How To Have Happy Summer Hair

Dry hair is a common hair care problem, even during the hot and sultry Corpus Christi summers.  It often causes difficulty with the styling and managing of hair styles, but even though it is a common problem many do not know how to improve the health and manageability of their hair.  This article will discuss how you can identify the signs of dry hair, how to identify the causes of dry hair and why these lead to dry hair, and what steps you can take to improve the overall health, manageability, and stylability of your hair to achieve the look you desire.

So how do you know if you have dry hair?  In some cases it may be obvious, but in others the signs are more subtle and more difficult to identify.  In general, dry hair will show one or more of the following signs.

These signs are listed in order of severity to assist you in identifying any undesirable qualities that you hair may present.

1. Dry hair will often be difficult to manage, even with products.  This may be as simple as not achieving the expected results from styling products or styling attempts or it may be related to more severe causes.
2. Hair should feel supple and soft to the touch.   Dry hair will often feel stiff and crispy, similar to dry straw.
3. Healthy hair will have a shiny quality to it naturally.  If the hair lacks enough moisture it will be dull and lackluster.
4. Dry hair will tangle easily.  If you have tangles or knots frequently throughout the day, the cause is usually due to dry hair.
5. Frequent and large numbers of split ends are a good indication of dry hair.  Depending on hair length, spilt ends are an inevitable occurrence due to the nature of the hair cuticle and the tendency for the older cuticle to shed from the cortex of the hair shaft.  However, this should be no more than 1/4 of the hair ends and should only need to be managed every six (6) to eight (8) weeks.  Any more than this is excessive damage and often caused by dry hair.  If you are having difficulty with split ends, consult your stylist for a solution as this can be related to poor cutting technique.
6. Frizziness is most often caused by dry hair.  Commonly, this is incorrectly contributed to humidity.  Leading many people to treat their hair with anti-humectant products and failing to solve the root cause of the frizzy hair.  If you discover that anti-humectant products are not helping with your frizzy hair then the problem could be traveling split ends.  In hair that is excessively dry a split end will travel up the hair shaft causing permanent damage.  This traveling is possible because the cuticle has become weakened by the lack of moisture and essential oils and no longer bonds to the cortex strongly allowing the outer cuticle to separate at the hair end and continue to separate up the hair shaft.
7. The most severe sign of dry hair is brittleness and breakage.  In this case the hair shaft has become so deprived of moisture that it has lost it’s elasticity, hardening to the point that is it similar to a dry twig and will break when exposed to any sharp angle or mechanical manipulation.  This includes brushing, styling, or elastic bands.  If you experience this sign of dry hair, you must manage it before the breakage becomes so severe that your hair can no long support any style.

Knowing the signs of dry hair is only half the battle.  Once you have identified that there is a problem, you must know what the cause of that problem is in order to correctly treat it.  The causes of dryness are many and varied, but knowing them you arm yourself with the knowledge necessary to prevent the adverse effect.

1. Naturally Dry Hair:  Just like there are individuals with naturally dry skin, there are also individuals with naturally dry hair.  If you have battled dry hair all of your life, chances are that you have naturally dry hair.  Knowing this is not only important in your daily regimen of hair care, but also when you decide what color and chemical services you want to subject your hair to.  Naturally dry hair does not exclude you from getting these services, rather it means that you will need to modify your daily regimen to accommodate your dry hair.  Although your stylist should be able to identify your hair type during your consultation, be sure that they are aware of any problems you have had in the past or ask about what to expect if it is your first time.
2. Adequate Hydration:  During the summer water intake is very important.  Your body will naturally loose fluids on a daily basis from sweating and respiration.  During the summer this loss increases as your body compensates for the increase in temperature.  Replacing these fluids is a necessary activity and during the summer you should increase your water intake.  You might wonder what this has to do with your hair, but if you are not drinking enough water, your body is going to reserve what fluid you do have for essential processes of which lush, shiny, manageable hair is not a priority.  So as your body becomes dehydrated it will stop producing the natural oils from you scalp that keep hair moisture balanced and healthy in order to conserve the fluid resources for more essential body functions.  In short, you must drink enough water for your body to be well hydrated so that it will continue to produce the natural oils that keep your hair healthy.
3. Over Washing:  Stripping due to over washing is caused by using harsh cleansing products, washing to frequently, or both.  Using harsh products or washing to frequently will remove the moisture and essential oils from your hair.  As your hair grows from the root, it contains enough moisture to keep it elastic and healthy.  Essential oils produced by your scalp keep this moisture locked into the hair shaft so that it will continue to be elastic and healthy.  By stripping these oils you expose your hair to environmental moisture loss, especially during the hot summer days.
4. Environmental Damage:  During the summer months environmental damage is a common cause of dry hair especially here in Corpus Christi where your hair is exposed to wind on almost a daily basis, high temperatures, and salt.  As well as summer fun activities that expose your hair to harsh water and sun.  The salt, high temperature, and wind all work together to dry and damage your hair which is only exacerbated by sun damage and the harsh water found in the ocean and swimming pools.  Although we are not suggesting that you try to shelter yourself or your hair from these environmental causes or the pleasures of a summer spent near the beach, it is important to be aware of these factors when managing dry hair because there are many ways to help prevent or reduce the effects of environmental damage.
5. Other Contributing Factors:  These include medication, mechanical damage, thermal damage, and chemical damage.  In the case of medication that may cause dry hair, you should consult with your doctor to determine if this is actually the cause of your dry hair, however, this will not really change your options for treating or managing dry hair.  Mechanical, thermal, and chemical damage can contribute to or cause dry hair because the cuticle of the hair shaft is what protects the cortex from the external world.  When this protective layer is damaged, the exposed cortex is no longer sheltered and is subject to the open environment.  This damage can be mitigated with use of protective and repair products as well as proper use of styling tools and color or chemical products.  With chemical products, your stylist should be electing to use products that will be the least damaging to your hair regardless of your hair type.  This is especially true if you have naturally dry hair and should be something you consider in your decision to undergo color and chemical services when you consult with your stylist or your choice of hair salon.  Not all hair salons will be concerned with the health of your hair.

Now that we know how to identify dry hair and what the common cause of dry hair are, we can address ways to manage or prevent dry hair.  If you have naturally dry hair or you have discovered that your hair becomes dry as a result of one or more of the causes above, follow these guidelines that are aimed at preventing and managing dry hair.

Cleansing

1. If you have dry hair or you are managing dry hair, avoid  clarifying or chelating shampoos.  These are designed to remove build-up of products and minerals and do not discriminate between those and your natural hair oils.
2. It is best to chose a shampoo that was formulated for dry hair or chemically processed hair.  These products will contain words like moisturizing or color safe in the descriptions and are typically more gentle than other products.  Some may also contain moisturizing ingredients.
3. When cleansing hair it is best of only apply the cleansing product from the root to about two inches of the hair shaft.  Hair gets older the farther down the shaft you go towards the hair end.  As the hair ages, it loses moisture from any of the causes above and it becomes more difficult for natural oils to reach the hair shaft as it travels away from the root.  Because of this, the older hair will be predisposed to dryness and damage.  By shampooing only the hair that is close to the root you prevent additional removal of essential oils and moisture on the older hair.
4. It is optimal for dry hair to only be cleansed every third day or every other day at most, because it exposes your hair to water and cleansing products less often.  If you are unable to tolerate this, then be sure to cleanse only the hair close to the root.

Nourishing

1. Nourishing products that contain large amount polymers should be avoided.  These high concentrations polymers are often found in less expensive brands and are used to coat the hair with chemicals that adhere to the hair giving the instant appearance of healthy shiny hair by covering over it.  This only hides the problem rather than addressing it directly and can contribute to poor hair health by creating excessive build up that must be removed before any treatment can begin.
2. Selecting nourishing products can be daunting as there are a vast array of manufactures and product lines.  In general you will want a product that is formulated for moisture, repair, or color protection.  For the optimal regimen you will need products for daily and weekly use in the form of a daily conditioner and a weekly deep conditioner (or masque).  We stand behind Goldwell, Schwartzkopf, and Joico K-Pak products with a preference for Joico K-Pak as these products perform better than any other products we have used and are less expensive.
3. Daily conditioner refers to both products used after cleansing and leave-in products, however, we prefer to think of leave-in products as preventative and will address them in the following section.  When applying a daily conditioner after cleansing be sure to apply and adequate amount of the product from hair root to hair end.  It is best to comb thru gently with a wide tooth comb and leave the product on the hair for 5-10 minutes before rinsing.  Only condition on days when you have also cleansed to avoid potential build-up.
4. When using a deep conditioning product be sure you select a product that was formulated for deep conditioning because these products are designed to lock moisture in the hair shaft and repair damage to the hair cuticle.  In addition these products have a higher density of active ingredients than daily conditioners.  Apply an adequate amount of the product from hair root to hair end and comb thru the hair gently with a wide tooth comb.  This ensures that the product is distributed evenly on each hair shaft.  It is best to place your hair in a processing cap but not necessary when used at home.  Leave the product on your hair for 10-15 minutes before rinsing.  Because of the strength of these products, they should only be used once a week, and never on a daily basis despite how great they will make your hair feel.  In this case, less is more.

Prevention

1. Use a daily leave-in conditioner before styling.  This is a must because a leave-in conditioner will provide moisture, but more importantly will provide a layer of protection on the hair shaft against mechanical, thermal, and environmental damage.  If you have excessively dry hair, use a leave-in conditioner several times during the day.  Be sure to select a product that is designed for moisture balance.
2. During the summer, many people find themselves at the beach or in a swimming pool.  Water is known as the universal solvent, meaning that it will dissolve many compounds.  Because it is a solvent, water can and will strip your hair without any additives.  If you add chlorine or salt to the mix it will strip your hair deeply and quickly, robbing it of essential oils.  In addition, as the stripped and unprotected hair dries, it will wick moisture away from the cortex as well.  UV damage is also present during the summer especially during these activities because of the length of time your hair will be exposed to the sun.  For these reasons it is important to take the following precautions to prevent excessive moisture loss and/or damage.  First use apply a leave-in conditioner designed for UV protection and moisture protection prior to leaving the house for your summer activity, and be generous.  Second wet your hair with plain water before you get in the pool or ocean water.  Hair acts like a sponge and by wetting it before you get in the pool or ocean you allow it to be saturated with water that does not contain salt or chlorine.  Because it is saturated (or full), it will not absorb the pool or ocean water that contains salt, chlorine, or other contaminates thus preventing the uptake of these chemicals and contaminants into the cortex of the hair.
3. At the end of a day’s of activities where your hair may have been exposed to contaminates you should immediately rinse your hair to remove those contaminates and then reapply your leave-in conditioner.  Do not cleanse your hair immediately, allow it time to recover from the shock of long exposure to the elements.  This healing time is important to maintain the health of your hair.

In essence, summer is a time for fun and excitement in the surf and sun.  But that does not mean you must suffer the consequences of dry and unmanageable hair.  Now that you know what to look signs to look for, what causes dry hair, and how to manage dry hair your are prepared to enjoy your summer with beautiful healthy hair.  Dry hair is a common hair care problem, but not one that cannot be managed with the right knowledge and tools at your disposal.  So have a great summer and enjoy your look at the same time!