Warning: Summer Hair Hazards

What’s your favorite summer activity? Swimming, walking the beach and spending time in the sun are all popular for vacation fun. Unfortunately, while enjoying yourself, you may be also indulging in three of the most destructive agents for your hair; saltwater, chlorine and sun.  Sun-soaked hair can become dry, frizzy and faded, no matter what its color or type. It loses its overall look of health over time and can be more prone to breakage.  Here are a few of the major summer hair hazards:

Sun is no fun for your hair The rays of the sun are working to do more than to give you a great tan. They are depleting your hair’s moisture balance, leaving it dry and brittle. More than that, the sun will fade hair color, more often than not resulting in an undesirable shade. Light waves effect on hair The sun's light waves are categorized by their intensity. There are three categories of light waves. These are UVA, UVB and UVC. The UVA and UVB can both damage the hair in a variety of ways. It can cause permanent damage to the outside covering of the hair which is the cuticle and it can penetrate into the center of the hair, which is the cortex and do all sorts of damage.   UVA - Ultraviolet A (Aging Rays) This is the sun's strong radiation-filled light rays. Ultraviolet A rays have the longest wavelength and they can penetrate into the hair's deepest inner layer, which is the cortex. The UVA rays disturb the hair cortex's fiber-like cells that give the hair its strength and elasticity. It can also damage the color pigments that create natural hair color. The UVA rays can also burn the hair cuticle which is the outer hair layer.

The cuticle contains a web of tiny overlapping scales. When the scales are damaged they cannot lay flat, like they are supposed to, and will look lifeless, brittle and dry.

UVA rays can also burn and damage unprotected scalp. It is even possible to burn the part of your hair where scalp is unprotected. UVA rays can damage the skin on the scalp in many ways and activate free radicals which accelerates aging. A severe sunburn on the scalp has even been known to cause some cases of hair loss.

UVB - Ultraviolet B (Burning Rays)

These are invisible rays that also can penetrate deep into the hair's cortex or center damaging the hair fibers. It can also damage the hair cuticle. UVB rays can easily dry out the hair and cause natural and chemical colors to fade.

UVC - Ultraviolet C

These rays are the most damaging but do not reach us because of the ozone layer which currently protects us.

Chlorine is the color changer

Another swimming related hazard is chlorine. Repeated exposure can dry out and rough up the hair shaft. If your hair is chemically treated in anyway, as in hair color or permanent waves, it is even more susceptible.   Look for the following changes in your hair color: Light shades can turn greenish and brown shades can take on a coppery appearance.

Saltwater

While some salons are starting to tap into the idea of using salt water spray to bring out the sexy waves in their celebrity clients (Jessica Alba and Shakira) because the salt adds texture to your hair and bring out the natural wave.  Ocean water leaves a salt residue on your hair that can deplete its natural moisture. The dehydrating effects of the salt may also ruff up the hair cuticle and leave your hair tangled.   Add blowing in the wind with this salt coating and the result will be split ends and hair that feels like straw.

The result, your hair can make you look old.  Ultraviolet rays photoxidize the melanin in the core and break down the disulfide bonds that give hair its strength. Even healthy hair will lose its vividness, and if you have already made your hair lighter by coloring it, it's even more susceptible to fading.  Hair that has been colored a rich chocolate brown can become brassy. A warm red can turn orange. And natural-looking blond can suddenly look platinum.  No need to worry, each of these hazards may be avoided with a little care and advance planning you can have beautiful sexy shining summer hair.