It’s a well-known fact that chlorine water can turn blonde hair green, but realistically all hair types should be conscious of the damaging affects of chlorine. Brunette hair may not change color but it will dry out, get frizzy, and could develop unwanted lighter tones. The good news is there are multiple ways to keep your hair damage free while swimming in chlorinated water.
The Chlorine Affect on Hair
Our hair produces natural oils called sebum. Sebum is an outer coating that naturally protects our hair from the elements. Chlorine is a harsh chemical, which strips the sebum from our strands, leaving them dry and vulnerable to breakage. The damage can also result in split ends and lighter hair color.
Ways to Protect Your Hair
The most effective way to protect your hair from chlorine damage is to wear a swim cap. Chlorine can’t damage hair that it can’t touch. Avid swimmers tend to go that route but if you swim for leisure one way you can protect your hair is to use a leave-in conditioner before entering the pool. A conditioner will coat and protect your oils from being stripped by the chlorine.
Simply wetting your hair with non-chlorinated water before you go swimming will also help reduce chlorine damage. Hair absorbs water and the clean water will prevent the chlorine water from absorbing into your strands.
Reversing Chlorine Damaged Hair
If you’ve noticed that your hair is already being affected by chlorine be sure to use a leave-in-conditioner daily and use a hair mask once a week and allow your hair to retain moisture. If you wash your hair after swimming and it still has a chlorine scent to it you may want to purchase a chlorine removing shampoo and begin using it immediately. There are multiple specialty shampoos on the market that cater to swimmers.
Don’t let chlorine rule your summer. Follow the protective steps above and enjoy your pool time! If you’re suffering from hair loss or thinning hair pool time might not be on your agenda this summer. You can do something about it today. We invite you to meet privately with a professional Transitions of Wisconsin hair loss specialist to determine which hair loss solution is right for you. If you’re interested in scheduling a free consultation, contact us today!
