TrichoCare by Joanna

HAIR IN SUNSHINE PART 1

Sun, Receding Hairlines and Hair Follicles – Why Summer Is Not Always Your Hair’s Best Friend

Summer. Sunshine. Holidays. BBQs. A little peace and that beautiful belief that “a bit of sun is always good for you.”

Well… almost.

Because your hair follicles may have a very different opinion.

Most people remember SPF for the face, sometimes even for the neck and chest—but the scalp? We usually remember it only when the parting looks like a freshly boiled lobster and the top of the head burns every time we touch it.

Especially men with receding hairlines, thinning on the crown, or the classic “I’m not going bald, I just have a mature hairline” should keep reading very carefully.

Because unfortunately—sunlight does not negotiate.

Your Scalp Ages Too. And It Can Get Very Upset

The scalp is not just “the place where hair grows.” It is a very active biological environment—with hair follicles, microcirculation, sebaceous glands, the scalp microbiome, and a whole army of cells responsible for healthy hair growth.

And this environment does not handle excessive UV exposure very well.

UV radiation and high-energy visible light (HEV, also known as blue light) can trigger oxidative stress, damage follicle cells, and disturb the natural hair growth cycle. Studies show that the scalp is especially vulnerable to this process even before the hair shaft appears above the surface.

So before you even notice a problem—your follicle already knows things are going badly.

Oxidative Stress – When the Follicle Takes the Hit

Sounds scientific? Because it is.

Oxidative stress happens when the body produces more free radicals (ROS) than it can neutralize. And the sun is very happy to help produce them.

The result?

Hair papilla cells start working less efficiently, keratinocytes regenerate more slowly, micro-damage appears, and inflammation begins.

This can shorten the anagen phase—the active growth stage of the hair—and push the hair faster into the telogen phase—the shedding stage.

In simpler words:

Your hair is not falling out to be dramatic.

It is simply trying to survive.

And a follicle in survival mode is not planning beautiful volume for autumn.

Quite the opposite.