Hair Protection While Swimming

Summer is a wonderful season when all people are headed to spend their vacation somewhere at the seaside or near swimming pool. Almost every women face one important question – how to protect hair from damaging factors of the salt or chlorinated water? This article is about how you can minimize hair damage.

#1. Keep it in perspective

Even the most active swimmers manage to maintain their hair. Women can be divided into two groups: first, those whose hair does not need extra attention; second, those whose hair does need extra care. In fact, you should not worry excessively about damage because your primary aim is to make a time of it. Just follow the main principle – say ‘NO’ to free hair.

#2. Look at the water, pay attention to smell

Do not forget about the acidity level in water. In general most public swimming pools will never tell you how acidic the water is. A badly maintained pool always has green and yellow colors, and the chlorine has a heavy smell in the air. Always look at the water and avoid swimming in badly maintained pools.

#3. Protect your hair before swimming

Use penetrating oil such as coconut oil, wet your hair before you get into the pool and apply barriers to the hair such as heavy oils (shea butter, castor oil, mineral oil, silicones). Some swimmers like to apply hair conditioner but this protection is quite weak as most hair conditioners are very soluble in water.

#4. Wear a swim cap

Swim caps can protect from the full attack of the water. The idea is not to keep hair dry but minimize contact with the water and avoid the water rubbing against it as you move through the water.

#5. Take care of your hair post swim

Take the time to rinse it after swimming. Rinsing helps get rid of a lot of chlorine/salt water before it has a chance to dry your hair. Shampoo and condition hair with the best product you have. If you are a regular swimmer, use gentle products to protect it.