My thick hair takes forever to dry, so in the summer I take a break from wrestling with it and become all about casual, beachy waves, romantic braids and air-drying -- without fear of catching a cold. Unfortunately, this is also the season in which frizz thrives and when swimming in salt water and chlorine pools takes its toll by stripping moisture from my hair (don't even get me started on what the sun does to my color).

Since most of us know what a nightmare it is to grow a head of fresh, healthy hair (bad perm or chemical straightening flashbacks, anyone?), I'm sure I don't have to hard sell you on the idea of preventing damage before it happens. To help us all in this quest, I asked top experts for their advice on protecting summer hair from the dangers that lurk in the most seductive places. Read on for their tips on how to keep hair gorgeous with minimal hassle, all summer long.

Click to read pro hair protection tips!