AS many prepare for a summer holiday by soaking up the sun and regularly swimming in the sea, it’s important to take good care of our hair in the scorching heat.
Hair care guru and specialist Gina Conway has said that there is a certain routine we should follow when caring for our hair in the coming months.
Going into detail about the tips, Gina says that drying your hair with a towel is “fine,” but if you rub it, “it can cause a lot of damage.”
But in terms of what’s “an absolute no” for our hair, she says using heated hair tools without a heat protectant is “the worst thing you can do” to your hair.
In an interview with Alt Index, she also states that she’s a fan of dry shampoo, and as we head into summer, she endorses using sunscreen on your scalp and hair, as well as “giving your hair a break.”
Gina continues: “A lot of people go on vacation in the warmer months, so you often talk about sunscreen for your hair. I recommend doing this.
“And since it’s trendy now to have a ‘wet look’ to your hair, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do it. You can use hair sunscreen or just regular sunscreen. Whatever is good.
“Another thing in summer is to give your hair a break. Everyone likes a little beachy wave, so take this as a sign to leave your hair alone for a bit.
“I would recommend people start using more hair oils in the summer as they try to be a little more natural with their hair.”
Gina also recommends being careful when drying your hair with a towel.
She says: “Towel drying is fine, but never rub your hair because you will lift the cuticle, break it and potentially make it more static.
“I always say to scrunch your hair with towels, put the product on, comb it, and let it dry naturally to about 90 percent. Then, in the last 10 minutes, use that dryer.”
But on the plus side, Gina loves using dry shampoo to add volume after shampooing.
She says: “It’s a fantastic extender. It’s fantastic for giving you that sexy, messy Bridgette Bardot look. But it also saves time during the week.”
The 4 stages of the hair growth cycle.
Philip Kingsley hair experts shared the four stages of the hair growth cycle: anagen, catagen, telogen and exogenous.
Anagen phase: Also known as the “Growth Phase” or “Active Phase”, this is when the cells in the hair root divide more rapidly so that more new hair is formed.
During the anagen phase, hair grows about half an inch per month (about six inches per year) and faster in summer than in winter.
This phase of the hair growth cycle lasts an average of three to five years.
Catagen phase: After the anagen phase, the hair cycle enters a brief transitional phase known as the catagen phase, which signals the end of active hair growth and cuts off individual hairs from their blood supply and cells that produce new hair.
Approximately three percent of all hairs are in this stage at any time and it lasts about 10 days.
Telogen Phase: The third stage of the natural hair growth cycle is the telogen phase, a resting period in which strands remain in their follicles but are not actively growing.
It is estimated that between 10 and 15 percent of your hair is in the telogen phase at any given time.
The Telogen Phase lasts about three months or 100 days.
Exogenous phase: The final stage of the hair growth cycle, when individual hair strands break free from their follicles and fall out.
Now the whole process starts again.
Gina also urges beauty fans to avoid using hot tools on dry hair.
She says: “I would say never use hot tools on dry hair without using a spray protectant. It literally ruins everything good you put into your hair.
“Find cute ways to style your hair without heat. Heatless rollers are a game changer. You get amazing results without damaging your hair.”
