Child swimming weekly at school- Hair solutions (Afro Caribbean hair)

[DM29]

Hi,
My daughter is 4 years old in reception and swims every week at school. Every week when she gets home after swimming I do the full wash routine. However, it’s start to wreak havoc on hair and she is losing length in the back particularly and the texture has changed.

Does any that’s any solutions for hair care for weekly swimming?

I have no solutions about the hair but does she wear a swimming cap?

Swimming cap is the best option, swimming in chlorine dries out all hair, it's why pro swimmers wear them.

Is it worth trying the black mumsnetters board for further advice re products etc? Under other stuff, I think.

Swimming caps keep hair out of the pool filters. You can get ones that help you to keep your head warm too. But I’ve never found that they stop your hair getting wet. Maybe I’m wrong and some do?

And I thought pro-swimmers wore caps to be more hydrodynamic?

Before she gets in wet her hair and cover it with conditioner. This means the shaft is already soaked and will absorb less chlorinated water. When she gets out there are shampoos called chelating which take out the chlorine, they're a bit harsh so I would say not more than once a month. Otherwise just rinse out the conditioner and use a natural oil moisturiser. I'm loving the uruhu range currently.

One of my kids has hair that can only be managed by hairdressers experienced in afro hair (so essentially hairdressers who have this hair type themselves). The advice they have been given by a few different ones is to always ensure that they have fully coated their hair with conditioner before swimming and when they get out of the water to just rinse it with plain water to get the residual chlorinated or salt water off it. Works a treat and so much so that the rest of us who don’t have this hair type have followed suit.

Definitely a swimming cap if she doesn’t already wear one. Prevention definitely easier than trying to repair the chlorine damage.

Drench her hair in Oil / conditioner beforehand and use a swim cap designed for afro hair (they are the looser ones - if you can’t find one then an Indian brand designed for long hair is also ok). When finished she needs to take the swim cap off immediately and rinse her hair with plain water.

Have you tried the Cantu hair products? I saw them in Boots. Next to the Frizz Ease which I use.

I was tempted by the Cantu as the ingredients look nice and natural but it's probably not right for my hair as it's fine and curly which is more suited to Frizz Ease.
Cantu products seem to be more aimed at Afro & thick curly hair.
I wonder if they do a product to protect hair from chlorine.

Cantu products leave residue. They are not suitable for active kids who need to wash their hair often or whon might need multiple products. Oils are better.

I wouldn't recommend cantu actually. I mean it might work for some I suppose but the sheer list of ingredients means many are more drying than moisturising. If you have to apply it every day you know its drying out the hair not moisturising it. There are some lovely brands using shea butter, natural oils etc that are much kinder to afro hair.

Oh I see. One of my friends with Afro hair does use oil as a detangler.

I was also wondering if there's a product that you can spray on that protects hair from chlorine damage. I know some ranges have them.

I think Philip Kingsley does a product to protect the hair when swimming. However, I don't know if it's suitable for afro hair. Are there caps which are available for afro hair? I know that one of the elite swimmers was campaigning for them to be accepted at elite level.

This is what I was thinking of: www.boots.com/philip-kingsley-swimcap-mask-75ml-10308972?CAWELAID=620000410000681322&cm_mmc=bmm-buk-bing-ppc--PLAs--Catch_All-_-UK_Smart_Shopping_Catch_All&gclid=2404694c6dc7121c87ea0b7039c6af9c&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=2404694c6dc7121c87ea0b7039c6af9c

(sorry for the horrible link)

www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-57687096 about the swimming cap

Definitely do not use Cantu, such a bad product. As a pp said, stick to natural things such as shea butter as that works a treat.

I can only recommend a swimming cap but if you don't use one I'm sure there's a reason why you don't?

Is she changing herself before and after swimming? That sounds challenging in itself for a small child. If it's first thing in the morning you could put on some protective product before she goes to school? Possibly with a fashion hat over it to stop it getting on the school chairs/her clothes?

This is a solution from my White hairdresser for me (also White) but apparently if you saturate the hair in fresh water (i.e. go under the shower and get your hair fully wet before going in the pool) it cannot take any more chlorinated water in so this will reduce the damage. With a teacher's guidance and cooperation she could be persuaded to do that before each lesson maybe?

This might be encouraged by the school actually since (as my hairdresser rightly pointed out) most people just wave their arms and legs in the direction of the shower before going in and don't in any way wash themselves. Other parents might be very encouraging about this, if pointed out to them, too.

Thanks for swimming cap suggestion. She already wears a cap but unfortunately it doesn’t keep the hair completely dry.

I had no idea there was a black mumsnet board how do I access?

Thanks so much for all the advice!

I will definitely try applying a leave in conditioner in the hair before she goes to school. Any recommendations? I used to use the cantu products but my own hairdresser thought they weren’t great and recommended Creme of nature. However, I found that not too have enough moisture for weekly washes.

As she swims after lunch on Mondays I am not able to wet her hair before she goes swimming and rinse it our after! So, I’m just left with washing it when she gets home around 4/5pm.

Would the school be amenable to telling them all to wet their hair fully?

Can she get her swim hat on by herself? DD has swam since very young, but was 10 before she could get a hat on by herself.

I will definitely try applying a leave in conditioner in the hair before she goes to school. Any recommendations?

Not helpful in your situation but we were told just a cheap, thick conditioner and slather it on beforehand. Wetting, while makes sense, wasn’t mentioned so my child (and now the rest of us) just make sure it’s ALL smothered really well by a thick layer of thick conditioner immediately before going in swimming. Not exactly a great look and not able to walk around like that all day before going swimming though. We just use cheap no-name stuff and does the trick.

@SommerTen

Have you tried the Cantu hair products? I saw them in Boots. Next to the Frizz Ease which I use. I was tempted by the Cantu as the ingredients look nice and natural but it's probably not right for my hair as it's fine and curly which is more suited to Frizz Ease. Cantu products seem to be more aimed at Afro & thick curly hair. I wonder if they do a product to protect hair from chlorine.

I've seen black women on TikTok say Cantu is really bad for Afro hair! Can't remember why though but do more research before trying

Have you seen the Soul Cap? If the swim cap she has doesn’t keep her hair dry it might be worth checking it out, it’s designed for Afro hair and they do a child’s version as well as adults.