Summer is a fun time of year for your children filled with sun, pools, camps and play dates. As if protecting the

kiddos from the sun during all of their activities isn’t already a full time job, you also have to manage the health of

their hair. Luckily, there are some simple tips to avoid tangles after a swim, keep hair moisturized, fight lice, avoid

breakage and manage other summer hair concerns.

Detangling: The best way to deal with summer knots is to rinse well and condition. Avoid shampooing more than

once a week. To rinse out pool or salt water: first rinse well with tap water, then rinse with a bottle of room

temperature seltzer water, apply conditioner, detangle, rinse the conditioner out and style as usual. If you do this for

several weeks, the hair will be moisturized, conditioned and less likely to tangle. You can use seltzer water to

remove sand and chlorine as often as like, it is mild and helpful for adults too.

Lice: As a child I remember getting lice and my grandmother applying the inside of the aloe plant to my scalp. Most

people have passed down home remedies, but if you don’t have one, here is a natural solution to try:

1.Get a real aloe plant leaf at a grocery store, cut off the thorns, open the leaf, scoop the gel substance inside into a

bowl. You may need 2 or 3 leaves depending on the amount of hair of your child.

2. Part the hair into 4 sections, and section by section apply aloe gel into the scalp. Cover your child’s scalp and

hair with a disposable shower cap and let it sit for 1 hour (you might want to play a good movie). Make sure the scalp

is saturated. You can leave it on for more than an hour if you choose.

3. Gently wash it out, and follow a shampoo then a rinse with 2 cups of Apple Cider vinegar, do this carefully so that it

doesn’t get into the eyes. Apple Cider Vinegar will help kill any remaining unhatched eggs. Let the ACV sit for 15

mins. Rinse and apply conditioner.

4. This step is very important. Buy a large portion of inexpensive but heavy (anything labeled with the terms “ultra

moisturizing” or “for dry/damaged hair”) conditioner, saturate the hair with the conditioner and with a metal tooth

comb through small sections at a time, use the white color of the conditioner to make sure you see and take out the

remaining dead insects in the hair. Use plenty of conditioner (which is why I suggest you buy something inexpensive)

and comb through the hair and scalp until you don’t see any remaining traces of lice.

5. Rinse out the conditioner out and exam the scalp thoroughly.

The good news is your child’s hair will be shiny and moisturized. Make sure you rinse well after each step well.

Make sure to notify your child’s camp or school to prevent multiple occurrence, and lastly I am sorry you have to go

through this.

Moisture: If your child has curly hair the topic of moisture isn’t new. Similar to the suggestions for detangling it is

important that you don’t wash daily. Shampoo once a week and condition in between. Check the scalp for

buildup, because the build up of styling products or dirt can cause an unbalanced scalp which is the culprit of many

hair issues, including dandruff. If there is buildup rinse the scalp with a gentle tea that promotes shine and scalp

health.

1. Boil 4 bags of chamomille tea and 4 bags of rosemary tea together (I suggest you use tea bags to avoid having to

strain loose leaves).

2. Add the tea to cold water in a plastic pitcher (which is safe and easy to manage with your child’s bath) to bring to a

normal bath temperature.

3. Use it as the final rinse before leaving the bath. Herbal rinses were a part of my childhood grooming regimen, and

though it might seem time consuming, I loved the smells and soothing feeling.

Preventing breakage and sun damage. When you shop for products look for products that protect from sun

damage; my personal favorite is CoCo Cababa Sun Spray from Fairy Tales Hair Care. It smells great, a little goes a

very long way so no need to saturate the hair, and adults can use it as well. Also, whenever possible try to get your

little ones to wear hats and caps to avoid scalp sunburn.

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