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View Full Version : How to best protect your hair in the swimming pool?



lmfbs
March 17th, 2012, 07:57 PM
I swim a couple of times a week (well, I'm in the water at least 4 days a week)

What's the best way to protect your hair in the pool?

I'm 2a/2b, my hair is pretty dry, and i'm cone free.

Lightningfury
March 17th, 2012, 08:17 PM
Interesting I'd like to know as well. I'd intended to braid it.

My local pool actually has rules against loose hair if it's over a certain length. Like 10 inches I think.

Hmm maybe heavy oiling regularly before you swim?

I honestly have no idea but I'd think that'd help coat of protect it.

lmfbs
March 17th, 2012, 09:07 PM
Interesting I'd like to know as well. I'd intended to braid it.

My local pool actually has rules against loose hair if it's over a certain length. Like 10 inches I think.

Hmm maybe heavy oiling regularly before you swim?

I honestly have no idea but I'd think that'd help coat of protect it.

I usually braid for in the pool too.

I wonder if oil would come out in the pool water and make a sheen on the top? :/

AutumnSunsets
March 17th, 2012, 09:26 PM
I've always heard that rinsing or washing first helps...to fill the hair shaft with the "good" and more purified water before stepping into chlorinated water. it helps so the chlorine doesn't penetrate the shaft. adding conditioner and/or oil probably does help as well...

Hollyfire3
March 17th, 2012, 10:19 PM
Interesting I'd like to know as well. I'd intended to braid it.

My local pool actually has rules against loose hair if it's over a certain length. Like 10 inches I think.

Hmm maybe heavy oiling regularly before you swim?

I honestly have no idea but I'd think that'd help coat of protect it.


Hey look, we're hair twins! I am wondering how to do my hair for swiming also....

Maktub
March 17th, 2012, 10:23 PM
I'd say, in the best case scenario I can think of :

wet it with clean soft water
Heavy oiling on top of that
bunned or braid / up
cap on top of that if needed for the pool

after : rinse very well with soft water, co-wash, deep co treatment

Hollyfire3
March 17th, 2012, 10:26 PM
I'd say, in the best case scenario I can think of :

wet it with clean soft water
Heavy oiling on top of that
bunned or braid / up
cap on top of that if needed for the pool

after : rinse very well with soft water, co-wash, deep co treatment

What oil would you use? This sounds very promising for next time i go swiming.

Zhennni(:
March 17th, 2012, 10:34 PM
I wet it with water, then put a mix of oil and conditioner in my hair, then bun it and put it under a swim cap ( sometimes two swim cap) :P

Maktub
March 17th, 2012, 10:41 PM
I'd use extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, for example.

aisling
March 17th, 2012, 11:56 PM
I would NOT use any oil or conditioner, I know those products are difficult for pool filters to handle and quite unwelcome. My routine is to braid my hair, wet it as I shower before getting into the pool (this doesn't seem to be the routine everywhere, yuck), tuck it up underneath a lycra swimming cap and then I put a silicone cap on top of that. I use this double cap method because I find that using just a silicone cap will pull my hair.

After swimming I wash with a good, sulfate shampoo, that seems to get any weird stuff out, CO won't do. This has been my routine when swimming once a week for some years and it seems to work very well without causing any extra "polluting" of the pool water.

lmfbs
March 18th, 2012, 04:14 AM
Thanks everyone - seems wetting it is the way to go!

melusine963
March 18th, 2012, 04:22 AM
I would NOT use any oil or conditioner, I know those products are difficult for pool filters to handle and quite unwelcome.
Thank you! I know that oiling is probably what's best for the hair, but it's so inconsiderate to every other pool user.


My routine is to braid my hair, wet it as I shower before getting into the pool (this doesn't seem to be the routine everywhere, yuck), tuck it up underneath a lycra swimming cap and then I put a silicone cap on top of that. I use this double cap method because I find that using just a silicone cap will pull my hair.
I think I might try this if I ever go swimming in a chlorinated pool again (it's been years).

arc691
March 18th, 2012, 05:01 AM
I guess piling your hair in a bun on top of your head, so it doesn't get wet while you're swimming, is not an option?
That's what I do! http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy68/terryandjody/Smilies/swimmingpool.gif

ktani
March 18th, 2012, 07:00 AM
I agree. Using conditioners and oil can be difficult for pool filters and other swimmers.

This may help, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=115.

aisling
March 18th, 2012, 09:32 AM
I guess piling your hair in a bun on top of your head, so it doesn't get wet while you're swimming, is not an option?
That's what I do!


That depends on how you swim, I crawl for an hour and keep my head more under water than above, a high bun does nothing else than disturbing me :)

Hollyfire3
March 18th, 2012, 09:43 AM
Do salt water pools bleach hair like chlorine does?

ktani
March 18th, 2012, 09:54 AM
Do salt water pools bleach hair like chlorine does?

Most likely yes, and more,
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=689449&postcount=1017

Hollyfire3
March 18th, 2012, 10:05 AM
Most likely yes, and more,
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=689449&postcount=1017

Oh, wow, is there any way tp protect hair from bleaching? I know club soda is good for stopping the chemicals from soaking through the hair completly, as you posted an article about this, but does it stop the bleaching also?

ktani
March 18th, 2012, 10:14 AM
Oh, wow, is there any way tp protect hair from bleaching? I know club soda is good for stopping the chemicals from soaking through the hair completly, as you posted an article about this, but does it stop the bleaching also?

It neutralizes chlorine. The bleaching comes from the distinfectant chemicals ETA:2 too. The best protection is a swim cap.

ETA: http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/bleach.html
... calcium hypochlorite or sodium dichloroisocyanurate used to disinfect swimming pools also bleaches hair, although (contrary to popular belief) it does not turn the hair green. It bleaches the hair, allowing the green copper sulfate in the water to show in the hair."

ETA:3 So, there can be chlorine and other disinfectent chlorine based disinfectants in a pool.

Maktub
March 18th, 2012, 10:17 AM
I didn't know about oil and pool filters, thank for the info !

Hollyfire3
March 18th, 2012, 04:24 PM
It neutralizes chlorine. The bleaching comes from the distinfectant chemicals ETA:2 too. The best protection is a swim cap.

ETA: http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/bleach.html
... calcium hypochlorite or sodium dichloroisocyanurate used to disinfect swimming pools also bleaches hair, although (contrary to popular belief) it does not turn the hair green. It bleaches the hair, allowing the green copper sulfate in the water to show in the hair."

ETA:3 So, there can be chlorine and other disinfectent chlorine based disinfectants in a pool.

So no matter what you do, the pool will bleach your hair, that is horrible. I may use a swim cap, but it is so nice to just have loose hair...oh well.