Protect Your Hair This Swim Season
-
Whether your hair is natural, curly, straight, color-treated, or bleached, spending hours in the pool every week can leave it feeling dry, brittle, and difficult to manage.
Chlorine strips away your hair's natural oils, and for swimmers with dyed hair, it can also cause color to fade much faster. The good news is that a few simple habits can help keep your hair healthier all season long.
🚿 1. Wet Your Hair Before Swimming
Before getting into the pool, thoroughly rinse your hair with clean water.
Hair acts like a sponge. If it's already saturated with fresh water, it may absorb less chlorinated water during your swim.
🧴 2. Apply a Leave-In Conditioner
A leave-in conditioner adds moisture and creates a protective barrier between your hair and the pool water.
This is especially helpful for:
- Dyed hair
- Bleached hair
- Curly hair
- Dry or damaged hair
🏊 3. Wear a Silicone Swim Cap
While no swim cap is completely waterproof, a silicone cap helps reduce your hair's exposure to chlorine and can also reduce tangles and breakage.
🚿 4. Rinse Off Immediately After Swimming
As soon as practice or your meet is over, rinse your hair with fresh water to remove as much chlorine as possible before it has time to dry.
🧼 5. Use a Swimmer's Shampoo
Swimmer's shampoos are designed to remove chlorine and mineral buildup that regular shampoos may leave behind.
Using one a few times each week can help keep your hair feeling cleaner and healthier.
💆 6. Deep Condition Regularly
Swimming several times a week can dry out any hair type.
Using a deep conditioning treatment once or twice a week helps restore moisture, reduce breakage, and keep hair soft.
☀️ 7. Protect Your Hair Between Events
During outdoor meets, the combination of chlorine and sun exposure can dry out your hair even more.
Wearing a hat while you're waiting between races can help reduce UV exposure and keep your hair healthier.
✂️ 8. Get Regular Trims
Regular trims help remove split ends before they spread, keeping your hair looking healthier throughout the swim season.
💡 Extra Tip for Dyed Hair
If your hair is dyed or bleached, consider waiting a few days after coloring before returning to the pool whenever possible. Fresh color is more likely to fade with heavy chlorine exposure.
🛍️ Hair Care Essentials for Swimmers
A few products can make a big difference throughout the season:
- Leave-in conditioner
- Swimmer's shampoo
- Deep conditioner
- Silicone swim cap
- Wide-tooth comb
- Microfiber hair towel
- UV protectant hair spray
No matter your hair type, taking a few extra minutes before and after swimming can help keep it healthier, softer, and stronger throughout the season.
