This post is sponsored by our friends at UltraSwim!
Swimming has amazing benefits for your body, but it can be rough on your hair. It can even turn it green! Chlorine is to blame; while this chemical does a great job keeping pool water clean, countless hours of swimming can do some serious damage to your hair.
If you’re a swimmer, you need to protect your hair! Get our tips for how to prevent damage and care for those gorgeous locks. Because after all, pools are fun – but damaged hair is not.
What Swimming In Chlorine Does to Your Hair
If you swim in a chlorinated pool, you have likely experienced dry hair. It’s one of the worst chemicals for your hair. Those of us with light-colored hair often struggle with a greenish tint after a lot of swimming, too. Chlorine bonds to your hair, creating a residue that a quick rinse or ordinary shampoo doesn’t get rid of. This residue can make your hair dry, brittle and tough to manage.
If you swim without a swim cap or in a sunny outdoor pool, the damage to your hair can be even worse.
Related: Why You Should Wear a Swim Cap
Regular Shampoo Doesn’t Help
Regular shampoos and conditioners are great for washing your hair in general, but they don’t remove chlorine buildup. Washing with regular shampoo after swimming may help a little bit, but you’ll find that your hair won’t feel as healthy as it could.
Over time, the residue that your regular shampoo leaves behind builds up, causing dryness and breakage to get even worse.
How to Keep Your Hair Healthy
To keep your hair healthy and protect it from chlorine damage, rinse your hair in the shower before your swim, and wear a silicone or latex swim cap in the pool.
You should also wash your hair thoroughly after you swim. When choosing hair care products to keep in your locker or swim bag, pick products that are formulated for swimmers’ hair, such as UltraSwim’s Chlorine Removal Shampoo and Ultra Repair Conditioner.
If you love to swim, but hate how chlorine damages your hair, this is the perfect fix! UltraSwim is the leading chlorine removal shampoo, and has been a staple for swimmers for decades.
Your shampoo and conditioner should do the following:
- Remove chlorine buildup, copper and other metals that cause lighter hair to turn green
- Be gentle enough to use after every swim
- Restore moisture and vitamins
- Help manage split ends and frizz, leaving hair shiny
After your shower, we recommend waiting a few minutes to brush your hair. Brushing your hair while it is wet can lead to more breakage, since the water adds more tension on your hair strands.
Have you struggled with dry, damaged hair due to chlorine damage? How do you keep your hair healthy as a swimmer? Let us know in the comments!