How to Prepare Your Hair For Swimming

Whether you’re swimming with the dolphins or swimming in the pool, your hair will come into contact with 2 potentially harmful elements: Saltwater or chlorine. Salt and chlorine tend to affect the hair, making it dry and brittle. If you have coloured hair, chlorine may play a part in undoing your gorgeous colour because it is a bleaching agent. Here’s how to make sure your hair is protected before you go for a dip:

1. Coat Your Mane

Courtesy: Going Natural Transitioning To Natural Hair

Apply an oil of your choice on your hair the night before swimming. Do not wash it out. Loading up your hair with oil helps create a barrier between your hair and chlorine/salt water. The chlorine and salt water will just slide off your hair. You can also coat your hair with leave-in conditioner which will also create a barrier between your hair and the elements.

2. Wet Your Hair

It may sound bizarre, but you should wet your hair with clean water before swimming. Doing this makes sure that your hair absorbs less chlorine. Do this under the shower or carry a bottle of good old H2O to the pool and pour it on your hair. Be generous with it!

3. Stretch To Protect

Wear your hair in some French Braids or twists to avoid any friction that may come with swimming.We all know that water shrinks afro hair to beyond infinity. Doing this also ensures your hair remains stretched for easy styling after your swimming session.

4. Shampoo Immediately After Swimming

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You may have experienced major fatigue after swimming right? All you want to do is eat and sleep and all is right with the world again. Let me stop you in your tracks. You need to wash and deep condition your hair! Rinse your hair thoroughly to remove all traces of chlorine and salt. Then proceed to shampoo and deep condition to restore your hair.

What else do you do to prepare your hair for a day at the pool?

Need some tips for your teeny tots? Check out How To Protect Your Kid’s Hair While Swimming.