Before we discuss hair and skin care solutions let us first get to know the kind and extent of damage sun can cause to our skin and hair. Summers for America may be just round the corner.
And it’s time we start worrying about what type of special care we will take to protect our skin and hair from being exposed to the harsh and harmful sunrays.
Through this article let us know how can sun harm our hair and skin and how to fight it back.
The Textile Research Institute at Princeton University conducted a study as reported by the International Journal of Cosmetic Science (2007 29. 143-146), where they exposed hair of grouped as per ethnic types (texture and properties of hair are found to be different based on the country one belongs because of the climate and other reasons) to natural environmental conditions in the hot sunny Arizona.
The outcome of this exercise was that they found the hair quality changed to a great extent after the extended exposure to the harsh and hot sun: the hair fibers became thinner and the cuticle scales fused together; The hair became extremely brittle and multiple radial cracks and fractures were observed.
The most disturbing and shocking outcome for this research was that the heat wave or continued exposure to sun melted the hair!
The other thing that the researchers observed was that the natural melanin pigment in the hair helped protect it from this environmental assault. It was also observed that Indian and Chinese hair have a higher melanin content and they face less damage than European hair that had moderate, low or no melanin.
This study was done under extreme environmental conditions. It will surprise you, may be shock you to know that hair receives more damage from washing and drying and undergoing various chemical processing like perming coloring than it does from sunlight. But how often has this revelation made you or will make you stop in future and think about how not to expose your hair to everyday mishandling?!
Hair and Skin Care Solutions For Summers: UV radiation is not the worst that can happen to your hair. Even washing, combing and coloring your hair damages the hair. It is advised that you use a good quality conditioner that suits your hair type, depending on the ethnicity and quality of your hair before and after you spend an extended time in the sun.
Don’t expect a hair sun screen to save you completely. If you really want to save your hair from the direct sun light and the kid of damage it can do to you – wear a hat!
