How to Treat Your Hair After Swimming

It can be quite a task to manage your hair everyday. There are many factors that play major roles in the degeneration of hair, so it is imperative to combat these factors with just as much work toward rejuvenation. For people that often go for a dip in the pool, there is an added safeguard needed at preserving the texture and dexterity of those lovely locks. Here are some tips to consider when dealing with the hair after a dip in the pool.

Combat That Chlorine

Upon exiting the pool, it is imperative to head straight for the showers, especially for frequent swimmers. Because most pools are chlorinated, the hair can become very damaged if this chlorine is allowed to set in and do its damaging work. Chlorine can damage the hair in many ways, including causing brittleness and breakage which can lead to hair loss altogether. It is important to get rid of this chlorine and a good way to do this is with the use of shampoos and conditioners.

Get Out The Shampoo and Conditioner

As you may have noticed with a normal hair wash, the water is rather clear when wetting the hair and preparing it for the shampooing stage. Once this soapy solution is good and lathered about the head, that same water soon becomes a darkish brown color that is no longer see through. This is clear evidence of the cleaning process taking effect on the hair and scalp. Even regular soap and water will produce the same results, however soap is a drying agent that can have adverse effects on the hair other than cleaning it. This is why shampooing solutions have been invented. Follow up the wash with some conditioner. Many manufactures now sell 2-in-1 bottles of both shampoo and conditioner for convenience, but it is better to perform these tasks in separate stages. The conditioner adds back lost moisture and minerals in which chlorine has stripped away. It is best to get a good lather of conditioner in the hair and let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes so that it properly counteracts the effects of the chlorine. Putting on a shower cap is an added incentive for the hair during the conditioning process to lock in moisture. A swimming cap can be a thing to consider as well, for added protection of the hair when going for a dip in the pool. A thorough rinse should be followed-up with the conditioning stage.

Be Careful When Drying

Drying the hair properly is just as important as washing it correctly. Because the hair is very vulnerable when wet, it is imperative not to give it a rough and rugged scrub of the towel for dryness. Perhaps one of the best ways would be to allow the hair to air dry, but if there is no time for this process, then the next option would be to apply a gentle rub or dab of the hair and scalp with a good towel like one made from terry-cloth. If there is even more of a rush needed to get that hair to a dry state, then the use of a blow dryer may be ok, as long as it is set on low heat. High heat will cause immediate dryness and the two extremes of going from complete wetness to complete dryness in a short amount of time can be detrimental on the hair strands, as it causes the hair to become brittle and easy to break.

After the Drying Process

After the hair is dry it will need more conditioning. Like moisturizing creams for the skin, the same type of method should be used for the hair in the form of a leave in conditioner. This will sustain moisture about the hair & scalp and allow it to properly "breathe". This step is just as important as the others as it maintains that vibrant and shinning look about one's hair.

In all one should remember that too much of anything is never good. Moderate the use of everything from the water to the shampoo & conditioner, to even the amount of time spent in the pool at any given point, for prolonged exposure to any one of these will have adverse effects on the hair that may become irreversible.

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