Summertime can be hard on your hair.  Sun and saltwater dries it out.  Humidity makes it frizz or go limp. And chlorine from the swimming pool can actually turn it green! All these factors makes it almost impossible to keep your healthy hair

What can you do to get that healthy hair back?

I remember “green hair syndrome” very well.  As natural blonds, my older sister and I often developed brassy, dull, greenish hair after long afternoons in the community pool. One summer my sister introduced me to a brand of shampoo specifically designed to remove chlorine from hair. As I recall, it removed my hair’s greenish tint but didn’t do anything to restore its moisture and shine. I looked like a scarecrow with straw hair.

That was 30 years ago. Today we have hundreds of hair-care products on the market to get us through summer without the scarecrow look. And thankfully, many of them are made with all-natural organic ingredients, so there’s no need to worry about absorbing toxins through our scalps.

For example, Aubrey Organics’ line of “normalizing” shampoos includes a substance that naturally removes chlorine, minerals and other impurities.  This helps to prevent discoloration of the hair. Instead of ingredients that sound like they came from a chemical lab they contain natural ingredients.  Some of these ingredients are soy protein, organic corn syrup, aloe vera, and shea butter.

Is your healthy hair thinning?

Did you know our hair typically grows faster in the summer? We’re outside in the fresh air, we’re more active. Our hair follicles tend to respond with an accelerated rate of growth.  But for those with alopecia (thinning hair) or male/female pattern baldness, hair growth is an uphill battle no matter what season it happens to be.

According to research, the trigger for alopecia is DHT, a powerful hormone that interrupts the normal growth of hair follicles. Theoretically, if you can block the action of DHT on hair follicles, you can stimulate re-growth of hair on the scalp. Many believe that all-natural supplements designed to block DHT can help to slow hair loss. Ingredients such as zinc, selenium, saw palmetto extract, and the root of a wild vine called Polygoni Multiflori are thought to have a beneficial effect on healthy hair re-growth.

- Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus Contributor