4 ways to protect your hair from chlorine

Nothing feels as good as lounging in a clean, balanced pool after your Phoenix pool maintenance has been taken care of. With the warm sun on your back and the cool water flowing over your body, it’s hard to imagine that anything could ruin your swim session. However, after spending lots of time in a chlorinated pool, you might notice after a while that your hair feels dry and brittle and looks dull and slightly green. There’s nothing nice about that! Luckily, there are ways to keep your tresses looking glossy and healthy.

1. Rinse your hair before and after swimming
According to The Beauty Department, hair is porous, like a sponge, and will soak up any liquid it comes in contact with. Instead of letting your hair lap up the chlorine in your swimming pool water, let it soak up the water from your showerhead first. If you enter the pool with your hair already saturated, there won’t be much room for the chlorine to seep into your strands and cause damage. Then, after swimming, the source suggests washing your hair again, this time using a clarifying shampoo that will remove any chemicals. Even if chlorine only touches the surface of your hair, it can still cause it to look dull by roughing up the cuticle. Getting rid of all traces with a deep-cleansing shampoo will help you avoid this.

2. Use plenty of conditioner
For added protection, add a leave-in conditioner to your hair after you rinse it before swimming. Just apply it from the middle of your strands to the ends, then pull your hair back into a bun or ponytail to keep it out of the way. When you’re done swimming, after shampooing, be sure to finish up with regular conditioner to smooth and moisturize your locks.

3. Wear a swim cap
If your hair is short or you don’t like to use conditioner on a regular basis, a swim cap is an easy solution. The Swim Cap Guide reports that there are several benefits to swim caps – aside from protecting your ‘do! A cap can help you swim faster, prevent water from getting in your ears and keep hair out of your pool filter!

4. Upgrade to a free salt system
If you really can’t stand the way chlorine makes your hair feel and look, you might want to consider upgrading your pool to a salt system. Saltwater pools are much gentler on hair, skin and eyes. If extra rinsing, lots of conditioner or a swim cap doesn’t seem doable, a salt system may be just the thing!