Bad Hair Breakage After Swimming! :(

NaturalShe94

Well-Known Member
Omggggg, I'm going mad!
So, I went swimming yesterday and I didn't have a swim cap (I haven't went swimming in about 3 years) so I sprayed my hair with some water and applied some conditioner and coconut oil before going in.....
After I left the pool, I rinsed my hair and washed it with some clarifying shampoo and my goodness my hair was breaking like crazy in the shower even while finger detangling....
But, that wasn't even the worst part.... After clarifying, I warmed up some of my Ayurvedic Hot Oil and as I started saturating my hair with it, my hair was just breaking and breaking as I combed it through.... My sink is so full of little hairs from breaking..... I now have the oil in my hair and letting it sit under a clear cap....
I plan to shampoo (with a regular poo) then condition, then deep condition under a dryer.... I am HOPING this makes my hair go back to non-breaking....
Plz tell me someone else had this happen?? What did you do?!!!!
 

whit923

Well-Known Member
I haven't had this happen, but you might want to try vitamin c drops aka swim spray (they sell it on amazon). It helps neutralize the chlorine.
 

Bunnyhaslonghair

Ebonics Queen
I think there is some misinformation floating around about how to prepare your hair for chlorine. Last year I moisturized my hair same as you before entering the pool and thought that would be enough. I would just cowash when I got out and styled as usual. I'll learned the hard way that that is the wrong thing to do. My ends were acting funky and felt hard for months.

Now I spray my hair with leav in specifically made for the pool and use conditioner specifically for the pool. Make sure you spray the l leave in before you get in the pool and shampoo your hair and then condition.

I had to start back doing my aphogee 2 Step treatments in order to get my ends back right.
 
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NaturalShe94

Well-Known Member
I think there is some misinformation floating around about how to prepare your hair for chlorine. Last year I moisturized my hair same as you before entering the pool and thought that would be enough. I would just cowash when I got out and styled as usual. I'll learned the hard way that that is the wrong thing to do. My ends are acting funky and felt hard for months.

Now I spray my hair with leav in specifically made for the pool and use conditioner specifically for the pool. Make sure you spray the l leave in before you get in the pool and shampoo your hair and then condition.

I had to start back doing my aphogee 2 Step treatments in order to get my ends back right.

I definitely know this for next time.
I did the Aphogee's 2 Step Protein Treatment two weeks ago, so I know it's too early to do another one. I love that treatment, two weeks ago was my first time doing a protein treatment. It was the answer to my question on how to stop breakage because protective styling wasn't working.
 

NaturalShe94

Well-Known Member
Okay, so to update, I BELIEVE that the reason my hair was breaking like that was because of the ridiculous amount of dryness caused by the Chlorine and then also stripping my hair AGAIN with the Clarifying Shampoo. I say this because after I washed out my Hot Oil treatment, the breakage wasn't as bad as when I was applying it after Clarifying. Then, after Conditioning with my regular light Conditioner (letting it sit for no more than, maybe, 7 mins), I did my heavy deep conditioning under the dryer for 45 mins... I saw no breakage after washing it out....
Then I applied my moisturizing lotion and oiled my scalp with Coconut Oil after, combed it through with a wide toothed comb and again no breakage...
So, in my theory, I believe the extreme drying out of my hair is what resulted in that breakage.

I will definitely be buying swimmers spray...
 

s2fast4ya

s2fast4ya
I think there is some misinformation floating around about how to prepare your hair for chlorine. Last year I moisturized my hair same as you before entering the pool and thought that would be enough. I would just cowash when I got out and styled as usual. I'll learned the hard way that that is the wrong thing to do. My ends are acting funky and felt hard for months.

Now I spray my hair with leav in specifically made for the pool and use conditioner specifically for the pool. Make sure you spray the l leave in before you get in the pool and shampoo your hair and then condition.

I had to start back doing my aphogee 2 Step treatments in order to get my ends back right.

What leave in and conditioner do you use?
 

Bunnyhaslonghair

Ebonics Queen
What leave in and conditioner do you use?
I have the ION swimmers line from Sally's. I got the spray and conditioner only because I'm afraid to try the shampoo. I'm scared it might be too stripping. So I use my moisturizing shampoo with sulfates for now. I am going to try a swimmers shampoo one day. I may do a patch test first. That would bring my swimming regimen full circle.

Those bottles have lasted me 3 summers almost. I just ran out of the conditioner yesterday so it's a good buy. Don't expect much from the conditioner. It won't moisturize and has zero slip. So I deep condition with my own stuff afterwards. I use Aussie Moist after if I'm in a hurry which works just fine.

I wish Shea moisture had a swimmers line. They have a line for everything else, lol.

If anyone can recommend a moisturizing, non stripping swimmers shampoo, let me know.
 
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Sosa

Well-Known Member
I remember putting some syrup in my hair after I swam when I went swimming every week. No breakage.
I think it as Chicoro that posted something about after swim hair care.
 

NaturalShe94

Well-Known Member
Bumping...

I've starting swimming and after only a couple times my hair is so dry. It was matted in a few spots the last time I went swimming.

I found a swim shampoo to try out, but any other tips are welcome.

When I go swimming now, after I get out the pool, the first thing I do is condition my hair... Then I shampoo and condition again.
 

nurseN98

Ayiti cherie
I have found the best tip for me was to really wet your hair before getting in....I mean let it get soaking wet and give the water at least a couple minutes to penetrate. I do that for my skin as well (soap & rinse first) and it has been the best thing regarding chlorine. I do not put leave ins/regular conditioner or oil before going in. After I get out, I either rinse it really well if I have recently washed (rarely) or use a Tim Swim or Redken cleansing cream. I also at least partially dry my hair. Leaving my hair too wet is terrible for my hair. Make sure you do a good deep conditioner weekly.

I do aqua aerobics 2-3 times a week and tried a lot of different things and finally landed on the above method. I tried the vitamin c spray and it worked ok too..but the above works the same and is cheaper.
 
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