How to prevent hair damage during summer season

WACO, Texas -- The summers of Christi Nichols' youth rarely passed without her soft, platinum blond hair turning into a green-tinted mop.

Chlorine damage from hours of "Marco Polo" at the pool and excessive sun exposure from weekend soccer games can transform healthy hair into a brittle, filmy mess that may last for months.

While damage is more apparent in blonds, all hair types and colors take a beating during the hot, humid summer months.

"I remember when I was a little girl, we went out to the pool almost every day," Nichols said. "My hair would get green and slimy, and my mom would have to wash it in lemon juice to get the color back to normal."

Guy McCullough, owner of Salon Adeva in Waco, said that while salons offer corrective hair treatments, prevention is the most effective way to maintain healthy locks this summer.

Hair's dominant foe during the summer is the combination of chemicals lurking in pools, according to the salon owner.

Repeated exposure to chlorine and other drying agents strips hair of its natural oils, causing split ends and dullness. Blonds turn shades of gray or green, and color-treated or darker hair exudes a brassy hue, when chlorine mixes with copper and other heavy metals found in water.

Wearing a swim cap offers the most protection. But never fear, you fashion-conscious pool-side beauties: McCullough said using the right blend of high-quality preventive hair products is enough protection for you to avoid sporting a tacky swim cap.

The salon owner suggests swimmers rinse their hair before and immediately after taking a dip to prevent chlorine from taking hold. Applying a deep conditioner to hair before diving in also prevents the harsh chemical from absorbing into hair.

"What a lot of people don't know is that chlorine only really becomes a problem when people let it dry in their hair," McCullough said. "It is when you swim for 30 minutes, then lay out for an hour, that (chlorine attaches to hair and) it becomes dried out."

Mahisha Dellinger, president of CURLS, a line of hair care products developed specifically for multiracial women, recommends black women avoid such products as hair spray or mousse, which can dehydrate hair further. Instead, opt for a finishing lotion to protect against pool chemicals.

"We (blacks) use a lot of oils in our hair, so that keeps our hair moisturized," said J.B. Alexander, owner of Braids and Fades in Waco. "People just need to make sure they wash their hair after they get out of the pool and keep putting oils in their hair."

Environmental factors

The sun and other environmental factors, such as wind and sand, are often overlooked as threats to hair's natural sheen. But UV rays, humidity and sand strip hair of essential proteins. A study by hair-care company Renee Furterer's research center found that the protective cells that cover each strand of hair begin to pull off after just three days of repeated sun exposure, making hair fragile and rough.

"Water naturally occurs in the hair, and when it is humid and hot outside, it creates a hydrogen peroxide-like effect on your hair," McCullough said. "Color-treated hair fades quickly and all hair types become extremely fragile from drying out. The good thing, though, is that we have many products that sunscreen the hair and keep color, treated or not, from fading."

Clairol's Web site recommends using hair products that contain sunscreen -- often called Octyl methoxycinnamate on labels -- and antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. Applying hair products with sunscreen is ideal, but Clairol suggests layering a coat of skin sunscreen through your hair before a day at the pool if nothing else. Exceptionally dry hair or long, curly hair needs additional moisturizing throughout the summer, McCullough said. Look for products containing keratin, jojoba oil, wheat germ protein or other natural ingredients to increase moisture, shine and elasticity. And don't neglect regular hair appointments to trim frazzled, dry ends.

Avid poolgoers who fail to routinely use preventive hair-care products, are not totally lost. Hair detoxifying products, which remove environmental harms and replenish hair's natural moisture, are sold in stores and at many local salons, and range from about $9 to $25. McCullough said people with severely damaged hair may need to make a few trips to the salon for a series of prescription clarifying treatments, which cost about $20 per session at his salon.

Katherine Heine writes for the Waco Tribune-Herald. E-mail: kheine@wacotrib.com. Editor Notes:

c.2005 Cox News Service