No one wants green hair. Save your hair from sun, sea and pool damage
Swimming and sunbathing can be lethal for the hair, as at least one Love Island contestant (I’m talking Hayley) discovered. Anabel Kingsley, trichologist at Philip Kingsley, points out that hair that is already damaged or processed will be more vulnerable to sun damage.
She says: “Due to copper content, pool water can turn blonde hair green. To prevent this, avoid submerging your hair in the water, wear a plastic swim cap or use the Philip Kingsley Swimcap Cream (£17 for 75ml).” This was originally formulated for Olympic synchronised swimming teams and it’s water-resistant with a UV filter.
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Hide Ad“While most people apply sunblock to their bodies, they do not apply it to their hair,” says Anabel, adding: “However, your hair can burn just like your skin. You simply can’t feel it. So it’s very important to apply a hair mask containing an SPF to your parting. Recurrent burns and exposure to the sun can eventually cause cell changes and skin cancer anywhere on your body,” she says, adding that nutrition also has a huge impact on the health of the hair, with poor diet a possible sole cause of excessive hair fall and hair not growing to the desired length.
“Take advantage of fresh seafood and produce when on holiday,” Anabel says. “Hair is composed primarily of protein, so including it in your daily diet can be very beneficial to its growth. We recommend eating approximately 120g in weight (roughly a palm-sized portion) of protein with breakfast and lunch. Iron, which is found most abundantly in red meat, is essential to hair growth as it aids in the production of hair cell protein. Improve your iron levels while on holiday by eating barbecued steak or hamburgers once to twice a week.”
Complex carbohydrates are another important factor. Anabel says: “Add a slice of freshly baked wholemeal bread, pasta or rice to your daily meals to keep your hair growing at its optimum rate.”
For products and more tips, see www.philipkingsley.co.uk.