My hair has gone GREEN

[Hairdisasterhelp]

Sorry for posting in AIBU but I need the traffic.

I’m currently on holiday in Bali and my hair has turned green from the pool.

we arrived at the hotel on the 20th and spend the first few days swimming in the pool with no issues, however yesterday I went in the pool for about 2 hours and the ends of my hair have turned green.

I spoke to the reception staff and they called the 3rd party pool maintenance team out who clarified that the night before they had switched from a chlorine system to a copper system and that the copper levels were too high, which has caused my hair to turn green.

The vendor has offered for me and my friend (who’s hair has also been affected, though she has darker hair than me and hers has turned a caramel / copper colour) to visit a local hair salon.

I know basically nothing about hair and I don’t want to get into a situation where it’s worse and completely unfixable when I return to the UK.

any advice is appreciated.

I don't think it's really noticeable. I have heard of bleached hair turning green in pool's though. I've never bleached mine so can't offer any advice.

Does anyone know the answer to this? The OP might try using ketchup and find it doesn't work at all and she's left with a lingering tomato and vinegar smell for the rest of her holiday, which might be even worse than the green ends!

Just go to the hair salon. Not sure why you are hesitating. They'll be used to this happening and have products that feel and smell a damn sight nicer than ketchup that can remove the green.

Also if it's copper not chlorine that caused the green then ketchup could make it worse plus strip your hair and make it very breakable (vinegar in it).

Otherwise put up with it and visit your own hairstylist once you are back home. I would not be chucking home remedies at my hair.

No it isn't the chlorine, it is copper oxidised by the chlorine. Acids in the form of tomato sauce etc won't take it out nor will purple shampoo help. A chelating shampoo is needed but you can certainly minimise the problem by wetting your hair (with not pool water before) and then washing it promptly after. https://myhairdoctor.com/swimming-pool-green-hair/

It needs a chelation treatment to remove the metals in your hair. Go to the salon.

@yourmamaa

Well she can treat my suggestion as a 'just in case' 🙄

Ketchup definitely works for this.

Sorry didn't see the copper comments. Ketchup works for chlorine but I don't know about this.

That is because of the chlorines from the pool. Get a purple/ blue mask, the one to fade the copper brightness in blonde hair an problem solved.

Forgot to mention, rinse you hair very well after the pool. Don't expose the pool water to the sun, it will help to stop the green getting spread.

How is your hair now @Hairdisasterhelp ?
I hope you managed to sort it and you're enjoying your holiday.

Yeah, just in case of a siege in Bali where all the ketchup runs dry

Nobody is gonna lug a heavy ass bottle of ketchup for 17 hours when she could just go to any restaurant or supermarket

Mine did this recently when I had blonde highlights over a faded purple colour - the result was turquoise ends and a mortified hairdresser.
I used ketchup and a red tinted shampoo over a couple of weeks and now my colour is lovely, a sort of grey blonde that people ask where I I've had done.

It will be fine with a bit of TLC

Another unhelpful one here that thinks it looks really pretty!

Personally I would use it as an opportunity to have a new hairstyle or a trim up to where the green begins

My DD had green hair throughout her childhood summers !
You can also leave on Clear alcohol vinegar it helps neutralise the copper.
(smell wares off after rinsing)

Ketchup works for me. But it's so stinky 😅

This happened to me two years ago. Sorry to say but nothing got rid of it and I tried all the remedies. I even attempted to dye my hair with a box dye and it did not take (I'm red blonde). It's taken me two year to grow it out and I have just had that last bit cut off. It did not stay green but went a dull blonde.
I have been advised by our local swimming pool attendant that one should wet your hair with clean water before you get in the pool and obvs rinse when you get out. I think you can buy leave-in conditioners that you can put on your hair before you swim or go in the sun.
I am contemplating buying a swimming hat à la HRH Princess Margaret for this year's holiday just in case it happens again.