Swimming is good for your body. Not only does it provide a healthy aerobic workout, it also helps build muscle endurance without being hard on your joints. However, swimming is very hard on your hair. Chlorinated water, used in many pools, strips the essential oils from your hair, making it dry and brittle. It can even discolor your hair. However, you can continue with your favorite sport without losing your locks by understanding what basic hair care protocols to follow to protect your hair.
Time Frame
Start with protecting your hair even before you enter the pool. Hair is like a sponge, it will soak up the water when you dive in. If you wet your hair before you get in the pool, you minimize the amount of chlorinated water your hair soaks up, minimizing its impact on your hair. Add a deep conditioner as well, especially if you color or perm your hair.
When you get out of the pool, immediately rinse your hair, using regular tap water. As soon as you clean up for the day, wash your hair using a shampoo that is chemically formulated to remove both chlorine and copper. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that most pool water includes a significant amount of copper, typically from the copper piping that pumps the water into the pool, so both contaminants need to be removed from your hair to keep it healthy..
Significance
If you care for your hair properly, it won't impact your interest in swimming. A May 2000 focus group run by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases found that while swimming was an attractive option for working out, the potential for hair problems minimized participants' interest in pursuing it.
Considerations
Hair care for swimmers requires a number of critical items. While regular shampoo will do in a pinch, swimming shampoo is specifically formulated to minimize the chemical impact of swimming and works well if you've highlighted your tresses or had a perm. You can also rinse your hair with at-home products, such as tomato juice, lemon juice, vinegar or dissolved aspirin. All are relatively inexpensive and will strip the chemicals out of your hair. However, be cautious using at-home rinses if you color or perm your hair as it may cause more damage.
Benefits
Besides keeping you in the water, caring for your hair properly means that you don't have to fuss or fight with your hair to get it styled. While this may seem trivial to some, for many women, keeping fit is part of their beauty regimen. Appropriate hair care when you're a swimmer means that you don't have to worry about your hair.
Prevention/Solution
If you want to avoid most hair care issues when swimming, buy a swim cap. While it may not be the most attractive item in your fitness closet, it's very effective at keeping your hair protected. After you wet and condition your hair, put your cap on and dive in. The cap won't keep your hair completely dry, but it will minimize the amount of water to which your hair is exposed.
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