The term “swimmer’s ear” is well-known, but have you ever heard about “swimmer’s hair”? If you frequently expose your skin and hair to chlorinated water, that may increase the possibility that you’ll start to see and experience some negative side effects. This is especially true for families with new backyard swimming pools. However, there’s no need to be overly concerned, because there are some simple measures you can implement to help decrease those negative impacts while repairing any hair damage that may already exist.
What Is Pool Hair?
Chlorinated water has a way of changing a person’s hair’s texture. When hair is submerged in chlorinated water, the chlorine is absorbed by each individual hair shaft, causing the shaft to lose its sebum. Sebum is a naturally occurring lubricant, thus removing it usually causes hair frizz, dullness, and general brittleness, which can result in more frequent breakage. Simply put, swimmer’s hair has a straw-like feel to it.
The appearance of a person’s hair can also be impacted by chlorine water, particularly if the hair is light in color. Blonde hair, for instance, might get a greenish hue. This problem is actually brought on by a chemical interaction between the chlorine in the water and the copper utilized in the pipes, not by the chlorine itself. The chemical reaction gives hair a greenish color as the chlorine introduces tiny metal particles into the water.
While not a direct consequence of chlorine, people who spend a lot of time in the water frequently complain of dry, damaged hair, which may be the result of more frequent blow drying. The protecting cuticles covering each hair shaft can shatter if hair is dried artificially as opposed to naturally. Split ends and frequent breakage are the results.
Pool Hair Care Advice
We won’t judge you if you don’t mind having straw-like, dried-out hair that is dyed green. However, if you want to have fantastic-looking, healthy-feeling hair without avoiding the pool (or trying to keep your head above water at all times – what fun would that be?), then we can provide with you some advice. Make sure to fully wet your hair with fresh water before diving into the pool. This crucial step will enable your hair shafts to absorb pure water, preventing them from absorbing chlorinated water from the pool.
A swim hat or a hair preventive product like conditioner or coconut oil are alternative ways to prevent your hair shafts from absorbing chlorine. (Those products, however, will degrade the quality of your water by coating it with a greasy layer. To prevent oil buildup, we advise keeping a tennis ball on the water’s surface.) Swim hats also have the additional purpose of preventing long hair from getting in the way when you’re swimming. If you’re looking for a swim cap, we suggest choosing one made of silicone rather than lycra or neoprene. Alternately, wearing your long hair up will at least partly lessen the amount of harsh chemicals it is exposed to.
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Lyon Financial: America’s Leading Pool Lender
Since 1979 Lyon Financial has made the backyard resort dream come true for over 500,000 families across the U.S. Through our solid relationships with more than 3,000 pool contractors and our continued commitment to putting our clients first, we have built a reputation as the first choice in providing pool financing solutions. For more information, visit lyonfinancial.net or call (877) 754-5966 today.
Disclaimer: The Strategicia.com website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Content from this website is not intended for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. The information provided on this website is intended for general consumer information & should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice.
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