Summer fun in the sun can always take its toll on your hair, especially in Bend Oregon. Any hair stylist worth their salt will tell you this. The hot sun rays can dramatically affect your hair. To keep your hair shiny and luxurious, protect it against sun exposure with the following suggestions.

1. Your hair stylist will always tell you that a good offense is always the best defense. You need to be as conscious about protecting your hair as you are about your skin. Yes, that wide-brimmed hat your grandmother wore in the garden is great for protecting more than just your skin. If your hair is the sun a lot, then fortify it with conditioner that you can leave in your hair and which has UV protection in it. Since the UV protectant can accumulate in your hair, get some clarifying shampoo and use once a week to remove the coating. Protect your scalp by applying a sunscreen anywhere the sun has access to your head, such as your part. Ask your hair stylist about this next time you see them.

2. Pay attention to other culprits. The sun isn't the only thing hard on your hair in the summer in Bend. Salt, chlorine and wind can also dry up your hair and cause problems with your hair. Keep these tips in mind, and you can preserve the brightness and luster of your hair. Has your hair stylist mentioned this to you? Try these out.

• Before swimming in a chlorinated pool make sure you wet your hair with plain water â€" this will prevent your hair from absorbing as much chlorine.
  • After swimming in salt water, rinse your hair with lukewarm water. Not such a problem in Bend, Oregon, since there's not any ocean nearby. Nevertheless...
  • Always wear a hat or put your long hair up to avoid any wind damage.
  • If you've been using highlighting tricks with the use of lemon juice, peroxide, or alcohol, STOP. They dry your hair and can make the condition sun-damaged hair even worse. It's better to do it the right way at your professional hair stylists.

3. If your hair is dried, brittle and frizzy from the sun, or constant blow drying, you can't cure the problem overnight. But you can help it feel better and look better too. If your hair stylist hasn't mentioned these before, give them a try:

• Use a shampoo that is meant to repair your hair, once a week.
  • Get a conditioner designed to make your hair smooth, once a day. Mint oil is a great ingredient in any smoothing conditioner. Ask your hair stylist in Bend Oregon.
  • Deep conditioners should be used regularly, at least weekly and even more often if you feel like your hair needs to be smoother. When you treat your hair with deep conditioning, cover it with a shower cap. The heat from your body will help warm the conditioner so it can penetrate your hair even deeper. Good conditioners for this purpose are those with keratin, wheat-germ protein, and jojoba oil.
  • Hot-oil treatments are always good. Drugstores or beauty-supply stores, or your hair stylist, or mix your own concoction up with canola, olive, and other oils.
  • Get a conditioner you can leave in your hair that includes sunscreen, and use it daily. Doing this will help protect your sun-damaged hair from further UV damage. Pay special attention to the ends of your hair. Your hair stylist can help you with the right type of conditioner for this purpose in Bend, Oregon, where you have a higher elevation.
  • As you probably already know, blow-dryers and curling irons can damage your hair as much or more than the sun. Try letting it dry naturally.
  • Hair coloring products often fade with sun exposure. If you color your hair, you may need a touch up at the end of summer. In the mean time, hair gloss can add shine to your hair without changing it's color.

If you want healthy hair in the summer time, protection is your best bet. Ask your hair stylist, especially if you live in Bend, Oregon. On the other hand, if you let your guard down by letting the sun have it's way, you'll need to compensate for it by giving your hair some of that tender loving care.