Many folks of all ages color their hair. In fact, many of us spend a great deal of money getting our hair perfect and we want it to last as long as possible, so when we get into a pool we all really want to know how does pool water affect hair, or more specifically, how chlorine affects hair color.
How Chlorine Affects Hair
Pools use chlorine to keep the pool safe to swim in. Chlorine is also a bleaching agent. It makes our whites shirts even whiter in the wash. As such, it is going to make any hair color lighter, even quicker if your chlorine soaked hair is dried by the heat of the mid-day sun. It can ruin your expensive dye job, and quickly at that. Worse, not only does it lighten your hair but it will damage and dull your hair as well.
Remember as kids spending all summer at your pool, or a neighbor’s pool? Remember how much more conditioner you used in the summer to try to keep your hair looking healthy and beautiful? Pool water is not kind to hair, period. And colored hair is at risk when spending the day poolside. Remember, pool water is much more chlorinated than the water coming though the tap in our kitchens and bathrooms, including the shower.
What Can You do to Protect Hair?
The first, most obvious answer is that you can wear a swimming cap. Although you might consider in unattractive, it is the best solution.
Wet your hair first in the shower before entering the pool. Now your hair has absorbed water, so you will absorb less chlorinated water in the pool.
Conditioner your hair before going in the pool. Take a shower, wet down your hair and work in a bit of conditioner to coat your hair. It will coat the shaft and keep your hair as chlorine free as possible.
Most importantly, use a shampoo and conditioner immediately after swimming to remove chlorine from your hair. Don’t let the sun beat down on a headful of chlorine. Hit the shower! Nothing says you can’t jump back in and have more fun later! (then shower it out again!).