The sun is out, temperatures are up and you’re out of school! What could be better?! Summer is a great time to relax and spend your days outdoors. We all know it’s important to protect your body and skin from the summer sun. However, did you know that you also need to take special care of your hair in the summer, too?

Protect your hair against summer heat, and keep it healthy and strong with these tips!

1. Protect Your Hair from the Sun

In addition to your skin and scalp being at risk for sunburn in the summer sun, did you know your hair could get sunburned, too? Protect your locks by wearing a scarf, hat or cap when you're out in the sun for a long period of time. Just make sure it's not so tight that it restricts the circulation in your scalp!

2. Prep Your Hair Before Swimming

Salt water and the chemicals used in pools can be damaging to your hair. It’s important to be gentle to your hair during the summer and prepare it for exposure to these situations. Simply rinse your hair with water before and after swimming to help protect it. Also consider braiding your hair or using a swim cap to keep it from getting tangled.

3. Hydrate

Just like the rest of your body, staying hydrated is especially important in the summertime; it’s also necessary for healthy hair. Try to drink at least eight to 10 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day and even more if you’re active outside during this time of year.

4. Add Moisture

Summer is a great opportunity to use a leave-in conditioner. It adds moisture to your hair, just like lotion does for dry skin. It also can dramatically reduce frizz and help define curly hair.

5. Air-Dry Your Hair

Because of the summer heat, anything that could further damage your hair is a no-no, including blow dryers. Let your hair air-dry and flaunt your natural waves. Cut down on the flat iron or curling iron as much as possible.

6. Use Gentle Accessories

Since your hair is already vulnerable from the elements of the heat, take special care of it and use hair accessories that won’t damage your ’do further. Good ones are ponytail holders without metal closures, barrettes with smooth edges and clasps, and fabric headbands that move with your hair.

7. Donate for a Good Cause

Whether you’ve noticed it or not, your hair grows faster during the warmer months. Take good care of it and do good at the end of summer by cutting and donating your hair for a good cause.

Consider Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths program for a way to support others with your hair donation. It’s a joint effort between Pantene and the American Cancer Society in which Pantene donates money to turn hair that has been cut into real-hair wigs for female cancer patients around the country. Eight inches of untreated hair (not bleached or dyed) is all you need to make a donation.

Taking care of your hair in the summer is easy, and with these tips you will be on your way to having beautiful locks no matter what.