Meet hair problems head-on with simple steps

Summertime takes its toll on the health and hue of your hair.
SCRIPPS HOWARD
With summer in full swing, you may have a coif crisis in the making. Hair takes a beating this time of year.
Between trips to the beach (sand and salt), dips in the pool (chlorine) and the sun penetrating the follicles, damage is inevitable.
And, if you color your hair (stylists estimate 75 percent to 90 percent of women do, and men's numbers are on the rise), chances are good that the color will fade sooner, especially with blond hair.
What to do?
Help for hair
Answers lie in wetting your hair before you swim, using conditioners on-the-go, even hair sunscreen. If you're going to indulge in a professional conditioning treatment, summer is the right time. And be prepared for "beachy" hairstyles this summer -- minus the scrunchies. Those are out.
Stylist Stephanie-Nicole, of Sacramento, Calif., says it's possible to maintain both the health and hue of your hair in the summertime with a few changes in daily and monthly routines.
For color-treated hair, carry individual packets of leave-in conditioner. After spritzing hair with fresh water, slather on the product, especially on ends and roots.
Don't worry about hair looking greasy; the sun will dry the conditioner. In the meantime, you're protecting your color from the sun and your hair from the water. If your hair is long, you can pull it back in a ponytail or bun.
Using a thick, leave-in conditioner formulated to block UVA and UVB rays goes a long way in protecting hair, says Kristin Perrotti, beauty director at Allure magazine in New York. "It's rare in 2004 to find a woman with a head of virgin hair, so it's important to protect your color investment."
Wear a hat
Elle magazine's senior beauty editor, Megan Deem, also offers a tip for protecting summer hair, and it's an obvious one:
"The biggest asset, both for style and protection, is a broad-brimmed straw hat that protects hair, allows for ventilation and keeps the sun off your face," she says.
It may be impossible for color-treated hair to go all summer without some form of chemical process. So consider a once-a-month professional conditioning treatment to restore what the elements remove.
Handling humidity
People with curly hair have their own special needs. Humidity plays the most havoc.
"It's the bane of any man or woman's existence during the summer," says Perrotti. "If you travel where the humidity is high, the hair just can't take it. You end up with a big mop."
If possible, skip a day shampooing. Whether your home water supply is from a well or the city, your hair is going to pick up mineral deposits that can dull color and weigh down finer hair. Using a clarifying shampoo and conditioner once every two weeks will halt the mineral buildup.
You don't have to spend a boatload of money on products. Celebrity stylist Harry Josh says his favorite hair-care line is Suave Professionals. "Never spend $20 on a conditioner," Josh says from New York. "And remember, mousse is your friend during the summer."
Ditch the usual routine
Styling routines should take a vacation, too. It's tough cutting the cords to thermal heating appliances, such as dryers and irons, but Perrotti says big, blown-out styles often look out of place on casual summer days.
Instead, opt for a ponytail worn at the nape of the neck or twisted and knotted about an inch higher than the tops of your ears. Allure magazine says anything higher is "too Malibu Barbie."
Ditch the scrunchies and banana clips. Perrotti says look for pretty accessories such as a leather flower clip or elastic holder with a butterfly.
Another popular summer style is the "beachy" hair look, which works on both long and short styles. Products with a little grit (something resembling sand) rough up the hair texture like when you get out of the ocean -- but without the drying effects.