Chlorine and Your Hair

Some of the best times of the summer are spent next to the pool. For those women and men who want to take advantage of the cooling waters of the pool, the best bet for keeping hair healthy is to wear a bathing cap. Unfortunately, these caps are some of the silliest looking things in the world, so how do you keep your hair safe when it will be dipped into chlorinated water over and over again? Follow these tips and swim to your heart’s content.

• Water log your hair. Before heading out to the pool, trying soaking your hair in warm water for a few minutes. The more water logged your hair is before getting into the pool, the less chlorinated water will soak into those strands.

• Wash your hair immediately. Immediately after leaving the pool water, you will want to wash your hair. If the chlorine is allowed to dry in the hair, the damage could be more severe. There are certain shampoos that are made with ingredients to absorb chlorine. If you are wondering whether or not your shampoo is specifically designed for chlorine absorption, try looking for sodium thinosulfate on the ingredient label.


• Use a great leave in conditioner. Spraying your hair with a leave in conditioner before taking that first dive can help the hair to fend off the damage of chlorine. The conditioner acts like a shield for the hair and keeps the hair from absorbing as much chlorine as unprotected hair.

The summer months are supposed to be full of summer parties by the pool. Instead of donning that silly bathing cap, try protecting your hair and treating your hair before and after the swim. These tips will help to keep your hair beautiful and shiny all summer long no matter how many hours you spend in the chlorine.