Great free-flowing hair and sun are two wonderful elements of summer, especially when sunlight kisses hair into golden strands. But did you know that combining hair and sun doesn’t always have a positive effect?
UV exposure can break down hair proteins, causing hair to look dull and weaken hair’s tensile and physical properties. This damage is more intense on the outer regions of the hair shaft, so people with thick hair have more natural resilience against UV damage than those with fine hair, who can experience more damaged hair. Thus, the connection between your hair and sun can be bigger than expected, and it can impact the appearance of your hair.
The pigments in dark hair can filter some of this damage better than light hair pigments, thus providing a bit more protection against the breakdown of proteins that can cause damaged hair. This filtering action, however, is what causes hair to lighten with increased sun exposure.