The simple answer is yes! Protecting your hair and scalp is incredibly important, especially in the summer months. Having fun in the sun can damage the moisture content of your hair causing it to be dull and inflexible. Harmful UV rays draw moisture away from the hair and fade the hair colour you have invested in. Add to this mix the onslaught of tropical humidity and your style starts to look anything but its best.
Shampoos designed for after sun exposure remove chlorine, salt and sand and have specific ingredients designed to give a hydrating effect. We love the Kerastase Soleil range, which also has a sensual scented leave-in bi-phase spray enriched with vitamin E to protect your hair during the day. When applied to lengths and ends, it prevents dryness and tames frizz up to 24 hours and can be used on both wet and dry hair. It does not give a wet look, more of an invisible screen against UV rays.
At night before you go to sleep you can replenish moisture loss in your hair with an overnight treatment such as Kerastase Nutritive 8Hr magic night serum. This beautiful serum is light weight with the iconic Nutritive smell and does not need to be rinsed out in the morning. It will not leave you looking greasy, so it is ideal for those who do not want to look slicked back during the daytime. Pair this with a daytime sun protect spray with an SPF and you will look shiny in the sunshine.
But what about your scalp? Unfortunately, skin cancer is highly correlated with excessive ultraviolet light exposure, meaning the places most likely to develop skin cancer are the places that see the most sun – including areas like the ears, neck and scalp. The scalp is often forgotten when we apply suncream as we tend to stop at the face, however if you have a parting, thinner hair or are a gent who’s thinning has exposed the scalp – then we recommend a non-oily SPF spray that you can spritz into your roots and re-apply regularly. Ideally combine this with wearing a hat. When scalps are covered with hair, detecting suspicious spots or skin growths is difficult, for this reason, skin cancers, particularly melanoma, can be quite advanced once they are detected on the scalp. So, using an SPF, wearing a hat and avoiding the hottest part of the day is best practice for everyone. If you have concerns for an area on your scalp that does not seem to heal or is raised, ask your stylist about it and get them to take a photo for you. If the problem persists, they can take another photo for you on your next visit, which will show if there are changes. This is useful information to show to a medical professional.
As anyone who has experienced a painful burnt scalp or returned from holiday with frazzled end of summer hair, would say ‘it is just not worth it’ the lasting damage to hair you have invested in can take months to repair. The final advice is that health is essential to overall beauty and your hair is no exception. It is important to feed your hair from the inside. To keep strands from getting too dry in summer, drink plenty of cooling liquids and add fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet. A healthy, hydrated body makes beautiful hair especially in summer.
From protecting your hair colour investment to nourishing your locks to stay healthy and radiant – do you need a hair SPF? Yes, you do.