How Do I Protect My Hair from Bleaching when Swimming?
If you are a regular swimmer, and you have light hair, you may be wondering how to protect blonde hair from chlorine.
But even before you think of that, you need to know what chlorine does to hair. As you swim more often in a pool with chlorinated water, the chemical bonds with your hair and creates a buildup.
This chlorine buildup makes your hair brittle and dry. Unfortunately, you cannot even clean it out with water and regular hair care products.
Thus, instead of struggling with damaged hair later on, it is best to just prevent the chlorine buildup on your hair from taking place.
But what is it really like with chlorine and blonde hair? Because of its lighter hue, blonde hair will start sustaining a greenish hue from the chlorine after many swimming sessions. You really do not want that happening because, well, blonde hair should stay blonde.
Should you wash your hair after swimming in chlorine?
You definitely should, as soon as you get out of the water. However, the most important thing to know here is that chlorine will bond with your hair, so it will be hard to remove with a regular wash.
The secret is to know what products to use to remove every trace of chlorine from your lovely hair. Even better, you should prevent the chlorine from bonding with your hair in the first place.
Hair has a natural oil that keeps it protected from the elements. However, exposing it to chlorine and letting it stay unwashed strips the natural oils out, leaving your hair vulnerable and exposed to more damage.
This is why women love to wear a swimming cap to protect your hair. But even then, it still lets in some chlorinated water, so it is just better to clean your hair when you get out of the pool.
Remember, cleaning your hair does not only apply to people with blonde hair. It is for all types of hair.
In addition, if you have just taken one swimming session, the chlorine has not yet bonded with your hair. Thus, you do not need to clean it with shampoo. Just use clean water.
Easy tips: How to protect blonde hair from chlorine
With these three simple steps, you will protect your crown of glory from the damage that chlorinated swimming pool water causes to your hair:
Wear a swim cap
This is the first and the most obvious solution. After learning how to swim, you need to buy your swimming gear.
Make sure there is a swim cap or two so that you can protect your hair. You can also toss in a couple of swim goggles. Did you know that there are some swim goggles that you can wear over your glasses?
But a swim cap does not keep your hair dry. It will still allow water inside. Just a minimum amount of chlorine gets to your hair, so you are not as exposed as a person swimming without a swimming cap.
Swim caps also have more benefits than just covering your hair. For instance, they prevent drag that comes from the long hair floating behind you in the water.
Swimming is a resistance exercise, and the water already provides too much resistance. Thus, the last thing that you need is to create drag from your long hair.
Do you have to wash chlorine out of your hair after swimming with a swim cap? Yes, you still have to do it. In this case, though, a quick rinse with clean water will be just fine.
Rinse blonde hair with clean water before swimming
Rinsing your hair with clean water before swimming can help protect your hair from chlorine because the hair can only absorb so much water. Thus, when it is already saturated with clean water, it will not absorb too much chlorinated water.
What most people do not know is that hair is absorbent, and when it is dry, it will take in any liquid that it comes across. Thus, it is better to let it absorb clean shower water than chlorinated pool water.
Just stay a few minutes under the clean water shower before you can get into the pool. Also, your skin is absorbent, so it is a good idea to take a clean shower without using soap. That way, both your skin and hair will absorb less chlorinated water when you get into the pool.
Clean the hair with clarifying shampoo when you get out
Clarifying shampoos are really good for protecting hair against swimming damage. However, if you use them daily, they can be quite harsh on your hair.
Use only a small amount of these products, and most importantly, do not use them daily. Thus, if you swim frequently, it is better to wear a shower cap and rinse the hair thoroughly after getting out of the pool than to use clarifying shampoos.
Did you know that you can also make your own clarifying hair shampoo at home? You can find information on this article.
Cover your hair with natural oil before swimming
When you want to prevent your hair from absorbing a lot of chlorinated water, treat it with a conditioner or natural oils before getting into the swimming pool.
The oil creates a waterproof layer on the hair, which keeps the water outside. This does not mean that the oil will keep the hair completely free of chlorine.
Some will definitely find their way into the hair. You will still need to rinse your hair in clean water after getting out of the swimming pool.
There are other hair care products that help create a waterproof layer on your hair strands. Actually, it all depends on your taste because there are food-based hair products and other types of conditioners.
Find a product that works for you!
Don’t let chlorinated water sit on your hair too long
Rinse your hair immediately after getting out of the pool because the longer chlorinated water sits on your hair, the more damage it will do.
Basically, what chlorine does to hair is dry it out completely, and this causes the strands to start splitting at the ends.
But it can do much more damage to blonde hair because it will start leaving a greenish hue. We cannot overemphasize the importance of rinsing the hair immediately after getting out of the pool.
How to Protect Blonde Hair from Chlorine FAQ
Swimming pool water is treated with chlorine to kill germs. However, the downside is that chlorine can make your hair too dry and brittle. It can also make your skin dry.
If you have blonde hair, you might have to do more work to protect it from chlorinated water damage than a brunette or a dark-haired person.
Here are the frequently asked questions to shed more light on this topic:
Do you have to wash your hair after swimming?
This is downright the most important tip for how to protect your hair from chlorine. Do not let the chlorinated water dry on your hair, as the chemicals will bond and become harder to remove. Rinse your hair with clean running water as soon as you are done swimming for the day.
Does chlorine make your hair lighter?
It is a well-known fact that chlorine changes the color of hair. Thus, with too much exposure and leaving the chlorine on your hair unwashed, it might have a bleaching effect. It is best to clean the chemicals out immediately when you are done swimming.
What happens if you don’t wash your hair after swimming?
Chlorine is a chemical that bonds with hair easily, sticking on and becoming stubborn to remove. If you do not wash your hair after swimming, the chlorine makes the strands too dry, makes the hair lose its color, and puts the hair at risk of splitting at the ends.
What can I put on my hair before chlorine exposure?
Natural, food-based hair oils are very good for creating a waterproof layer over your hair strands so that they only absorb minimal chlorinated water. The oil also protects your scalp from dryness.
Does coconut oil protect hair from chlorine?
Coconut oil is very good for applying to your hair before you swim in the pool. It creates a protective layer on the hair. The water of the pool will not wash the coconut oil layer away easily, so your hair stays protected longer.
How do swimmers keep their hair healthy?
The chlorine water in the swimming pool is risky for both your hair and your scalp. As a regular swimmer, the most important thing is to wash your hair with clean water every time you swim. That way, all traces of chlorine are wiped out of your hair, leaving it fresh and free of damage.
Should I wash my hair every day after swimming?
While a thorough wash with shampoos and all may not be necessary every day that you take a swim, rinsing the hair out with clean water helps a lot.
Do not stay too long when you get out of the pool because chlorine bonds with your hair. Rather, rinse it under clean running water when it is still wet with the pool water.
Is it bad to not wash your hair after swimming in a lake?
Unlike swimming pool water, which contains chlorine, lake water is fresh, but it still has its impurities. Thus, it is bad for your hair when you don’t wash it after swimming in the lake. Lake water is also exposed to different types of pollution.
Final Thoughts
When you swim, your hair absorbs the chlorinated water from the swimming pool. Chlorine has a negative effect on the hair because it makes it drier and more vulnerable to splitting and breaking.
Chlorine also makes the scalp dry and scaly. To avoid this, clean your head thoroughly under clean, running water, and then apply the right hair conditioners and oils.
Also, remember to maintain a regular hair care routine to keep your hair in great shape. A professional touch helps all the time.
