How to protect hair when swimming everyday

Swimming is always fun, but don’t you feel you could do away with the damage it causes to your hair? How to protect hair when swimming everyday is a relatively simple process.

Know the right way, and you are sorted. Unfortunately, that’s where a lot of us fail and need help. So, before your hair turns straw-like and brittle from all the swimming, find out all you need to know about hair care while swimming.

There are two ways of doing it, and both are necessary and equally important. The first one is a pre-swim hair care regimen, and the other is a post-swim (hair care after swimming) regimen.

You must understand that the main culprit here is chlorine. It is used in swimming pools to kill bacteria and maintain hygiene levels in the pool. And although chlorine protects you from infections, it wreaks havoc on your hair.

Chlorine strips your hair of natural oils, making it dry and weak. It is a potent substance that causes visible damage to unprotected hair in one swim. Scary, right?

It’s time to fight it. The one unarguable rule of swimming is to strictly follow the pre and post-swim hair protecting regimens without fail to protect your hair from chlorine’s ill effects.

For that, all you need are some materials, products, and a few minutes of your time. It is easier and smarter to protect your hair from chlorine rather than fix it later after the damage is done. Don’t you think so?

Pre-Swimming Routine

1. Oil Your Hair

Oiling is the perfect treatment for your hair before you jump into the pool. oil acts as hair cover for swimming by making your hair waterproof and forms a protective layer over your scalp.

This prevents chlorine from entering your hair cuticles and damaging the color and shine of your hair. It also prevents blonde and colored hair from turning green.

Massage the oil gently into clean and damp hair, and you are good to go. Choose from an assortment of oils – coconut oil, olive oil, argan oil, and Moroccan oil – for the perfect moisturization and protection.

2. Have A Quick Shower

Yeah, that’s a good idea. Rinse your hair thoroughly in the shower as wet hair is less likely to absorb water from the pool.

It also prevents the build-up of chemical residue in your hair.

3. Apply Hair Conditioner

Applying a thick conditioner is helpful. It not only nourishes your hair follicles but also forms a layer that protects your hair from chlorine and other harmful chemicals in the pool.

4. Spritz Some Hair Spray

Hair sprays are fun and easy to use. They come in handy when you swim outdoors. Choose a sun protection spray that prevents damage from the harsh sun and helps maintain the hydration levels of your locks. Hair sprays also protect your hair color from fading away.

5. Wear A Swimming Cap

The Harvard School of Public Health roots for swimming caps that cover your entire hair.

Tuck all your hair into the cap before you jump into the swimming pool. The cap keeps your hair dry and away from all chemicals. It is a smart way to maintain the health of your hair.

Post-Swimming Routine

1. Shampoo Your Hair

Yeah, it is that simple. Wash your hair immediately after a swim to get rid of the maximum chlorine from your hair.

Chlorine sticks to the hair and is tough to wash off later if you do not rinse it immediately. Your everyday shampoo might not work here, so we recommend you pick an anti-chlorine shampoo to wash off chlorine and other mineral deposits like copper in the hair.

Following it up with a leave-in conditioner is a good idea. It fights dryness, adds moisture, and keeps your hair well-nourished.

2. Comb Your Tresses

Combing with a wide-toothed comb controls frizz and is an easy way to untangle your hair without any pain. It loosens the tension built up in the hair and reduces breakage.

Dangers our hair is exposed to when swimming

The Effects Of Chlorine On Hair

• Chlorine dries your hair, stripping it of sebum, its natural lubricant.
• It damages your hair cuticles, leading to split ends and breakage.
• Chlorine turns blonde or light-colored hair green.
• It makes your hair brittle and frizzy.
• Chlorine dulls your hair and makes the scalp itchy.

Free radicals

When free radicals are not regulated by antioxidants oxidative damage accumulates. This cell damage contributes to and causes effects of aging and also causes further impairment of the antioxidant defense system.

Research shows that this happens in hair follicles and cells that produce hair pigment as well, which can promote hair loss (whether temporary or permanent.

The Sun

We all know that the sun’s rays can damage your skin. But did you know the sun also can damage your hair?

If your hair has prolonged exposure to the sun, UVA and UVB rays can damage the outside cover of the hair strand, called the cuticle.

Signs of sun damage to your hair include discoloration, dry and brittle strands, broken or split ends, thinning and frizziness.

Damaged hair has a dry look and feel. Damaged hair also is unmanageable and won’t hold a curl or style. Usually, damaged hair dries quickly.

Your hair is particularly vulnerable sun damage if it’s fine or light-colored. You’re also more at risk for hair damage from the sun if you are African-American due to the flat and coiled shape of the hair

Water herself

The truth is that while we need moisture in our hair in order for it to be healthy, water can also be very damaging to your hair.

In fact, the more damaged your hair is, the more damaging water is to it. That may seem a little counterintuitive, so let’s examine the reasons behind that statement.

Normal, healthy hair has been found to absorb up to about 31% of its weight in water when it is immersed. Damaged and very porous hair can absorb in excess of 50% of its weight in water!

This water absorption causes hair strands to elongate under the weight of the water and lose some of its tensile strength.

Very curly hair has been found to lose almost 50% of its tensile strength when wet, which is really a quite significant reduction.

Can I swim every day?

Of course, you can swim every day – it is a great way to rejuvenate and exercise. But make sure you take the necessary precautions to protect your hair from the chlorinated water in the swimming pool.

How do I wear my hair while I swim?

Make sure your hair is neatly plaited, pulled up into a knot or tied up in a bun. Cover your hair with a waterproof swimming cap and then dive into the pool.

Conclusion

Swimming is not just fun, it is considered the best low impact workout you can do that is readily available. regardless of how young or old you maybe, you can enjoy the many benefits that comes from swimming.

However, it is not very good for your hair to. be swimming everyday, keeping your hair beautiful and healthy is top priority, so don’t skip or skimp.

You should try to follow some of these tips that i laid out in this post on how to protect hair when swimming everyday if your hair is to come out unscathed from the chlorine, Uv or water damage.

if you follow these steps the watery depths should hold no fear for your hair, and if you keep in mind what we have said then by the end of the summer, your hair will look perfect.

Please checkout my other post about Why is my hair stretchy thanks guys for reading my blog and i would love to hear from you in the comments section.