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ravenheather
May 9th, 2012, 10:14 PM
I'm going to the water park this summer with my kiddos, so how do I protect my hair? Do I oil before hand? Do I have to wash after each time or is rinsing enough? Any other solutions for sun and chlorine?

ladylowtide
May 9th, 2012, 10:21 PM
I too want to know about this. I have not gone swimming since I joined LHC. I thought maybe I could soak my hair in olive oil or another protective oil and braid it up tight. Then rinse as soon a possible afterwards. Would this work?

Dragon Faery
May 9th, 2012, 10:26 PM
I too want to know about this. I have not gone swimming since I joined LHC. I thought maybe I could soak my hair in olive oil or another protective oil and braid it up tight. Then rinse as soon a possible afterwards. Would this work?

I haven't gone swimming since joining, but if I were to go, this is probably what I would do.

sun-kissed
May 9th, 2012, 10:41 PM
I have found that soaking my hair in water, slathering it with conditioner, and then doing low braided pigtails works best for me. After I'm through swimming I take them out and they've still got conditioner all over them - so it must help some with keeping the chlorine off, right?

PurplePenguin
May 9th, 2012, 10:49 PM
When I went to the water park I slathered my hair in coconut oil but the water park rides were mostly fresh water fed. I would imagine oiling and doing a protective hair style should protect it. And make sure to take a shower as soon as possible after you are done at the park. Oh, remember reading about hair care and swimming here (http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2009/11/part-2-of-4-on-innovative-approaches-to.html).

SoulOfTheSea
May 9th, 2012, 11:24 PM
I went swimming A LOT last summer, due to my DBF having a swimming pool, people having pool parties for graduation, and trips to the beach, and I've got no split ends to account for it, so let me tell you how I protected my hair. :D

I dampened my hair with a spray mister full of just water. I soaked it to about, oh, 50% wetness. Then, I applied a bunch of cheap conditioner to my hair, I used Suave. Then on top of that, to seal it all in and add extra protection, I put a generous amount of EVOO on. Then I braided my hair into two pigtails, fairly tightly. You could also French braid your hair, or however you feel like braiding it. I do not recommend just tying your hair up in a messy bun, for that tangles a whole lot easier and is more likely to come out when in the water.

For after water care: I step into the shower and rinse off my hair with the braids still in. Then, take out the elastics at the bottom, but I do NOT take out the braids themselves. I apply some conditioner to the braids, and squish it in the braids. Then, I take out the braids, nice and slow, and they should come out so easily with that extra conditioner. Then, I rinse that out and do a CO wash. No shampoo after swimming, it will dry out your hair.

I know it sounds super complicated when it's all typed out, but it's super easy, and I've had mega success doing it this way! Hope that helps! :)

Nedertane
May 9th, 2012, 11:40 PM
I went swimming A LOT last summer, due to my DBF having a swimming pool, people having pool parties for graduation, and trips to the beach, and I've got no split ends to account for it, so let me tell you how I protected my hair. :D

I dampened my hair with a spray mister full of just water. I soaked it to about, oh, 50% wetness. Then, I applied a bunch of cheap conditioner to my hair, I used Suave. Then on top of that, to seal it all in and add extra protection, I put a generous amount of EVOO on. Then I braided my hair into two pigtails, fairly tightly. You could also French braid your hair, or however you feel like braiding it. I do not recommend just tying your hair up in a messy bun, for that tangles a whole lot easier and is more likely to come out when in the water.

For after water care: I step into the shower and rinse off my hair with the braids still in. Then, take out the elastics at the bottom, but I do NOT take out the braids themselves. I apply some conditioner to the braids, and squish it in the braids. Then, I take out the braids, nice and slow, and they should come out so easily with that extra conditioner. Then, I rinse that out and do a CO wash. No shampoo after swimming, it will dry out your hair.

I know it sounds super complicated when it's all typed out, but it's super easy, and I've had mega success doing it this way! Hope that helps! :)

Hmm, I wonder if you could shorten the routine at all by mixing the oil and conditioner? When I went to an indoor pool/water park back in February, I just used a lot of leave-in conditioner on my damp hair. It seemed to keep my hair from drying out, but I was only at the park for about a day and a half.

I shall be lurking this thread in preparation for summer... :couch:

SoulOfTheSea
May 9th, 2012, 11:48 PM
Hmm, I wonder if you could shorten the routine at all by mixing the oil and conditioner? When I went to an indoor pool/water park back in February, I just used a lot of leave-in conditioner on my damp hair. It seemed to keep my hair from drying out, but I was only at the park for about a day and a half.

I shall be lurking this thread in preparation for summer... :couch:

You can try that! I just like the idea of knowing how much I'm putting in my hair specifically, plus I didn't want to dirty up a bowl to use for mixing! Me and my lazy self, haha. :D

ravenheather
May 10th, 2012, 07:52 AM
Great advice thanks.

FoxyRoxy13
May 10th, 2012, 08:25 AM
would there be any different concerns or maybe less concerns from swimming in a lake?

I realize there's no chlorine but would it make any difference to the oil/conditioner coating before hand? I know there can be more bacteria and things in the lake as opposed to a pool.

Wildcat Diva
May 13th, 2012, 01:08 AM
I have another concern, our rec center doesn't use chlorine, our city pool is actually salt water. I wonder what concerns with that should be. Seems I remember reading somewhere about club soda to protect hair. But I can't be sure. Too much reading on LHC.

anime_length
May 13th, 2012, 11:00 PM
I have another concern, our rec center doesn't use chlorine, our city pool is actually salt water. I wonder what concerns with that should be. Seems I remember reading somewhere about club soda to protect hair. But I can't be sure. Too much reading on LHC.
Apparently, "salt water" pools still have chlorine in them, it's just a lower amount because the salt is a carrier for the chlorine. (I... wanted to have a pool filled with fish that I could swim in like a mermaid. This is why that wasn't possible. lol)

anime_length
May 13th, 2012, 11:06 PM
I went swimming A LOT last summer, due to my DBF having a swimming pool, people having pool parties for graduation, and trips to the beach, and I've got no split ends to account for it, so let me tell you how I protected my hair. :D

I dampened my hair with a spray mister full of just water. I soaked it to about, oh, 50% wetness. Then, I applied a bunch of cheap conditioner to my hair, I used Suave. Then on top of that, to seal it all in and add extra protection, I put a generous amount of EVOO on. Then I braided my hair into two pigtails, fairly tightly. You could also French braid your hair, or however you feel like braiding it. I do not recommend just tying your hair up in a messy bun, for that tangles a whole lot easier and is more likely to come out when in the water.

For after water care: I step into the shower and rinse off my hair with the braids still in. Then, take out the elastics at the bottom, but I do NOT take out the braids themselves. I apply some conditioner to the braids, and squish it in the braids. Then, I take out the braids, nice and slow, and they should come out so easily with that extra conditioner. Then, I rinse that out and do a CO wash. No shampoo after swimming, it will dry out your hair.

I know it sounds super complicated when it's all typed out, but it's super easy, and I've had mega success doing it this way! Hope that helps! :)
This sounds like a good system. I bet it would be even better under a swim cap [because I'm a huge dork. lol] I bought one last summer because I moved to Arizona and it's very hot here. Swimming is so much fun and also great exercise.

This is great advice. Thank you for sharing! ^__^

sun-kissed
May 14th, 2012, 12:17 AM
would there be any different concerns or maybe less concerns from swimming in a lake?

I realize there's no chlorine but would it make any difference to the oil/conditioner coating before hand? I know there can be more bacteria and things in the lake as opposed to a pool.

I love lake water because it makes my hair feel very soft and nice, and aside from the general sun damage of being outside, I haven't noticed any damaging side-effects of the water. Of course, conditioning and braiding helps millions with avoiding swimming tangles, so unless you want to have to deal with a post-swimming rat's nest, I would still recommend you make the general preparations to avoid that. For standing in the shallows and light social swimming, I would wear my BSL hair down. For skiing, boating, rafting, or more tangle-inducing water play, I would put it up.