After Summer Skin and Hair Repair: How Porosity and Collagen Restore Strength and Glow

Summer is great for overall wellbeing, but it can be harsh on skin and hair. Prolonged sun exposure, heat, salt water, chlorine and dehydration can weaken the skin barrier and increase hair porosity, leaving both looking dull, dry and stressed once the summer season ends.

Post summer hair focuses on repair, hydration and rebuilding strength. Understanding porosity and supporting collagen levels are key parts of this process.

Skin After Summer: Barrier Damage and Dehydration

After summer, skin often feels tighter rougher or more sensitive. It may also appear less elastic and radiant.

UV exposure and heat can compromise the skin barrier, increasing water loss and accelerating collagen breakdown. This can lead to dehydration, uneven texture and early or increased visible signs of ageing.

To help summer skin recover it is important to:

• Restore hydration and moisture balance
• Repair the skin barrier using lipids and ceramides
• Use antioxidants to help counter environmental damage
• Support natural collagen production

Hair After Summer: Increased Porosity and Moisture Loss

Summer exposure can lift and damage the hair cuticle, increasing hair porosity. This means hair absorbs moisture easily but struggles to retain it. The result can include frizz, dryness, breakage, split ends and loss of shine.

Restoring hair health after summer requires cuticle repair, protein support, and long lasting hydration.

Understanding hair porosity:

Hair porosity refers to the condition of the hair cuticle, which is the outer protective layer of each strand.

Testing Hair Porosity

To test your hair's porosity, submerge a strand of hair in a glass of water. Leave it for at least 45 minutes. If it sinks it is high. If it floats to the top, it's low. And if it floats in the middle, it is medium.

How Collagen Supports Both Skin and Hair

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and plays an important role in maintaining structure, elasticity and strength in skin and hair.

Collagen and skin

Collagen suports skin elasticity and firmness. It helps maintain hydration by strengthening the skin structure and can reduce the appearance of fine lines linked to sun exposure. Since UV radiation accelerates collagen breakdown, post summer care should focus on protecting and supporting collagen levels.

Collagen and hair

Collagen does not directly form hair strands, but it provides amino acids that support keratin production, the primary protein in hair. Collagen also supports scalp health and helps improve hair strength and resilience. This can reduce breakage linked to high porosity and environmental damage.

Combining External Care and Internal Support

Effective post summer recovery involves both topical treatments and nutrional support.

Topical care:

• Hydrating serums and barrier repair creams for skin
• Deep conditioning and protein masks for hair
• Products containing antioxidants, peptides, and nourishing oils

Internal support:

• Adequate daily hydration
• A balanced diet rich in vitamin C, zinc and amino acids.
• Collagen supplementation to support skin elasticity and hair strength

After summer, skin and hair need more than surface hydration. They require repair and structural support. Understanding hair porosity helps guide treatment choices whilst supporting collagen levels helps restore strength, elasticity and resilience.

Post summer care allows skin and hair to recover from environmental stress and transition into the next season healthy, balanced and revitalised.

To find your after summer skin and hair care essentials, shop Gold Collagen.