Can Tanning Beds Lighten The Hair?
Tanning is one of the most popular skin treatments for women and men. While some prefer natural sun tanning, others do an online search for best tanning beds near me. If you are one of those who frequently go for tanning, you might have experienced lighting of hair color besides the change in skin shade.
Does tanning bed cause the hair to lighten? What’s the reason behind the hair getting a few shades lighter after tanning? This blog will answer all your questions.
To understand this phenomenon, it’s essential to know the science behind skin and hair.
Our skin is made up of living tissues and cells, while our hair is composed of only dead cells. When the hair is exposed to UV rays, it makes the hair shaft to expand. When the hair shaft extends, it breaks the molecules that contain hair pigments. This causes the hair to lighten its color. Now the question is why our hair remains damaged? This is because our hair strands are made up of only structured protein, lipids, pigments, and water.
Now one might wonder why the skin gets a few shades darker while hair turns light. This is due to melanogenesis.
Melanogenesis is a naturally occurring process in which the skin cells start producing excess melanin pigments causing the skin to darken. This is a protective mechanism that happens when our skin is exposed to the sun’s UV rays. However, since our hair is made of dead cells, it can’t produce any melanin to defend itself from UV rays. The sunrays oxidize the melanin and turn it colorless.
UV rays from the sun cause change in the chemical structure of the hair, ultimately resulting in the change in hair color. Besides this, too much exposure to UV rays dries out the hair and leave it all frizzy.
So, how can one protect their hair from UV rays damage while getting a session from UV tanning salons near me?
- Wear a Shower Cap
Covering hair with a shower cap is one of the easiest ways to prevent hair damage due to UV rays. Just make a ponytail and wear a shower cap when taking a tanning session. Most shower caps are designed to protect the hair from UV rays damage as well as help it retain moisture. Since shower caps are washable, you can reuse them for a long time.
- Wear a Turban or Towel
When going out or to the tanning salon, you can wrap your hair with a scarf or towel. The cloth will prevent the UV rays from penetrating through the hair.
- Use Conditioner
Applying a moisturizing hair conditioner before undergoing a tanning session is another effective method to protect the hair from getting damaged. So, before heading to your tanning salon, give your hair a nice moisturizing massage.
- Use Heat Protectants
However effective, most of us don’t like tying our hair with a towel or cap for too long. If you don’t like wearing shower caps or scarves during tanning sessions, you can simply use a heat protectant product. Just apply the product thoroughly on your scalp, roots, and tips before you go for tanning.