Shielding your scalp this summer

Summer.  Bronze bodies. Beach volleyball. Ice cream. Romance.

Summer is usually associated with a throng of carefree fun loving memories and why wouldn’t it be? This attitude towards summer has been instilled since our childhood, born at the hand of school summer holidays. What is forgotten though is scorching pavements, frizzy hair and  sunburn – oh how you are loathed sunburn.

We counteract this with sunglasses for our eyes, sunscreen for our face, UV protected cladding for our bodies, but what about your hair?

“What about a hat?” you say. But answer this: when was the last time you swam with a hat, and if so, have you ever checked if it offers UV protection?

Thought so.

“So many neglect to protect their hair and scalp in the coming holidays. The sun can really wreak havoc on this sensitive area,” notes Bernhard Arnold, founder of Hair Genie South Africa.

Frizzy hair and peeling are not your only concerns. Your scalp is also susceptible to burning or worse, cancer. Almost 3 million people are affected by skin cancer annually and scalp and neck melanomas are almost twice as deadly as anywhere else on the body, researchers report at the University of North Carolina.

Say no to the UV onslaught:

Wear a hat

Yes, it had to be mentioned. Make sure your hat has a good SPF rating of 40+ and covers all of your head. Sport a wide brimmed hat for extra points.

Use a hair product with SPF

Hair sunscreen is a thing. UV-filtering products put a protective barrier between your scalp and UV rays, and they protect your hair from colour-fade.

Avoid overwashing and sulfate shampoos

Overwashing can seriously dry out your scalp – pile sulfate shampoo on that and you’re just begging for a roasting. Try washing your hair every third day, or replace your shampoo with DIY a raw egg and honey treatment.

Drink water: Hydrating the skin from the inside out just ensures your scalp comes out that much more unscathed.

Stop the salt and chlorine siege:

Saturate your hair

Your hair is like a sponge. Saturating it with fresh water will prevent subsequent chlorine absorption.

Rinse and condition

As soon as you’re done splashing around, rinse out your hair and treat it with a gentle, protein rich hair treatment.

Use a swim cap

If you plan on spending extensive amounts of time in chlorine or salt water, consider a swim cap.

Thin hair beware

Anyone with thin, finer or receding hair should be extremely careful in the sun, as their scalp is more exposed than others.

Another embarrassing concern is one’s scalp showing in the bright summer sun. Brighter lighting conditions bring more attention to thinning or receding hair. Use Toppik Hair Building Fibers to fill out any sparse areas. Don’t worry – with Fiberhold Spray they become wind, rain and sweat resistant.

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