How to swim and not destroy hair in the process

[NotdeadyetBOING]

I have naturally quite dry and frizzy hair also might be dyed given my age and find swimming caps a real pain. Firstly they pull on the hairline which is supposed to lead to hair thinning and anyway they let quite a bit of water in. Has anyone found a solution for this? I read on some Speedo site that one is supposed to wet hair before entering the pool and then drench it in oil. Surely not very hygienic to get into a public pool with loads of oil on one's hair? Although if it stops the chlorine permeating the hair shafts maybe worth it….. Any tips?

There's a very good product from boots from their swim and sun range - a hair masque.

On phone so can't link properly:

m.boots.com/h5/cat_hub?unCountry=uk&path=%2Fen%2FBoots-Sun-Swim-and-Gym-Protection-Masque-for-Normal-Hair-150ml_1262103%2F

Thank you - will check it out!

Swim old lady style with your head sticking out of the water??

Try a different cap? I can't swim lengths without one unless my hair is supershort anyway.

Thinning hair would be a very good thing in my case, mind.

I've got so much thick hair that I can never find a swimming cap to fit without splitting it. Found a lycra one from Speedo which is great for keeping all the hair contained but of course the water goes straight through.

A blindingly obvious tip from my hairdresser is to wet the hair first in the shower - if it's already wet when you get in it won't absorb so much of the nasty chlorinated water.

Then use a swim shampoo straight after to wash chlorine out. So no getting in the car with wet hair and going home to shower.

Have you tried a stretchy fabric swimming cap rather than a rubbery one? They don't keep your hair dry or protect it fully from the chlorine, but are way more comfortable. Maybe a masque under a stretchy cap would work?

Best thing is to completely wet your hair in shower/over sink before getting in pool. Your hair is like a sponge so will only absorb so much . So helps to reduce the amount of chlorine getting to your hair.

Detox or clarifying shampoos are good for chlorine build up. Only use them once a week .

So I wet hair first, but then sort of squeezed out excess water before shoving on oil. Shamelessly swam with an oily head. Washed and conditioned after swimming and hair definitely better than last time. Will try different cap too. Don't get me started on what the chlorine does for skin on body…. Red and itchy. That will be the new area to focus on. Such a pain as swimming is such a great exercise, but does seem to require quite a bit of 'stuff'.

I think the oil thing might work a little, but no way to the wetting hair first.

Try this experiment: food colouring in a jug of water.
Cut a sponge up into long thin strips (as long & thin as possible).
Soak the strips in plain water then put them in the food colouring jug.
Swish them around for 3 minutes (like your hair swishing in the pool).
There's no way they won't be saturated with food colouring.
Your hair isn't that much like a sponge.
Under hat would be better.

Agree, pre wetting won't help, there is no feasible way to stop chlorine from getting in your hair if you are a serious swimmer, best you can do is conditioning treatments to mitigate some of the damage

There will be a diffusion gradient between the un chlorinated water in your hair and the chlorinated water in the pool
This means that chlorinate molecules will move into your hair to equalise the concentration
Some sort of wax barrier might help but the amount of detergent needed to wash it out of your hair would defeat the purpose

I put coconut oil on first. It's more portable than say almond oil as it's solid. Not sure how much protection is actually gives but at least my hair is nice and shiny afterwards!

If everyone did that there would be an oil slick in the pool
Tbh I've not swum for ages, I can't bear the thought of being in a big soup of other peoples bodily secretions, skin flakes, scabs and hair, snot, urine😷😷😷

At least it's all sterilised, Suzanne. The air is full of unsterilised germs, just like the surface of my cat, my skin, the sofa, inside of our guts, etc.

TYR long hair hats are great - I have long hair and a big head and they don't pull on my hair at all. If I remember I put some protection balm on my hair first, and wash with boots 4 in 1 sun/swim shampoo afterwards.

I know it's not especially rational but I just feel weird about swimming pools these days
Especially if its crowded
All that being leered at by men swimming behind and underneath you with goggles
Perverts Paradise😲😲😲

The wetting hair first thing is nonsense, the chlorine doesn't magically stay put in the pool water and not migrate to the hair water but I agree that the Boots swim masque is great.

Have just bought the Boots masque along with shampoo and conditioner