Hot weather can ruin women's hair, according to Pantene Scientific Communications Director Dr Cedric Callens, who emphasizes that hair needs protection from UV damage just like skin. While many women are diligent about sunscreen, a study reveals up to two-thirds neglect their hair, exposing it to major damage and breakage.
UV damage to hair is common but overlooked
Research from Pantene shows that 76% of women protect their skin regularly, but only 38% do the same for their hair. Consequences are already evident: 41% of women say their hair is more damaged in summer, and 42% accept it as inevitable. Summer also increases hair frustration, with 50% of women bothered more by their hair in warmer months. Common complaints include frizz (40%), dryness (39%), and dry or irritated scalp (36%).
Nearly four in ten women (39%) feel forced to choose between enjoying summer activities and maintaining healthy hair. Holidays are major damage triggers: pools (57%), the sea (48%), and sun exposure (48%) are seen as the biggest causes. Fear of damage holds women back: a third avoid swimming, and one in five skip outdoor exercise due to hair worries. More than half (52%) did not realize UV can damage hair, leading to late action.
Many resort to drastic measures: 29% buy repair treatments, 23% change hair color, and 20% chop off more than planned after summer. Without protection, a 'summer damage cocktail' of UV rays, saltwater, chlorine, and humidity strips natural oils, leaving hair dull and brittle. Over half (53%) of women say they would spend less time repairing damage if they knew how to protect their hair. The main driver of neglect is lack of knowledge: 38% say it's not something they think about, and 31% didn't realize they need to protect their hair.
Expert tips for summer hair protection
Dr Cedric Callens shares eight essential tips to protect hair and enjoy summer without damage.
1. Protect hair first and regularly
"Summer hair damage is cumulative, not instant. By the time you notice dryness, frizz and dullness the damage has often been building for weeks," Dr Cedric explained. "A day in the sun, swimming in chlorinated or salt water may not feel significant once, but repeated exposure gradually roughens the hair surface. That's why the best summer routine isn't about rescuing hair at the end of the season, it's about protecting the fibre before visible signs appear."
2. Protect hair surface before swimming
"Chlorine and salt don't just 'dry hair out', they disrupt how the hair fibres interact with water and roughen the cuticle, leaving hair tangled and stiff after a swim," he said. A specialized UV, salt, chlorine protective spray helps reduce friction and keep hair smoother.
3. Take UV exposure seriously for hair
"Hair doesn't burn like skin, but UV still breaks down surface lipids and proteins, leading to dryness, dullness, reduced smoothness and colour fade," he added. Regular UV protection in haircare is essential, especially for fine, coloured, or highlighted hair.
4. Use leave-in care daily
"Summer hair needs protection that stays on the hair fibres. A leave-in treatment supports the hair throughout the day, especially when exposed to UV, humidity, sun, chlorine, salt, heat styling or repeated brushing," Dr Cedric said. It helps create silky strands by smoothing fibres and supporting moisture retention.
5. Be smarter with heat styling
"Heat accelerates water loss and increases the risk of roughness, dryness and breakage, especially when hair has already faced salt, sun or humidity," he continued. A heat protective leave-in cream releases moisturising nutrients when activated by heat, protecting against frizz and humidity up to 230°C.
6. Use masks strategically
"Hair masks aren't a punishment for damage, they're a targeted conditioning boost when the hair fibre is under seasonal stress," Dr Cedric said. Use a mask when hair feels harder to detangle, rougher, or dehydrated after washing.
7. Use oil for everyday protection in humidity
"Frizz can be a visible sign of damage, it is the fibre reacting to moisture in the air," he explained. Lightweight oils like keratin oils reduce friction, smooth the surface, and limit visible swelling, especially for porous or frizz-prone hair.
8. Nourish your scalp
"Healthy-looking hair starts at the scalp and when that environment is thrown off balance your strands feel it too," Dr Cedric added. A targeted scalp serum can help keep the scalp supported so hair stays healthy and strong all summer long.
