How To Prevent Chlorine From Ruining Your Hair After A Good Swim
indrani karmakarBA Hons Experience: 2.5 yearsIndrani is a writer and artist who likes to add a dash of humor to everything she does. She has two years of experience in writing articles across beauty, health, and lifestyle genres. After graduatin... more
If you are a frequent swimmer or enjoy spending long hours at the pool, you’ve made a familiar foe- Chlorine! Of course, we dont hate chlorine; how else would we keep the pool bacteria-free? But no one enjoys brittle, dry hair that directly results from dipping your hair in chlorinated pools. Chlorine is a bleach; therefore it alters the melanin or color profile of the hair. It can cause a greenish hue in your hair when it mixes with minerals in the water, especially if you are blonde.
Also, chlorine damages the cuticle, the hair’s protective outer layer. Hence this leads to dry, brittle hair and increases the probability of further color shifts. Dye molecules are more likely to escape when the outer layer is damaged, and the cuticle is lifted. Since red hair color molecules are the largest and the quickest to run, this is especially true for redheads (artificially colored hair) (1). The natural oils that make hair shiny, soft, and healthy are also removed by chlorine. So now that you know all the hair problems chlorine is responsible for, you must know how to protect your hair from it. And no, we will not ask you to give up on your pool time. Read on to learn all the tricks to protect your hair from the harmful effects of chlorinated water.
In This Article
1. Put On A Swimming Cap Before Entering The Pool
Wearing a swimming cap for a long time is never easy, but it saves you and your hair from the harmful effects of chlorine. Make sure you fasten it over your head nicely and secure all flyaways under the rubber cap before you plunge into the pool.
2. Do Not Swim With Dry Hair
Even though a swimming cap is recommended, no one carries it to every pool party. So at times like these, you must wash your hair with normal water before entering the pool. This will keep your hair from soaking more chlorine as it is already moist.
3. Use A Leave-in Conditioner Or Coconut Oil
Water alone will help, but massaging coconut oil into your strands will produce a stronger protective barrier. Since the molecules of coconut oil are larger than most oils, they are more likely to rest on the hair’s surface, where they can serve as a protective layer rather than being absorbed by the hair.
4. Removal Of Chlorine From Hair
If you cannot avoid getting chlorine in your hair by any means above, here is what you may do to remove it. These aftercare steps are beneficial even if you have already implemented the suggestions above.
1. Wash Your Hair After Coming Out Of The Pool
You need to wash the chlorine out as soon as possible. Use a moist towel to remove the coconut oil, then use shampoo. Water added before the initial shampoo can make it more difficult to remove the chlorine & oil from the hair resting on the surface due to the excess oil. You should take special care to cleanse your scalp gently. It’s not just the hair that chlorine may dry out, but also the scalp. When evenly distributing your scalp’s natural sebum, it’s important to first wash your hair and then massage it.
2. Find The Right Shampoo
If your hair is losing its original color and is getting dry, you need to switch to a sulfate-free shampoo for your regular use after getting out of the pool. This will keep your hair moisturized and protected from the harshness of chlorine.
3. Apply A Hair Mask
To counteract the drying effects of the chlorine, use a hair mask that is thick and moisturizing. This compensates for the damage that chlorine might do to your hair.
4. Go For A Clarifying Procedure
There may be a situation where you try all the above hacks, but none seem to give you the desired relief. This is when you need to pamper your hair with deep cleaning therapy from experts. They will remove all traces of chlorine and buildup from your hair and nourish it with the nutrients that your hair and scalp need.
Chlorine is a common enemy for swimmers, and sports enthusiasts often experiment with different products and techniques to keep their scalp and hair free from the harmful chemicals in the pool. So, do you have any secret plan to keep your hair safe from chlorine buildup? Let us know in the comments section!
