WAYS TO STOP HAIR LOSS 8

Protect yourself from seasonal shedding with our expert tips

- SAMANTHA WOOD

Notice that you lose more thickness at this time of year? You’re not imagining it. Female hair loss can increase by up to 6% per day during the summer months*. ‘Losing more hair than normal, especially when you’re away on holiday, can be alarming,’ says hair health expert Nicole Liddon**. ‘But it’s really common and there are plenty of things you can do to help prevent and minimise the amount you lose.’ Here’s what you need to know.

Downsides to the season Your hair can be affected by…

THE HEAT

When the weather gets warmer our bodies look for ways to save energy, which keeps us cooler. As the main purpose of hair is to insulate, when the sun finally comes to warm us up, our bodies don’t waste energy growing more of it. Because of this, more of our hair follicles go into a ‘resting phase’ and then shed old hair to make way for new growth.

UV EXPOSURE

Exposure to sunlight causes our bodies to produce less of the hormone melatonin, which affects hair growth. Less melatonin in the scalp gives hair follicles the signal to start – or continue – their shedding phase.

DRYNESS

Anything that robs hair of moisture or natural oils can cause it to become brittle and break, giving the appearance of thinning. Holiday conditions, such as heat, humidity, sea water and chlorine, can all cause damage, leading to hair breakage.

Get thicker hair this summer