Is there such a thing as a protection factor for hair?

Does SPF for hair really exist? Do you actually need SPF for your mane? Girl, the latest trends might have made you believe that hair sunscreen is an essential in your summer hair routine, but we’re sorry to tell you that’s not entirely true, and they’ve been telling you big little lies. Let us explain why.

What is SPF?

First things first, what is Sun Protection Factor (SPF)? It’s a shield that protects against UVB radiation, which is responsible for sunburns. The number associated with SPF indicates, depending on your skin type, how long it would take for your skin to burn or redden.

Then we have UVA protection, which prevents collagen loss and pigmentation changes. This is measured by the Persistent Pigment Darkening index (PPD).

Now, everything you can see of your hair is dead (the living part is below the epidermis). Clearly, having your hair “burn” is not the same as your skin. While UV rays also affect hair, they don’t cause sunburn on your strands but instead lead to keratin and hydration loss in the cuticle (UVB) and loss of proteins, amino acids, and melanin inside the hair fiber (UVA).

So, using SPF on your hair doesn’t make sense and wouldn’t truly protect it! 

But wait, girl! Where you *should* apply SPF is along your hairline, which is often forgotten even though it’s super exposed. The scalp can burn badly, causing peeling, itching, redness, and more.

How to protect your hair from the sun?

Baby, don’t stress because YES, you can protect your hair from the sun. A MUST in your hair routine is using coconut oil during sun exposure. It’s loaded with saturated fatty acids, like lauric acid, that penetrate the hair fiber, filling in gaps in the cuticle and blocking about 20% of solar radiation. 

Of course, we recommend applying a generous amount of our beloved South Bondi, which also contains melon and papaya extract that act as antioxidants to prevent free radicals from aging your hair.