Summertime is the perfect season for swimming, but chlorine and pool chemicals can severely damage hair in just a few short days. The chemicals in pools dry hair out and can cause it to crack and become brittle. Repairing and treating damaged hair can be accomplished with a little effort, however, which helps reduce the effects of chlorine. There are a number of steps that can be taken to treat chlorine damaged hair.
Treating Chlorine Damaged Hair
Chemicals in pools can damage both the structure of healthy hair and hair that has been artificially colored, so there are different ways that each type of damage can be dealt with. Chlorine dries hair out very quickly, so it is important to treat hair immediately after swimming.
After swimming, wash hair thoroughly. This will remove the remaining chlorine and chemicals from the hair and prevent further damage. Wash hair with a moisturizing shampoo to replace moisture lost during swimming, and use conditioner that has moisturizer as well. Allow moisturizer to sit in the hair for several minutes before rinsing it out.
Pat hair dry with a towel or use a hair dryer on a cool setting. Using a hair dryer can increase the damage done by chlorine if heat is applied to the hair. Repeat this process each time hair is exposed to chlorine to help limit the opportunity for damage. Caring for hair properly will help reduce chlorine damage and keep hair healthy, sleek and easy to style.
Treating Dyed Hair in Chlorine
Dyed hair can be seriously altered by exposure to chlorine and other pool chemicals. Too much chlorine can change the color of hair, which is expensive to fix; blonde in particular is sensitive to chlorine damage. Repairing damage is difficult once it has occurred, but there are ways to prevent it from occurring.
Wash hair immediately after swimming, and use special shampoo and conditioner designed to mitigate damage to the color. These hair care products can be purchased at most salons. Dyed hair needs extra care during the summer to reduce the likelihood of damage.
How to Prevent Chlorine Damage
There are a few things that can be done to prevent chlorine damage before it has a chance to occur. Caring for hair after swimming by washing and moisturizing it are important steps to take, but there are also things that can be done before swimming. Get hair wet with non-chlorinated water before getting into a pool. If hair is already wet, it will absorb less of the pool water and less of the chemicals.
Additionally, putting hair up into a bun or ponytail can help limit exposure to chlorine and reduce damage.
Chlorine damaged hair is hard to style, and over time can become cracked or split. Unhealthy hair takes a long time to repair and often needs professional care or a cut. Repairing chlorine damaged hair at home and avoiding damage can be done much more easily than repairing hair at the end of the summer.
Bailey Shoemaker Richards - Bailey is a writer from Ohio. She is pursuing a creative writing degree at Ohio University, where she is currently a senior. Bailey ...
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