Why you should cover your face and hair with a scarf when you travel

I am a 29-year-old woman and travel a lot. I have noticed that other women tie their faces with a scarf when they travel, be it in a train, bus or on the bike. Is this important for my skin? How do I use a scarf to protect my face? 

In India most women cover their faces with a scarf when they travel in order to protect their face and hair from the sun and pollution. Be it by bus, train or on a bike, women all over the country use this. Here is why this is an essential practice.

1. Protects you from tanning: It is almost always sunny in India, and being a tropical country the heat and humidity can affect your skin quite adversely. One drawback of exposure to sunlight is tanning. Caused due to the collection of melanin in a layer just below the surface of your skin, tanning is your skin’s way of protecting itself from the harmful effects of UV rays. Wrapping your face with a scarf when you travel is a good way to beat this. Not only does it keep the UV rays of the sun at bay but also prevents your skin from looking duller and darker.

2. Protects your skin and hair from pollution: Pollution is everywhere, and if you live on a metro, the levels of suspended particles in the air are far higher than anywhere else in the country. The dirt, pollution and other airborne chemicals can be extremely harmful for your skin. Not only does the dirt tend to adhere to your skin (especially if it is oily), but it can also irritate your skin, sap it of moisture (making it loose its suppleness and radiance) and make your face look dull due to build up of dirt on your skin. Also, pollutants generate free radicals that are in part, responsible for the ageing of your skin. What’s more, if you have sensitive skin some of these chemicals get absorbed into your skin and can be harmful too.

3. Protects your hair from harmful UV rays: The sun can be harmful for your hair too. Too much exposure to sunlight can not only bleach you hair but also make it dry, dull and unmanageable. Not to mention sunlight along with pollution is a definite recipe for hair damage as the heat tends to make your scalp sweat which then traps all the dirt, making your hair lose its shine and lustre.In an interview with The Independant, Philip Kingsley, haircare expert says,’The sun breaks down the protein structure of the hair [disulphide bonds], and also draws moisture from the hair cells. The combination of these roughens the hair’s cuticle [outer layer] and gives the impression of drier, coarser and frizzier hair.’

Note: If you don’t drive but travel by a bus or train, know that pollution and sunlight have the same effect on your hair and skin. This is because the breeze that hits your face is warm and often carries pollutants. Both of which can dry out your skin and hair making them susceptible to damage.

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