With the days heating up and the sun becoming a more prominent player in the weather forecast, there’s great debate over just what works to keep the various types of ultraviolet rays from spoiling the healthy hair fun. While many products claim to be specially formulated to protect textured tresses from summer sun damage and tout charge hefty prices for the luxury additive, a lot of natural hair wearers are left to question which brand meets their needs best. Of course there is no question that hair needs to be protected, but before you rush off to procure a product claiming to shield your locks from sun damage here are some things you must consider when it comes to hair products containing sunscreen.

Sunscreen works by either forming a chemical barrier that absorbs most ultraviolet rays or by deflecting them away from the skin or hair for a particular period of time. In order for sunscreen to provide maximum protection it must be applied evenly upon the surface it is to protect and reapplied in regular intervals. While this method works ideally when it comes to skin protection, even application to hair is not always possible. As one might imagine or have experienced, in order to achieve complete coverage on skin a generous amount of product would have to be applied and smoothed onto the skin. Using the same technique on hair could weigh it down with product and make styling difficult.

Because of the way sunscreen is formulated, shampoos or conditioners which claim to contain protection from UVR damage defeat their own purpose because these products are meant to be rinsed away, taking with them the bulk of their UVR defense. While leave-in products are typically a better bet for providing protective coverage, the amount left on hair after styling – especially when styling with any type of heat source – is minimal and most likely not enough to offer an adequate defense. This is the same with products that have been chemically formulated to be water resistant.

Another element to the dilemma is while skincare products that contain sunscreen are given a sunburn protection factor (SPF) rating that determines exactly how long it will remain effective (i.e. how long it will take for skin to burn from sun exposure), the same rating standard is not used for hair care products. This omission is due to the FDA’s belief that hair care products containing sunscreen do not provide adequate protection against sun damage, which would make adding an SPF rating illegal. So if you don’t know how long the product will shield against damage, you have no idea how often it would need to be reapplied to your hair even if a beneficial amount was initially applied. For products that do boast an SPF rating most likely they are referring to the amount of protection offered to the scalp and not the hair itself.

Although scientific research has proved some hair products containing sunscreen do actually provide protection against sun damage, the conditions in which normal consumers utilize hair care products at home prove different than those presented in the lab. This is not to say that these products to not present some benefit when used for short term protection or on styles that require low manipulation, but chances are it's not enough.

It may seem as if this news dooms your hair to damage no matter what you do or works to limit the amount of fun you can have in the summer sun, but all is not lost. If you are a person who is keen on deep conditioning treatments then stepping up your DC efforts can help hair maintain its strength, keep sun damage to a minimum (provided exposure is limited) and soothe hair after exposure. Hot oil treatments also give your tresses the same advantage. Many manufacturers offer after care products like Redkin's UV Resuce After Sun Conditioner that can help help maintain hair health, but many beneficial after sun treatments can be made in the comfort of your own home and will fortify your hair just as well. While this may give a glimmer of hope to some who see days filled with beach play or hanging out by the pool in their immediate future, for long term protection experts agree that covering the hair with a hat or other material barrier is the best way to keep hair healthy and undamaged during the summer months.

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