Hair After Swimming

[A. Correira]

I went swimming with my little sister today. It was the first time that I had gone since I had started taking better care of my hair.... My hair is super dry!!! I have done a coconut oil treatment and a deep moisturizing treatment but it still feels a little dry.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how I can help my hair get generally back to normal? I am going to baby it a ton, but I might end up swimming again this week since she really likes swimming and I only get to see her until the end of the week.

[Kyla]

I work at a pool and am in the water a couple times a week, often 5 times in the Summer. I would recommend applying oil beforehand, rinsing in regular water, and putting on a swim cap (very important if you use oil, or else it can muck up the water). Afterwards I like to cleanse my hair with conditioner with a teeny bit of shampoo and some lemon juice thrown in, which is an idea I got from the Curly Girl book. Condition well and also apply moisturizing leave in, like an oil or a balm in my case. I do this and my hair is in pretty good condition, if I do say so myself. :)

[samanthaj08]

I put coconut oil before going so that it won't have that awful velcro texture after swimming that usually comes

[Vrindi]

I work at a pool and am in the water a couple times a week, often 5 times in the Summer. I would recommend applying oil beforehand, rinsing in regular water, and putting on a swim cap (very important if you use oil, or else it can muck up the water). Afterwards I like to cleanse my hair with conditioner with a teeny bit of shampoo and some lemon juice thrown in, which is an idea I got from the Curly Girl book. Condition well and also apply moisturizing leave in, like an oil or a balm in my case. I do this and my hair is in pretty good condition, if I do say so myself. :)

What she said. Also, if you can thoroughly wet your hair with fresh water before you oil it and swim, then the hair won't be absorbing the chlorinated (or salt) water. Leave-in conditioner or more oil after is key.

[jacqueline101]

I'd try a little baby oil.

[Kherome]

Soak hair with clean water first, then add a bit of conditioner to it. Afterwards use a gentle swimmers shampoo or chelating shampoo to get the chlorine salts out.

[Eireann]

I oil my hair with coconut oil, wear a cap and then rinse after with citric acid or apple cider vinegar. I swim 3 days a week, and my hair seems to be okay.

[A. Correira]

Thank you all! It's starting to recover. I have been applying oil in the mornings and whenever it feels dry and I have a chance to put some more on. I have also cut down a bit on shampoo (but I don't usually use that much to begin with) and it is feeling much better!!

[cranberrymoonz]

Use little oil and wet your hair with clean water before swimming. CO wash afterwards:) It's not perfect, but it works allright. If you want to prevent the problem alltogether, use a swimming cap.

[Anje]

My advice: drench your hair in the shower first. Your hair will absorb water -- it might as well be fresh tap water instead of nasty chlorinated pool water. Oil/condition as you like, ideally put on a swim cap at that point. (Swim caps rarely keep your hair dry. If yours does, you're welcome to skip the wetting-down step.) At least CO-wash your hair when you get out, and don't let chlorine-water dry on your hair.