Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimised by the sun damaging your hair? Yep, we’re right there with you. And while it is a small price to pay for the warm sunrise swims and late evenings spent soaking up sunshine, damaged hair is never a good look. 

The good news? Sun damaged hair can be repaired! And it is a relatively easy process to take your hair from dry, dull and limp to moisturised, bouncy and thriving. Here, we breakdown all the steps you should be taking to not only repair hair damage but prevent it in the first place (no swim-skipping required).

We’ve all done it. Sit out in the sun for about 20 minutes and watch those sun-kissed highlights appear! But proceed with caution. “Unfortunately, the sun is just not great for your hair, especially if you have coloured hair,” explains Monique McMahon, Founder and Colour Director at Que Hair Salon in Sydney.

The sun’s harsh rays drain the moisture from your hair and weaken its protein structures. McMahon explains that even the smallest amount of time in the sun will lead to discolouration of coloured hair. Meanwhile, any lengthy time in the sun leads to dry and brittle hair which can cause excess frizz and broken or split ends.

“Sun damaged hair can be reversed if not left unattended for too long,” says McMahon. We love to hear it!

McMahon’s pro tip? Invest in an at-home oil treatment, ASAP! “My favourite right now is the Les Huilettes Hair Oil, this can be applied all over dry hair including the roots, combed through and tied back or plaited while you sleep overnight. In the morning just shampoo to wash it out and reap the benefits, your hair will feel rehydrated, soft and silky.” (PSA: You can also book in for a deeper oil treatment at Que Salon).

Want to take your repair treatment up a notch (or ten)? McMahon suggests switching out your conditioner for a mask.

“Every person in Australia should be using a mask as their conditioner at home. Our lifestyle and extreme weather mean this is non-negotiable for me and my clients.” Her top pick is the Regenerating Prickly Pear Seed Mask by Christophe Robin. “It really brings back the elasticity of the hair, leaving it full of life and bounce.”

Finally, get a good trim to help remove split ends and any broken strands of hair.

Sort of. McMahon highlights that all hair types benefit from a hot oil treatment when sun damaged: “It acts like a pure hydration shot.” Who doesn’t love a dose of hydration? However, your hair type determines how many times you may need to treat your hair to repair sun damage. 

If you have fine hair you may only need an oil treatment once to repair sun damage. Thicker and textured hair may benefit from an oil treatment once a week for a month to repair and maintain the condition of the hair.

While sun damaged hair can be repaired, we should probably take steps to protect our hair from the sun.

McMahon recommends investing in a good hair SPF. Yep, it’s a thing! “I love to drench my hair in the Hydrating Cream by Christophe Robin and slick it back in a knot for a day at the beach.” Finally, throw on a cute hat or find a shaded spot to sit in and go live your best hair life this summer!