What effect does exposure to sunlight have on my hair?

Residing in the beautiful Sunshine State has many advantages but sun exposure is something that we just cannot get away from. Here are some of the things to be aware of when hanging out at the beach with the girls. 

Great free-flowing hair and sun are two wonderful elements of summer, especially when sunlight kisses hair into golden strands. But did you know that combining hair and sun doesn’t always have a positive effect? UV exposure can break down hair proteins, causing hair to look dull and weaken hair’s tensile and physical properties. This damage is more intense on the outer regions of the hair shaft, so people with thick hair have more natural resilience against UV damage than those with fine hair, who can experience more damaged hair. Thus, the connection between your hair and sun can be bigger than expected, and it can impact the appearance of your hair.

The pigments in dark hair can filter some of this damage better than light hair pigments, thus providing a bit more protection against the breakdown of proteins that can cause damaged hair. This filtering action, however, is what causes hair to lighten with increased sun exposure.

Here are some great options to protect your locks from the damaging effects of the sun.
Sungrubbies.com has a great selection of sun hats to protect your hair and face when sun bathing, or direct sun exposure.
Another good idea to protect your locks is saturate the hair with conditioner specially the most fragile part (the ends). Doing this will create a barrier between the damaging UV rays and your hair. 

Pictures by: http://www.sungrubbies.com/product_index_html/Sunhats3sunprotectionhats.htm?gclid=CLW81PHzoqQCFdFO2godl37B4g

Sources: http://www.howtodothings.com/fashion-and-personal-care/a4542-how-to-protect-hair-from-the-sun.html