By Lunzeta Brackens
Contributing Writer
The summer can be the harshest on your hair as far as seasons are concerned. Lisa Grayson, a hair stylist in Lake Charles, Louisiana, gives tips on how to keep your hair healthy even when taking a dip in chlorinated water.
Q. Fashion Finds: What typically happens to people's hair in the summer?
A. Lisa Grayson: Well due to the extreme heat, hair tends to become excessively dehydrated and brittle.
Q. Fashion Finds: What are some things that people can do to prevent from destroying their hair in the summer time?
A. Lisa Grayson: Definitely try to deep condition your hair once a week....rotating moisturizing. Hydrating and reconstructive treatments are best. Remember that damage from the sun can damage your hair and change the color and brittleness of it.
Q. Fashion Finds: We know that swimming is typically really big in the summer. What should people do to their hair before and after swimming?
A. Lisa Grayson: I know that it’s not “cool” to use a swim cap, but that’s always best. Another alternative is wet your hair first before getting in the pool and apply a cream-based conditioner and do not rinse it out. After swimming use a clarifying shampoo and a deep conditioner. As a rule of thumb, people should try to limit their time in the pool to twice a week. For healthier hair, once a week is optimal.
Q. Fashion Finds: What about the difference between people with coarser hair as opposed to people with fine, straighter hair, how does their hair care in the summer differ? Can you suggest treatment for both groups?
A. Lisa Grayson: Coarser hair tends to be drier, so a very thick hydrating conditioner is best. A person with finer hair can use a water-based leave-in treatment so that it doesn’t weigh the hair down.
Q. Fashion Finds: What about for those children who are taking swimming lessons, what can they do to prevent their hair from coming out during this time?
A. Lisa Grayson: Applying the cream rinse to wet hair first is best. However, make sure you rinse out the conditioner after every swim lesson.
Q. Fashion Finds: So you’re basically saying that people should condition more when they're exposed to chlorine on a daily basis during the summer?
A. Lisa Grayson: Yes!
Q. Fashion Finds: Any parting comments or advice you'd like to share with the FashionFinds.Com readers?
A. Lisa Grayson: Summer is the harshest season for hair, so please make sure to treat your hair with extra attention.
Lisa Grayson is the owner of Transitions Hair Salon located in Charisma Salon Suites in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Lunzeta Brackens is a Dallas-based freelance reporter/editor who writes on the topics of fashion, health and food.