The UK is being battered by another heatwave, and while we know the sun can be damaging to our skin and can leave us feeling dehydrated, many of us don't think about the dangers it can pose to our hair as well. In fact, experts claim that the sun is one of the main culprits for hair loss, as the heat dries out the hair and makes it more prone to breakage.
Pharmacist Navin Khosla told Express.co.uk that many of us don't notice the impact of the sun on our hair until it's too late, but insisted that there are some easy steps we can take to protect our locks - including one simple trick involving water.
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Navin, Superintendent Pharmacist at FROM MARS, said: "During the summer months we want to be able to enjoy the sun and the activities on offer, but we also need to ensure we are looking after our bodies and our hair simultaneously.
"Hair care can easily be forgotten as we often don't notice the damage until it's too late, so by keeping this advice in mind, your hair can stay healthy throughout the year.
"The sun is one of the main culprits for summer hair loss, drying the hair out and increasing the chances of breakage. You need to also be sure you're protecting your scalp from possible sunburn as this can damage the hair follicles and increase the possibility of hair loss."
One of the easiest ways to prevent heatwave-related hair loss is simply by upping your water intake by drinking more or eating foods such as watermelon, as staying hydrated will keep your hair healthy and less prone to drying out.
Navin added: "Make sure you're drinking plenty of water or juice and eating foods, such as watermelon, to maintain hydration levels. When your hair follicles are deprived of enough water and nutrients, they can become damaged and hair growth can be halted.
"Dehydration can also cause the hair strands to become dry and brittle, leading to accelerated breakage."
According to health platform Pharmica UK, each hair strand goes through several hair growth cycles, known as anagen (growth), catagen (transition) and telogen (resting).
The health body states each strand of hair has a life cycle of between two and six years, where hairs form normally, but during the summer months, hairs tend to remain in the telegenic phase for a longer period of time.
Pharmica UK stated: "Around 10 per cent of our hairs may be in the resting phase where they are in preparation for regrowth so it is prone to extra shedding and falling out."
This could be caused by increased exposure to sunlight, which leads to a shortfall in melatonin production, however, it should also be noted that if you do see more shedding during the summer and autumn months, it's not always something to worry about - as it should be replaced during the regrowth phase in the winter.
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