A new study has revealed a major beauty blind spot this summer as hair protection is neglected, leading many women to suffer with dry, brittle hair post-summer. While over three-quarters of women (76%) protect their skin regularly, only just over a third (38%) do the same for their hair, according to research from Pantene.
Study Reveals Widespread Neglect
The consequences are already taking hold. Two in five (41%) say their hair is always more damaged in summer, while 42% simply accept summer hair damage as inevitable. Half of women (50%) report that their hair bothers them more in warmer months, with frizz (40%), dryness (39%), and dry or irritated scalp (36%) topping the list of frustrating concerns.
Nearly four in ten women (39%) feel forced to choose between enjoying summer activities and maintaining healthy hair. Holidays are a major damage trigger, with pools (57%), the sea (48%), and sun exposure (48%) seen as the biggest causes of damage.
Impact on Lifestyle Choices
The fear of damage is actively holding women back. A third of women avoid swimming altogether due to hair damage worries, and one in five skip outdoor exercise for the same reason. Over half of women (52%) did not realise that UV exposure can cause damage to hair, leading many to act only once it is too late.
Because of the impact, many women resort to drastic measures: a third (29%) have bought repair treatments, changed their hair colour (23%), and chopped off more than planned in a post-summer haircut (20%). More than half (53%) say they would spend less time repairing damage if they knew how to protect their hair.
Expert Advice from Dr Cedric Callens
Dr Cedric Callens, Pantene Scientific Communications Director, explains that summer hair damage is cumulative. "By the time you notice frizz, dryness and dullness, the damage has often been building for weeks," he says. He recommends consistent, everyday protection to avoid end-of-summer damage.
Key tips include using a specialised UV, salt, and chlorine protective spray before swimming, taking UV exposure seriously for hair (especially fine, coloured, or highlighted hair), and using leave-in treatments as daily summer protection. Heat styling should be approached with care, as heat accelerates water loss and increases risk of roughness and breakage.
Strategic Use of Masks and Oils
Dr Callens advises using hair masks strategically as a targeted conditioning boost when the hair fibre is under seasonal stress, rather than as a repair ritual. Lightweight oils can help smooth the surface and reduce frizz in humidity. He also recommends nourishing the scalp with a targeted serum, as the scalp takes a hit in summer from increased UV, sweat, salt water, and chlorine.
Without proper protection, the 'summer damage cocktail'—intense UV rays, pool chlorine, ocean saltwater, and soaring humidity—threatens to strip hair of natural oils, leaving it dry, dull, and brittle by autumn. The biggest driver of neglect is lack of awareness: 38% say it is not something they think about, and 31% did not realise they need to protect their hair.
