can also use “Scalp oil’ which is an effective combination of essential oils like Motia Rosha, Ylang-Ylang and Camphor mixed with Goat’s Milk. It is a customized Ayurvedic concoction soothes your scalp, improves scalp health and pacifies pitta.
Coconut oil: Coconut oil has cooling effects and can help rejuvenate your hair with the help of its restorative properties. It provides a complete form of nourishment to your hair. Warm 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil and massage your hair thoroughly. Leave it overnight and wash your hair with a mild shampoo.
Yoghurt: Yoghurt is very effective for the dryness brought on by the summer heat. It is a good humectant and is capable of slowing down the loss of moisture from the hair. Apply yoghurt over your hair and scalp. Shampoo and condition after 20 minutes and rinse your hair with cold water.
Black tea: Black tea has several beneficial natural ingredients which help in bringing life back to your damaged hair. It also helps settle the hair follicles by keeping the moisture. All you need to do is rinse your hair with homemade black tea and rediscover the glossiness in your hair. Use this as part of your summer hair care tips or home remedies
Eggs: The protein content in eggs provides excellent nourishment to the hair. The yolk has nutritious vitamins and fatty acids which help in keeping the hair moisturised. The amino acids provide a protective layer against the harmful effects of the sun and pollution.
Whisk 2 eggs and apply the mix to your half and scalp and rinse it off after half an hour with cold water followed by a shampoo.

DIY Hair Masks for Summer

Summer season can wreak havoc for your hair if you are not prepared. Sweat may spoil the texture of your hair and condition of your scalp drastically. Women have been found to experience aggravated cases of telogen effluvium in the summer months. Natural products that have a cooling effect and help regulate the sebum production in your scalp. A shower cap after applying the mask will improve the efficacy of your conditioning. Make this part of your hair care routine in summer.

Olive oil and lemon hair mask: This cleansing mask helps remove product buildup and conditions your hair. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sea salt to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix thoroughly and apply to wet hair and massage for a couple of minutes. Rinse with cool water and shampoo. The oil and salt will combine effectively to remove dandruff and clear a flaky scalp. This will augment hair growth. Include this in your list of hair care tips in summer at home.
Honey and almond oil hair mask: Honey has good moisturising properties and keeps the hair hydrated apart from being a good conditioner. This is your best summer hair care mask. Almond oil is rich in protein and hence helps strengthen your hair shafts and strengthens the hair shaft. Add 2 tablespoons of almond oil to one tablespoon of raw honey. Heat this mix for a few seconds and then apply it over your scalp. Cover with a shower cap for an hour before rinsing it off with cool water.
Banana, honey and yoghurt hair mask: Bananas are an excellent remedy to revive and rejuvenate dry hair. It has potassium, antioxidants, vitamins and moisture which give it magical properties when it comes to revitalizing hair and strengthening the follicles. Mash a banana, add ¼ cup of honey and ½ cup yoghurt and mix well till you have a uniform consistency. Apply to hair and scalp and wash off after half an hour.

The damage that the sun does to your hair can be reversed quite easily but timely measures have to be taken as part of your summer hair care. Choose your summer hair care products carefully. A more logical way to go about it is to take precautionary steps before the summer sets in so that the negative impact on your tresses is minimised. You can try Traya’s Hair Ras consisting of Shatavari, Bhringraj, Ashwagandha, Amla, Tapyadi Lauh, and other rare and effective herbs that are excellent for the health of hair as well as the body.

Visit us at Traya and learn more from calendly.com/traya-hair-expert about how you could take care of your tresses in a more effective way and make them the object of envy.