Sun, summer and sunhats

[gingeralex]

So, I'm apparently in the middle of an early heatwave here, and I'm starting to think about sun damage and protection for summer.

I'm very pale, and really do need to wear hats a lot in summer, but I also have damaged and fragile ends, and I want to keep those protected.

Other than crown braids and heidi braids (both of which don't work for me, due to lack of braiding skills and taper respectively) what hairstyles work under sunhats?

How do you protect your hair from sun damage? I've heard about diluting sun cream and spraying it on hair, but it seems like this would leave residue? I also have this mark hill sun protection hair spray, but it's only spf 6, which seems really low. (it's also really old)

[meteor]

So, I'm apparently in the middle of an early heatwave here, and I'm starting to think about sun damage and protection for summer.

I'm very pale, and really do need to wear hats a lot in summer, but I also have damaged and fragile ends, and I want to keep those protected.

I'd wear a UPF-rated wide-brimmed sun hat for big heads - those might accommodate a bit of the bun or if you do double/triple buns (one above the other).


Other than crown braids and heidi braids (both of which don't work for me, due to lack of braiding skills and taper respectively) what hairstyles work under sunhats?

Hmm, the most compact/flat styles I can think of are based on braiding, so I don't know... Maybe check out some YouTube videos how to do a simple 3-strand braid?
I'd suggest Vortex bun, Amish braided bun, milkmaid braids, coronet/crown braids, horseshoe braids... Alternatively, try placing a bun very low on the nape or doing double/triple buns?
Also, I think Frida Kahlo's braids are a good summer option because the scarf/paranda covers/protects some of the hair a bit.


How do you protect your hair from sun damage? I've heard about diluting sun cream and spraying it on hair, but it seems like this would leave residue? I also have this mark hill sun protection hair spray, but it's only spf 6, which seems really low. (it's also really old)

Hats and scarves for the win! :rockerdud:

Personally, I don't trust hair UV protectants, because:
a) that market is still pretty much in its infancy and it's NOT tested as rigorously as SPF for skin;
b) I don't know how much to apply... For example, we need to apply (and re-apply) quite a lot of sunscreen on skin very generously for it to work well, and I have no idea how to make hair look presentable if it's soaked in that much product. :shrug:

[7thOfTheDamned]

I just picked up a sunhat on eBay (from China) since I'm going to be spending more time outside this summer than last and I don't want my hair too badly damaged or faded. It's large enough on me that I can do a cinnamon bun with spin pins or a large Flexi at my crown and the hat still fits fine and comfortably.

[Anje]

Infinity buns held low at my nape are about the only thing that I can fit under brimmed hats. Otherwise braids that hang down are good. I don't think I could fit something like a crown braid under my usual size hat, and my head is already too big for women's "one size fits most" to go on even with hair loose.

[QMacrocarpa]

Low buns (lazy wrap or nautilus, say) work for me with a broad-brimmed hat. Trying to fit my hair inside the hat is usually not as successful.

[yahirwaO.o]

Im probably not gonna help that much but I do have some questions... Does anyone have an idea of a nice hair friendly summer hat? the ones I find here are pretty rough (straw and hard polyester) with my locks and my 30's fedora with satin inside makes my head explode in the hot summer. I also have the problem that most are pretty girly (not a bad thing itself) but I cant seem to find any that is neutral gender.

This considering I also wear my hair down almost daily, not really like to it up....

[Anje]

Im probably not gonna help that much but I do have some questions... Does anyone have an idea of a nice hair friendly summer hat?

My usual hat is a Tilley. Totally gender-neutral, though they've started making more stereotypically feminine ones too. Hubby's is their breathable nylon material, which seems cooler than my nylamtium material one. But that might just be the sweat band.

[embee]

I bought one of those Vietnamese conical sunhats at the local Asian market - it was very cheap and I think this is the third summer for it. I have another one stashed away thinking this one would give up, but it has not. :) I wear my hair in a low bun with a single stick holding the bun - horizontal placement. Did have to add new strings to hold the hat on while I work in the garden.

[Nadine <3]

I like a bandanna tied around my head to protect my scalp from sunburn, other than that I don't do much else to protect my hair from the sun. I don't mind a little sun bleaching...actually I really like the natural highlights I get :)

[MINAKO]

I like thin oversized beanies, bucket hats (you can cut a slit into the brim at the back where its sewn together) or simple caps. in the summer i sometimes wear pigtails twisted into very low beebutts, but it looks a bit like rabbit ears flopping down, so will probably try the infinity as someone suggested above.

If you like DIY try making a beanie out of silk knit, its heavenly smooth and also very very breathable. Other than thatmi like to use sweatshirt material on the thinner side.

[gingeralex]

I'd wear a UPF-rated wide-brimmed sun hat for big heads - those might accommodate a bit of the bun or if you do double/triple buns (one above the other).



Hmm, the most compact/flat styles I can think of are based on braiding, so I don't know... Maybe check out some YouTube videos how to do a simple 3-strand braid?
I'd suggest Vortex bun, Amish braided bun, milkmaid braids, coronet/crown braids, horseshoe braids... Alternatively, try placing a bun very low on the nape or doing double/triple buns?
Also, I think Frida Kahlo's braids are a good summer option because the scarf/paranda covers/protects some of the hair a bit.



Hats and scarves for the win! :rockerdud:

Personally, I don't trust hair UV protectants, because:
a) that market is still pretty much in its infancy and it's NOT tested as rigorously as SPF for skin;
b) I don't know how much to apply... For example, we need to apply (and re-apply) quite a lot of sunscreen on skin very generously for it to work well, and I have no idea how to make hair look presentable if it's soaked in that much product. :shrug:

I'll do a shopping trip for a bigger headed hat, thanks for the suggestion.
Oh, no I can braid, fine, just not difficult things like crown braids.
I'll have a go at frida kahlo braids and multiple buns

Yeah, I'm with you on the hair stuff thing. It's not as regulated as skin stuff, and I have no idea how you'd use enough to work, especially if you don't wash daily. I mean can you imagine 5 days of buildup?

[Upside Down]

Also, I think Frida Kahlo's braids are a good summer option because the scarf/paranda covers/protects some of the hair a bit.

Meteor, your posts always inspire me to try new styles :puppykisses:

I'm gonna need some thin bright scarves :D

[ZoSo]

I'm curious, what damage can the sun do to natural hair? I know it's horrible for skin past the time needed for vitamin D absorption. I was under the assumption that sun exposure to hair only faded color from dyes.

[Swan Maiden]

Check ebay for sun visor hats. i just bought one that has a button off top so I plan to wear a top bun and let it stick out of the top but have the hair covered with a bandana

[Anje]

Check ebay for sun visor hats. i just bought one that has a button off top so I plan to wear a top bun and let it stick out of the top but have the hair covered with a bandana

My scalp burns too readily -- no visors for me! (Yeah, UPF fabric bandana + visor would work, but at that point it's way more complicated than I'm actually going to do most days. For me, the beauty of a hat is that I can grab it as I walk out the door and make sure that my scalp and face are protected.)

[Swan Maiden]

The beauty of the one I purchased is that it doesnt have to be topless, a low bun in the back would work with it.

Also wanted to add that there is a laundry detergent treatment that adds sun protection to clothing. So if you wanted to wash scarves, etc.

[Lorzi]

I wear hats all summer for fashion but I never even thought about it for scalp and hair protection, this is a good reminder! :) This also reminds me of how my friends and I with dark hair always feel the top of our heads after being out in the sun and how hot it is! Really makes you think about the damage its doing to your scalp.

[meteor]

Meteor, your posts always inspire me to try new styles :puppykisses:

I'm gonna need some thin bright scarves :D

Awesome! :D Glad to be of help! :love:

By the way, if anybody is wondering about this style, here is a pretty good video showing how to do Frida Kahlo's braids :) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxltmgagKeg
And if the hair is too long for that, you can cross the braids underneath (at the neck) first, before bringing them over to the top: this creates more of a coronet braid (or hair-taping) look. ;)



I'm curious, what damage can the sun do to natural hair? I know it's horrible for skin past the time needed for vitamin D absorption. I was under the assumption that sun exposure to hair only faded color from dyes.

You are right about chemical dyes :agree: : UV effect is very visible on chemical dyes - they fade pretty fast in the sun.
However, UV rays also damage hair keratin and they make natural colors fade too, and even white hair can accumulate that yellowish tint with too much sun exposure.
"Damage to hair due to UV light occurs due to free radicals or cysteic acid, which forms after UV radiation and breaks disulfide bonds." (Pande CM, Jachowicz J. Hair photodamage-measurement and prevention. J Soc Cosmet Chem. 1993;44:109–122)
"Continuous UV-light exposure results in dryness, roughness, sun-bleaching and breakage due to photo-oxidation." (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11382847)
"UVB radiation is responsible for hair protein loss and UVA radiation is responsible for color changes." (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19138021)
"Morphological damage is significant in UVB-irradiated hairs, while biochemical changes are greater in UVA-irradiated hairs." (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18408872)

According to some studies, different hair types can show different degrees of susceptibility to photo-damage: for example, "it has been found that gray hair undergoes more severe UV damage and needs more UV protection than dark brown hair" (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11382847) and "after UV irradiation, European and African hair samples exhibited more damage because they have less integral hair lipids. However, Asian hair samples have less damage." (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3582929/)

Accumulated sun damage becomes more important at great lengths, which can be years or even decades old, accumulating all that damage. The best form of photoprotection is, of course, very simple - a good old hat or scarf from UPF-rated fabric will do. ;) I think UV rays cause the kind of fraying on hair fiber that could possibly be compared to letting fine silk or other fabric sit out in the sun for a very long time. UV hair protectants I've seen do not mention how much to apply and they are also marketed for color-treated hair, which makes me think that their purpose is just to slow down chemical dye fading in the sun, not necessarily to protect hair keratin and natural hair pigment. I don't mind having those UV filters in my products, but I don't count on that sort of "protection", to be honest. The only time I noticed my natural hair color stopped getting sun-bleached fast was when I started regularly wearing hair compacted in a bun and under a hat.

For more details on photo-damage of hair, here are some relevant studies:
Photodegradation of human hair: a SEM study - http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2000/cc051n02/p00103-p00125.pdf
About photo-damage of human hair - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16465301
UV damage of the hair - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19138021
Hair color changes and protein damage caused by ultraviolet radiation - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15157906
Photoaggravation of Hair Aging - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2938585/
Photo yellowing of human hair - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17627835
Comparison of hair shaft damage after UVA and UVB irradiation - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18408872
The ethnic differences of the damage of hair and integral hair lipid after ultra violet radiation - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3582929/
Ultraviolet damage on natural gray hair and its photoprotection - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11382847

HTH! :flower:

[gingeralex]

I'm curious, what damage can the sun do to natural hair? I know it's horrible for skin past the time needed for vitamin D absorption. I was under the assumption that sun exposure to hair only faded color from dyes.

It bleaches it, and it does damage, not sure how to explain, but the same way if you leave fabric out in the sun too much, it lightens and becomes more fragile - same with hair.
Mine goes noticeably blonder and breaks more easily.

edit: wow, just noticed the post above mine, way better explanation, thank you meteor.

[ZoSo]

Meteor & Gingeralex: Thanks for the explanation & all the links. That info should be stickied.

Yeah I can't see a hair sun block being practical unless it had a lot of zinc or titanium dioxide & was reapplied frequently.

Since I'm going for long growth, at least classic, & I live in a state with lots of sun, i really need to bun my hair & wear some type of hat. As I'm not a hat person, what do you guys recommend? Are SPF beanies comfy to wear?

[meteor]

^ Oh sure! :agree: If regular beanies are comfy for you, then so would be UPF-rated beanies. :thumbsup:

I guess I would personally prefer hats with brims (especially wide brims), because the brims would help protect the face a bit, as well. :)

[ZoSo]

I can't see myself wearing a hat with a brim unless its a floppy boonie hat.

I'll have to get over my association of beanies with stoners, whom I have nothing against. I just can't see myself walking around looking like Slater from DAC.