Swimming advice

[Yedda]

I would like to add swimming to my exercise routine, in chlorine water 1 to 2 times per week? Any advice to prevent hair damage?

[janeytilllie]

The best thing really is were a swimmnig cap you can get really pretty ones, i have a bright pink flower one :D i love it! :D

Or if a swim cap isnt suitable, be sure you wash your hair after swimming. And condition the ends well. I once skipped washing my hair and my god the mess i was left with.

I also use coconut oil on my ends before i get in the pool. I will take a small bottle of coconut oil with me. I find the cocnut oil on seems to help protect it. It works well for me.

Hope this helps :D

[HairColoredHair]

Swimming cap is best, if not, soak your hair thoroughly with water before getting into the pool and wash it when you get out. :)

[LilyMunster]

I soak all with shower water (saves the swimsuit as well).
Abundant conditioner or oil to hair.
Silicone cap. Over that a latex cap.
The silicone cap is easier on my hair. Less grabby.
The latex is just extra protection.
Of course, afterwards rinse with shower water. Including the swimsuit. Doing this for the suit makes it last ages longer.

[WindowDressing]

Same as Lily, only I use a lycra cap first, then silicone. Latex makes me itchy.

Like so.

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/7227/wd0780bellyfloata384hc7.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5641/wd0784waterfalls384bi1.jpg


Oil the ends or up the length and not the scalp part but nowhere that the oil can seep out into the pool water.

Hugs,
WD :)

[MusingFrog]

If you are swimming you probably won't need to wash your hair anywhere near as often. Use shampoo to get out the chlorine, but don't think you need to wash again later on for your "regular" at home wash. Chlorine will really strip your hair, and no matter how careful you are, it will get one your hair at some. Make sure you use a lot of conditioner when washing as well, chlorine and the other stuff they put in public pools dries out hair so bad. Of course, if you are in private pool where the chemical content is much less you probably don't need to slather on as much conditioner.

[florenonite]

One thing I noticed for swimming when I used to work as a swimming instructor was that, if my hair started to look like it needed washed on a Friday, for instance, and I was going to be in the water on Saturday morning, I wouldn't wash it. This served the dual purpose of ensuring I didn't wash my hair too often as well as providing a protective coating for my hair of sebum. I don't have a problem with going around with slightly greasy hair, so it works for me, though of course if you'd rather have clean hair it might not work so well.

[Yedda]

Thanks for your help!

I didn't know anything about the different types of swimming caps, etc. so all of this information will be very useful to me.:)

[butterflykisses]

Avoid putting your hair underwater in the pool at all costs when it is not protected by a cap. It is like soaking it in chlorine water, and who really wants to do that?

Soaking your hair and in water and conditioner before putting on a cap will help to not make the chlorine attack your hair.

when I swam competitively (5-6 times a week) there was really nothing I could do to prevent damage, but i did notice a positive change when I tried usingthe anti-chlorine shampoos. Usually they are kids shampoos and may be more easy to spot in the summer time but it helped alot. I wanna say target usually carries it.