Tips to protect your hair when going for swimming

If you’re a woman that loves to swim, you have probably noticed that sometimes your hair looks unhealthy after swimming. That’s because the chlorine in the water strips your hair off its natural oils, and this can make it really dry, cause it to change color and become frizzy or even start breaking off. That being said, you should take care of your hair when going swimming. Here’s how you can do that.

Before swimming:

1. Create a barrier.

Coat your hair with coconut oil before getting into the pool as it will reinforce the hair’s natural protective barrier while adding moisture to the hair.

2. Shower.

It’s necessary to wet the hair before getting into the pool because normally, dry hair is super absorbent. Wet hair will be less absorbent and thus absorb less chemicals. If there’s no shower around, simply wet your hair with a bottle of water.

3. Wear a protective style.

Protective styles like a braid, flat twists or even a bun will limit your hair’s exposure to chlorine and prevent it from tangling. If you’re swimming with a wig on, tie it into a bun or make a braid first, the same goes to natural hair.

4. Wear a swimming cap.

It may not be the sexiest thing ever but it will reduce the amount of water getting into your head.

Brazil's Etiene Medeiros celebrates after winning the women's 50m backstroke final during the swimming competition at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, on July 27, 2017 AFP

After swimming:

1. Rinse the hair immediately.

You’ll be surprised at how many people leave the pool and go on about their business. It’s necessary to rinse your hair and body with tap water to get out as much chlorine as possible.

2. Wash your hair.

You cold wash your hair with a shampoo. You could also follow up with an apple cider rinse by mixing one part apple cider with four parts water and pouring over the hair. Then, rinse with cold water. The apple cider will help get rid of the chemicals.