Tips for Protecting Blonde Hair from Sun Damage

Many see blonde hair as the ultimate complement to sun-bronzed skin. Summertime makes a lot of brunettes want to go blonde and will urge a lot of blondes into deciding to go blonder or parade in the sun with their gleaming locks. All of these things are fine to do, but it is important to take steps to prevent the sun from damaging your blonde hair, whether real or natural.

Avoid Sun-bleaching Your Hair

People have been well educated as to the damage the sun will do to their skin after a summer of purposefully tanning or bathing in the sun, but little discussion has focused on the fact that sunbathing is not good for your hair, either. Sunbathing in an attempt to get sun-bleached locks is bad for your skin health and for the locks longing for lightening. If you want brighter hair for summer, it is better for you to have highlights added by a professional stylist or to use a home coloring kit to go a couple of shades lighter than your natural hair color.

Do Not Lemon Bleach

In any circle of friends, there is likely to be at least one friend who swears by the virtues of using lemon juice to lighten hair, and there will be another who had a horribly bad experience. Lemon juice will, in fact, lighten your hair, but it can also strip your blonde hair of natural moisture and leave it dry and unmanageable. If you want lighter hair, visit a stylist and have it done properly. This is particularly important if you have hair that is prone to frizziness and breakage, or hair that has been chemically treated, since your hair is already prone to dryness. If you get out in the sun after you have dried out your hair with lemon juice, you cause damage that only time and new hair growth can correct.

Wear a Hat

If you are blonde, and you must be out in the sun during the proverbial "heat of the day," take a page out of your grandmother's book and wear a hat. A sun hat with a wide brim is your best bet, as the shade created by the hat will entirely cover all but the longest hair. An added bonus is that the brim will also protect your face.

Condition Whenever You Wash

It is very important that you condition your hair every time you wash it during the summer, especially if you are spending time out in the sun. The sun eventually strips the natural nutrients from your hair, so use a shampoo and conditioner set that contains protein, collagen and keratin. The front of the bottle will typically advertise these ingredients to allow for easy choosing at the store.

By protecting your blonde hair from the sun, you will keep your hair healthy and sleek and prevent your blonde locks from being stripped of their natural beauty.