Chlorine! Get it out!

[MathnSkating]

So I went swimming the other day and it occurred to me that I'm not entirely sure how to get it out! I used to shampoo it to death but I don't really like doing that. What are your strategies?

[ZenBird07]

So I went swimming the other day and it occurred to me that I'm not entirely sure how to get it out! I used to shampoo it to death but I don't really like doing that. What are your strategies?

Did you oil it first? If you oil your hair before swimming -like about an hour- before swimming, your hair should've been protected. If this wasn't the case then perhaps COing will aid in replenishing the moisture that may have been lost...:)

[CaityBear]

I usually just CO quite well. Maybe a little bit of shampoo.

Oiling beforehand would be the best idea though.

[Loviatar]

Ktani has a thread somewhere about swimming and soda water. I think it is in the articles section.

[Naturel]

I think you have to use a clarifying shampoo. I found Paul Mitchel shampoo three effective, yet gentle.

[Carolyn]

I just CO it out. I suppose it would depend on how strong the chlorine is in the pool.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I used to CO and put a little baking soda in it, or maybe a vinegar/water rinse. It helps to saturate your hair with conditioner and stuff before you get into chlorine so your hair won't soak up as much.

[Thinthondiel]

I know you've said you've already been swimming, so this isn't really relevant, but I keep noticing that people suggest oiling one's hair or putting conditioner in it before going into the pool. I don't actually think it's a good idea to do that, at least not in a public pool, because the typical chlorine smell comes from chloramines, which are created when the chlorine reacting with contaminants in the pool, not from the chlorine itself, so one should always be as clean as possible (and not have oil or conditioner in one's hair) before going into a chlorinated pool, at least a public one... it's not nice to swim in a pool that reeks of chlorine.

I think that chlorine actually comes out pretty easily, at least if it was completely clean when to begin with, because when I went to a pool a couple of weeks ago, there were posters where they (in addition to pointing out how important it was to use soap and shampoo before going into the pool) suggested that after coming out of the pool, one should rinse the chlorine out completely with water only before using any kind of product on one's hair, because the product would react with the chlorine, and it was even suggested that one didn't have to use shampoo at all (whew, long sentence... sorry about that).

I rinsed my hair thoroughly and then did a CO wash after getting out of the pool, and I assume the water rinse must have gotten rid of all the chlorine, since the conditioner probably would have made it smell if there was any left. My hair didn't smell like chlorine at all, and it actually felt softer and nicer than it ever does otherwise, so I think that chlorinated water might just be bad for your hair when there are a lot of contaminants in the water and chloramines are created (if it's actually bad for your hair at all - I created a thread about how nice my hair felt after that trip to the pool, and several other people said that their hair also felt nicer after swimming).

[akrasia]

Would a bathing cap work? (Do people even wear them anymore?)

[Nightwishes]

Would a bathing cap work? (Do people even wear them anymore?)
A bathing cap doesn't have a good seal and wouldn't do you much good. If you've ever worn a swimming cap, you know they seal. A swimming cap would be better.

After swimming, a CO usually helps me. Actually I haven't been in the pool much this summer, just lakes and rivers. :eek:

[eezepeeze]

I wanted to add on to Thinthondiel's post. If you are going to be swimming in a home pool, you really want to avoid putting any kind of oil in the pool because it will really mess with the filter system. That can really cause a lot of problems for someone trying to maintain the pool chemistry.

I find that if I simply shampoo and condition like normal after swimming (or even the day after), then my hair is fine. What I do is rinse my hair with lukewarm water really well, then do my regular routine, which includes a lot of moisturizing products. I have been in our pool just about every day since we opened it, and I haven't really seen any hair damage. In fact, my hair is growing like a weed! The only damage I have is where I put my hair ties in around my braid tassle. But, I'm working on that problem :-)

[ktani]

Ktani has a thread somewhere about swimming and soda water. I think it is in the articles section.

Thanks Lovitar.

Here it is and it is club soda, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=115.

[Juanita]

I always thoughly wet my hair before going in a clorinated pool. then rinse in water after.