You’ve probably heard of applying lemon juice to your hair and sitting outside in an attempt to lighten your hair. While your hair will get brighter if you do this, it will also become brittle and dry, because the UVA and UVB rays damage your hair.

When your hair is left in the sun for too long, the sun strips your hair of its protective lipid layer and proteins, leading to lack of moisture, split ends, and a straw-like appearance. You should be especially careful in the sun if you have colored hair, since your hair has already lost protein, and it’s more vulnerable to UV harm.

The best way to protect your hair from the sun is covering it up with a hat or scarf and using SPF sprays or powder for your scalp. For extra protection, moisturize your hair with products like coconut oil, hair masks, and conditioners, but make sure to use these in addition to sunscreen and headwear, not in place of them.