With the weather improving and sunny summer days well on their way, many people are looking forward to spending some time enjoying the wonderful weather, whilst keeping themselves safe in the process.
However, some men worried about male hair loss are concerned that spending too much time in the sun can cause hair to thin, dry out and even potentially fall out if their scalp suffers from sunburn.
The truth behind this is more complex, and the sun is both highly beneficial for your scalp and potentially damaging depending on your individual circumstances.
The sun’s rays provide your scalp with a direct dose of vitamin D, which is an essential nutrient for completing the hair growth cycle. Indeed, a lack of vitamin D can be a cause of hair loss in the first place, although you can get vitamin D from nutrient-rich foods and supplements.
By contrast, sunlight can damage the hair itself, largely by absorbing moisture, which leads to a lighter hair tone, and more brittle and frizzy hair that can potentially be easier to break and pull out.
As well as this, a direct sunburn on the scalp will lead to the skin on the affected area peeling off which includes the hair attached to it as well.
In most circumstances, this will quickly and easily grow back as part of the natural growth cycle.
The only exception to this is in cases where the scalp scars or suffers from inflammation, which means that hair might not grow back.
However, if your scalp is already thinning, your head is more vulnerable to burning and could cause an exacerbation of the existing hair loss if you are not careful, apply sunscreen or wear a hat to protect your scalp.
As well as this, whilst the sun will not directly cause hair loss, too much time in the sun unprotected without wearing sunscreen can increase the risk of skin cancer, which is often treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy that can cause hair to fall out.