When I think about the summer, I picture long days swimming in the pool and enjoying the sun on my face. When I was younger, I loved jumping off the side of the pool, trying to make the biggest splash. As much as I loved getting in the pool, I never realized the damage my hair was facing. My hair was never blonde enough to notice it turning green, but I remember it feeling dry and brittle. The chlorine made it really hard to brush and style my hair. I’ve researched a little why that happens and what we can do to prevent future damage to our hair. Let’s dive a little deeper, shall we?
What is in Chlorine?
The chlorine used to keep the pool clean and sanitized contains copper deposits. Copper causes the hair to become dry and brittle, resulting in the hair breaking and an increase number of split ends. In addition, people often talk about their hair turning green or becoming dull when swimming frequently. The copper oxidizing in the hair is the cause of that. Oxidizing is a fancy term for chemical reaction happening when the mineral is exposed to the air.
So what can we do to help our hair stay healthy and to prevent damage to it? There are a few things that I recommend.
Pre-soak the Hair
Start by pre-soaking your hair with non-pool water. I know, I know, I used to roll my eyes when people would tell me to do this. What I didn’t realize at the time is that the copper deposits in the chlorine have a harder time oxidizing when there is other water present. Another way of thinking about it is painting. The colors are more vibrant on their own but when you mix the paint with water, the colors are more washed out.
Wash Your Hair Immediately After
Shampoo and Condition the hair straight after the pool. This will help wash the mineral deposits out before they soak into the hair cuticle. I recommend using a clarifying shampoo followed by a really good deep conditioner. Both products will clean the hair and restore moisture to it. Go to my resource page HERE for my favorite shampoo and conditioner.
Malibu C Treatment
If you find your hair already damaged by chlorine and you’re needing a product to remove the green, try the Malibu C Swimmer’s treatment. It’s designed to remove the copper deposits and also create a barrier to help prevent buildup. The conditioner also seals the hair cuticle making future mineral deposits decrease, leaving the hair moisturized and healthy. You can find the link to purchase it by clicking the image below.
Don’t let possible hair damage prevent you from having fun in the pool with family and friends. Follow these tips to help keep your hair healthy and to have fun this summer! If you’have questions, please let me know.
