If you spend a lot of time swimming in chlorinated water, your hair may begin to show the effects. Repeated exposure to chlorine can strip oils from from your hair, and pool chemicals can change the internal structure of your hair. Your hair may become brittle and dry, and if you have light-colored hair, you may end up with a green tinge. Pool-damaged hair can easily break and is prone to split ends. A variety of treatments are available to treat and prevent chlorine-damaged hair.
Step 1
Use a commercial swimming shampoo and conditioner. A number of specialty shampoos are available that work to remove chlorine from your hair, and the conditioners are made to replace the moisture that is stripped from your hair by the chlorine. Some brands include Ultraswim, Triswim and Summer Solutions. These brands are all available online if you cannot find them in local stores.
Step 2
Rinse with club soda. After you shampoo and condition your hair, pour club soda over your hair to remove any residual chlorine. Wet your hair thoroughly with the soda, and then rinse with water.
Step 3
Add baking soda. When your hair is still wet from swimming, add enough baking soda to coat all of it. Let the baking soda sit for at least five minutes, and then rinse with club soda. After the club soda rinse, you can shampoo and condition your hair.
Step 4
Towel and air dry your hair. Blow dryers can make hair damage worse by increasing the heat and drying out your hair more. Dry your hair with a towel and allow it to air dry. If you do use a blow dryer, use it on the lowest heat setting possible.
Step 5
Wet your hair before you swim. This will prevent future hair damage. If your hair is already saturated with fresh water, it will not be able to absorb as much chlorinated water while you swim. Wearing a swim cap will also help prevent hair damage.
Things You'll Need
- Swimming shampoo
- Baking soda
- Club soda
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