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View Full Version : HELP! These vacations might be killing my hair!



Little_Bird
July 29th, 2008, 02:57 PM
Ok, maybe a too alarming title for the thread, but I am in need of friendly words and advice :confused:

I have been in Minho (North of Portugal) for 2 weeks and went to the swimmingpool for about 5 times. I love swimming in the pool, what can I do??
But chlorine...

Then we went to a city near Oporto, to a beautyfull hotel with a swimmingpool, in which I swimmed for 3 days. There, my hair started feeling really strange. I am using a new shampoo, from the same brand, for hair after exposure (sun, salt water, and chlorine). It has gliceryn, just like my favorite conditioner. I don't know if it was the grlycerin in the shampoo but my hair felt like it h:d tons of conditioner in it, feeling so oily and all.

I have been home for three days and I did a wash in which I applied just an anti breakage mask and my hair is feeling normal again, just the ends are a little dryer...

So... today I recieved an invitation to go to a farm where is also a swimmingpool. The invitation is to stay there for about 3 days I guess.
I also recieved an invitation to go to Cabo Verde, in Africa, to spend a week. 8 days of beach...

I haven't accepted the invitations yet, and my hair is not the thing which is stopping me from accepting (as I don't like going to the beach every day and I have other things I wanted to do). But my hair is definitly a concern.

My next trim will be in September but I don't want to take more than an inch off. An inch would already be an awfull amount...

What can I do?! I feel so lucky for the invitations, but I am afraid that I might be doing such a harm to my hair that I'll have it paid back then with breakage, dryness and loss of lenght.

Help me :(

spidermom
July 29th, 2008, 03:02 PM
I vacationed in resorts with chlorinated pools last year, also went snorkeling in the sea in Belize and Mexico. Although I wet my hair, loaded it with conditioner, and braided it every single day, I did get quite a bit of damage in the ends. I've probably trimmed away 5 inches since then, but that's o.k. I don't get emotional about trimming away dry, splitting hair. Good riddance I say.

manderly
July 29th, 2008, 03:03 PM
I've always been told to wet your hair (in fresh water) before you jump in the swimming pool. This supposedly keeps your hair from absorbing so much chlorine. I don't know how true that is, but it's something small that can't hurt.

I've also heard of putting a bit of condish in your hair before swimming, but I always assumed it would leave a funny slick floating around your hair, again, not sure.

You can also get a swim cap and keep all your hair out of the water!

I know there are a couple of avid swimmers here, so I'm sure they'll chime in. It can't be all evil if there are LHC members that swim all the time.

ETA: Darnit, Spidermom's fast!

NurseMama
July 29th, 2008, 03:08 PM
Swim cap! That is what kept my waist length locks gorgeous when on the swim team in high school.

burns_erin
July 29th, 2008, 03:10 PM
I like to wet my hair then apply coconut oil, then braid it. That is my hairs current preference for preswimming treatment.

Islandgrrl
July 29th, 2008, 03:11 PM
I'm a swimmer. Three or four days a week year-round. My strategies:

1. Soak hair completely in fresh water.
2. Apply a generous amount of thick hydrating conditioner, especially on the ends. Apply oil if you're going to be in the water a long time.
3. Braid securely.
4. If you can, stuff it under a silicone or latex cap**. If not, the above will have to be good enough.
5. Rinse really well under lots of running fresh water when you're done.
6. Use a shampoo formulated for swimmers.
7. Condition like crazy and liberally oil your ends while your hair is wet or damp.

**Warning: I get nape breakage with the silicone or latex caps so I wear a buff instead. Does nothing to prevent contact with the water, but it does keep it out of my face.

Little_Bird
July 29th, 2008, 03:23 PM
I figured for the swimming cap but it can definitly cause breakage and I probably wouldn't be able to put all my hair in it. Also, it would look a little silly to use in a beach lol...

I know that chlorine is awfull for hair, but does salty water from the ocean do the same? I have been using a hair sunscreen too that suposely protects my hair too..
I am very concerned because this year, with all this invitations, seems to be a very harsh one for my hair. I just got to waist lenght in the last months and I want to get past it.

Gosh... :( I guess I will have to protect it the best I can. Funny thing is, the invitations are from a friend who has very long hair (always had in her life - she's about 40). Her hair is so perfect and she has almost no care with it. Grrr...

Well, any other opinions are so very welcome. I need someone to comfort me :p:confused::(

spidermom
July 29th, 2008, 03:27 PM
Sometimes I think that fretting about it can damage hair more than bleach. Hang loose, relax. Your hair will be fine.

Curlsgirl
July 29th, 2008, 06:15 PM
Your hair may take it better than hair that is fine and delicate though. I think if you do what you can, you'll be fine. I sure wouldn't turn those wonderful invitations down! Have fun!!!

Kirin
July 29th, 2008, 06:26 PM
As per usual I have to chime in with a voice of dissent. This has been discussed before, although the advice is still given.

If you are swimming in a pool (owned by a hotel or friend) please do NOT put oils or conditioner in your hair if it isn't capped. These things in vast amounts wreak havoc on pool filtration systems. Sunscreens do this too (the oil variety in particular) but the creams tend to be waterproof and rub off on the towel after more than come off in the water. As a previous owner of a pool with guests who loved to condition their hair beforehand, I know this is a nightmare over time.

My advice would be to wet braid your hair first before swimming and keep a bucket of fresh water with you to dump over your hair and rinse after swimming. After the day is over CO wash with no shampoo. Oil your hair after this.

Riot Crrl
July 29th, 2008, 06:32 PM
Here is how to use a cap without breakage.

Put on a lycra cap. This will be entirely useless and will fall off immediately if you try to swim with it alone, but see the next step. Make sure the lycra cap is completely covering your hair.

Then, put the silicone or latex cap over the lycra cap. Make sure it is in contact with your skin all the way around the sides of the lycra cap, for the best seal. If the lycra cap is covering your hair, the silicone or latex cap will not act like a rubber band on it, only on the lycra cap.

Little_Bird
July 30th, 2008, 05:23 AM
Thank you all so much for all the replies!

I accepted the invitation to go to Cabo Verde. As far as I know, we will be varying from beach to swimming pool...
I guess 6 days won't do much harm, specially because I am SO SO carefull...

I have spent 4 years going to the beach every Summer and to the swimmingpool as well and I'm growing long and strong anyways so, I guess I shouldn't fret so much right?

Anyways, I just wanted to clarify something... Chlorinated water is much worse than salt water right? I am never able to figure out that one!

I love my hair!! =D

sipnsun
July 30th, 2008, 08:44 AM
I swim in our pool almost daily, (we live in a hot humid climate) and I live at the beach. Just be sure to rinse your hair with fresh water immediately after swimming. I keep a few bottles of water in my beach bag for this reason. I also love doing deep condish. treatments while on the beach. After rinsing, I slather my hair with a good treatment, put it up and put on a hat. By the end of the day, my hair feels better than before.