THE SUN AND YOUR HAIR
As with most things in life, the sun can be good for your body and your hair, in moderation. Of course long exposure to the sun, without any protection can be damaging for your hair. But what sort of benefits does the sun have for your hair ? Do the benefits outweigh the negatives? Hair shaft is a non-living cell and, thus unlike skin cells, it doesn’t need protection from carcinogenesis commonly caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation on skin. In other words, you cannot have cancerous hair fibers. Carcinogenesis in a hair shaft itself is not currently considered possible.
Sun exposure helps your body produce vitamin D, which plays a crucial role in promoting overall health, including hair growth. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with hair loss, so getting an adequate amount of sunlight can indirectly support hair growth by maintaining optimal levels of this nutrient, considered an essential nutrient.
Sunlight exposure can have positive effects on your mood and mental well-being. Stress is known to be a potential trigger for hair loss. Reduced stress levels and improved mental health indirectly contributes to healthy hair growth. Managing stress through sun exposure and other stress-reduction techniques can have a positive impact on hair health.
UV radiation damages hair lipids (fats) – contained in your hair strand. Think about keratin as building blocks of your hair, lipids are the cement that holds them together. While only making up 4% of the hair strand, if hair doesn’t have enough lipids – it will lose keratin and will break off easily. That’s why photodamaged hair is dry and dull, as sunlight damages disulphide bonds – the protein links that create elasticity and essentially “hold your hair shaft together”.
Overall, exposure to the sun is not going to cause hair loss, however side effects of sun exposure to your scalp such that it causes a sunburn can cause your hair follicles to shut down or become clogged and cause your hair to thin temporarily. Thinning caused by this is usually not permanent and will clear up once the damage to your scalp has healed. Damage can include things like sunburn on the scalp, as well as the drying out of the scalp. It can also cause more sweat and dirt build up which can clog the pores in your scalp that allow hair to grow.
So while the sun isn’t going to cause hair loss or thinning on it’s own, side effects of excessive exposure to the sun can cause damage to your scalp, which can then lead to temporary hair thinning.
Depending on your hair type, texture, and individual hair care routines, your hair may not dry out at all in the sun. Hair care products, as well as natural elements of your body, can protect your hair from drying out in the sun. If your hair is very fine, wispy, red or blond, it will be more susceptible to damaging effects of the sun. If you have coarse, thick, dark brown or black hair, the melanin in your hair can help prevent damage from sunlight, Depending on your genetics, it’s possible that you may never experience dry or brittle hair due to the sun, but other people might.
In conclusion, benefits vs losses are a wash with hair exposure to sunlight. Protecting your hair and your scalp from the sun can help prevent any possibility of issues while enjoying the sun, but keep in mind that our bodies do need a certain level of vitamin D in order to properly function, but food sources and vitamin supplements are the best option for this vital nutrient.