Help! My hair is being destroyed by too much swimming...

[potatofactory]

My hair is phenomenally fine, dry & frizzy at the best of times. I have started swimming x 4 times a week & my hair is really suffering.

Do hats actually keep your hair dry? I seem to remember having one once & pulling my hair out trying to get the bugger on....

Any tips. ?

Thank you

I wear a Speedo hat but not the kind that keeps your hair dry as they annoy me!

I use Wella purifying shampoo which seems to get the chlorine out. I buy it at my local salon but Boots also do a swimming range of shampoos. Not cheap though - my Wella is £8 a bottle!

I dont think there's much you can do, even if you use swimming shampoo's soaking your hair in heavily chlorinated water for 3-4 hours a week is going to affect the condition...I speak from experience.

It's not so bad if your hair is short and I tend to deep condition mine with vegetable oil after swimming which helps a bit.

I cant put up with the whole tight swimming hat thing & I doubt it'd keep your hair dry in any case (?)

My hair is so dry and frizzy before swimming and I tried every treatment as the chlorine was destroying my hair also. If anyone has any suggestions would love to hear them. I gave up swimming and now run and cycle instead.

This started happening to mine, I found swimming hats didn't keep all the water out and gave me a headache.

Now, I put a dollop of Boots Sun, Swim and Gymhair masque through my hair before I get in the pool, then wash with swimming shampoo, then condition. If I'm going straight home from the pool I don't rinse off the conditioner (squeezes hair out before putting it on). I pop it in a towelling turban while I get dressed, then comb it through wet and pull it into a pulled through ponytail/bun to keep it off my shoulders, walk home and rinse it when I get there. I also use a hair mask (Lush Jasmine and Henna Fluff Eaze) at home on non swimming hair wash days. I swim a max of twice a week, not 4x, but all this has definitely helped it.

Conditioner on hair. Hat on. Swim.

It really helps.

Thank you so much all! Absorbing & deciding on next swimming step...

I bought the boots swim stuff today 1 will try in cap

DP used to swim 1hr/day 7 days a week and had a lot of problem with his hair. Started experimenting with shampoos and the best one he settled on was swimmers & sports reconditioning shampoo by JASON cosmetics (American) he also started using silicone caps and with that combo he was happy.

It costs me an arm and a leg to get my hair professionally coloured and although my hair is shortish I always wear a speedo type cap It doesn't keep the water out completely but it does a good enough job as only the ends seem to get wet. When I first started swimming regularly there were only two of us - me and an older lady - who wore a hat, but now the ones that don't are in the minority. The pool I use doesn't have a policy about wearing caps but there are others nearby where they have to be worn for hygiene reasons.

My hair is really thick and fairly long, I think that is what makes my silicone swimming hat so tight it gives me a headache. I keep it in my bag though it is useful to put the wet swimsuit in. If I went to a pool that had a hat policy I'd get a fabric Zoggs one like my DCs have.

Wetting your hair in the showers reduces the amount of chlorine it absorbs.

I agree with Random - 3times a wk & my hair does't really suffer. Read the science bit in a magazine years ago. Something about presenting helps protect it

I agree with Random - 3times a wk & my hair does't really suffer. Read the science bit in a magazine years ago

paul mitchell swimcap masque. then mega conditioning afterwards, leave in and rinse at home.

I do wet my hair beforehand, but it was still getting very dry till I started extra conditioning, masks etc.

I used to cover mine in coconut oil, then wrap in tight bun on top of my head. Washed as normal afterwards and the chlorine never affected my hair

I'd thought of something like that Petite but wouldnt it mean leaving a coconut oil slick behind me in the water?

i go swimming at least 3 times a week but don't manage to get my hair wet really, can't you just pile it high?

How can you go swimming and not get your hair wet

I guess BattlestarB means the ladylike breaststroke variety of swimming as opposed to face in the water front crawl
I prefer the latter but each to their own :o

My swimming's never ladylike

yes sorry

I can't swim with my head out of the water, or at least not properly, I do if I'm watching the DCs play. Otherwise my head gets completely submerged.

I now wear two swimming hats: one made out of swimming costume type fabric and the other (on top) made of silicone. The base one doesn't keep my hair dry, but makes it easier - and less tuggy - to put the silicone one on. I have thick hair and a big head, and find the speedo long hair swimming cap much more comfortable as it doesn't crush my head. Hope that helps

So much helpful stuff to think about here - thank you SO much all