Swimming Hair Help?

[XXXtacy]

Please let me know which serum you choose. I am looking into that invisible swim cap as well.

@diadall, do you make everyone wash their hair before getting in the pool? Coz if not, if someone had serum in her hair--which is what I've decided I'll be doing--it'd just look like they're getting into the pool with dry hair. One doesn't need oodles of serum to coat hair. A single coating of serum applied well is enough to seal hair so IMO may work better than conditioner.

I think when it comes to the pool, unless you have one in your home that is only for family and so rules are followed, you can't expect it to be clean. People fart in pools, people pee in pools, people's snort oozes out into pool, and if they have athlete's foot, then you know the fungus is getting a dip too....

It's like eating at a restaurant; you can't worry about what might be in the food if you can't see it. Either you turn a blind eye on what you don't know for sure and enjoy your food; or just don't eat out. I mean, when you're in a pool, there are so many things that could be going on with the folks sharing the pool that you don't know, so hair products seems like nothing under the circumstances. Granted no one wants to see frothing stuff floating in the pool from someone's head, but I'm assuming folks are also taking measures to keep most of these products on their hair while in water by wearing caps.

Considering all the gunk folks put in their hair on a daily basis, I'd bet my bottom dollar that my normally bare hair when coated with conditioner and wrapped with Saran wrap then covered with a cap while in a pool leaves way less "gunk" in the water than that head w/o anything on it but which for the last few days was coated with leave-in/moisturizer/sealant/oil or whatever.

ETA: And the reason for "coating" hair is to make access of chlorine to damaging your hair a little tougher. *shrug* That's why they even have products like the invisible swim cap treatment to use before going for a swim.

 

[Nonie]

@XXXtacy, I went swimming today. All other times, I've never really paid attention to whether my hair gets wet because I jump in the shower and yank the cap off with my head under water. Today though, I didn't use conditioner on my hair. I picked up Paul Mitchell Clarifying Shampoo and decided I'd leave my hair bare because I wanted to find out how wet it gets from swimming.

I didn't swim with head out of water but did breast stroke and crawl the normal way. I didn't feel like my cap was letting in water...but then the idiot I am, I wondered how long I can hold my breath under water after being out of the swimming loop for years and decided to push the envelope. Well...that under water dive left me without any doubt that I just let water into my cap.

After my swim, I took the cap and Saran wrap off by the mirror, not in the shower as usual. To my surprise, the only part that got wet was an inch around the hairline. So just my nape and the sides. The rest of my hair was completely dry. I had cornrowed my hair in a reverse French braid fashion so the most vulnerable areas of my strands didn't get wet as they were at the top of my head buried in the cornrow.

I immediately applied the shampoo on the wet areas...even before letting the shower water hit my head, rinsed then shampooed my whole head. I then followed with my Fructis...and then Emergencée and chilled in the sauna for a bit. I still have Emergencée in my hair a few hours later. I'm about to shampoo with Therappe then smother my hair with Aussie Moist. This is my first time to use a clarifying shampoo specifically for removing chlorine so I've no idea how drying it is yet. I guess I'll find out. But yeah, I didn't have wet hair...and I suspect my underwater "adventure" is to blame for the small area that got wet.

I'll test this out again next time but leave out the antics of tryna to make like a fish and test out my gills.

For those of you whose caps come off, are they perhaps too big? I didn't pay much for my cap but it got fairly good reviews on Amazon and it's been serving me well. I'm going to give another cap a test run and then let you all know what I think.

@XXXtacy, when you wrap your Saran wrap, do you make sure it forms a nice firm seal against your forehead? Also does you cap come down firmly over your forehead?

 

[XXXtacy]

This thread is up just in time... Im joining a a gym so that I can go swimming this summer.... But I'm confused on what I should do...should I wear a swim cap? should I NOT wear a swim cap? if I put conditioner in my hair, wouldnt the swim cap slip off in the pool ..I wanted to put senaglese twist in my hair this summer but maybe I should just wear it in a bun since I'll be swimming at least 3 days a week...

I hope your pool isn't heavily chlorinated. Please have fun in the pool. It's a great exercise. Unfortunately I cant help with any hair style option right now.

 

[XXXtacy]

@XXXtacy, I went swimming today. All other times, I've never really paid attention to whether my hair gets wet because I jump in the shower and yank the cap off with my head under water. Today though, I didn't use conditioner on my hair. I picked up Paul Mitchell Clarifying Shampoo and decided I'd leave my hair bare because I wanted to find out how wet it gets from swimming.

I didn't swim with head out of water but did breast stroke and crawl the normal way. I didn't feel like my cap was letting in water...but then the idiot I am, I wondered how long I can hold my breath under water after being out of the swimming loop for years and decided to push the envelope. Well...that under water dive left me without any doubt that I just let water into my cap.

After my swim, I took the cap and Saran wrap off by the mirror, not in the shower as usual. To my surprise, the only part that got wet was an inch around the hairline. So just my nape and the sides. The rest of my hair was completely dry. I had cornrowed my hair in a reverse French braid fashion so the most vulnerable areas of my strands didn't get wet as they were at the top of my head buried in the cornrow.

I immediately applied the shampoo on the wet areas...even before letting the shower water hit my head, rinsed then shampooed my whole head. I then followed with my Fructis...and then Emergencée and chilled in the sauna for a bit. I still have Emergencée in my hair a few hours later. I'm about to shampoo with Therappe then smother my hair with Aussie Moist. This is my first time to use a clarifying shampoo specifically for removing chlorine so I've no idea how drying it is yet. I guess I'll find out. But yeah, I didn't have wet hair...and I suspect my underwater "adventure" is to blame for the small area that got wet.

I'll test this out again next time but leave out the antics of tryna to make like a fish and test out my gills.

For those of you whose caps come off, are they perhaps too big? I didn't pay much for my cap but it got fairly good reviews on Amazon and it's been serving me well. I'm going to give another cap a test run and then let you all know what I think.

@XXXtacy, when you wrap your Saran wrap, do you make sure it forms a nice firm seal against your forehead? Also does you cap come down firmly over your forehead?

Nonie, I am going to try this again. Can't remember the position of the saran wrap but I will try it again. It was my first thought when I committed to swimming that if I could preserve my hair everything would be ok.

I hope the shampoo doesn't have any negative effects. Aussie can fix almost anything.

 

[B_Phlyy]

I played water polo in high school and was in the water 2-3 hours 6 days a week. Pre-pool, I used grease or ORS Carrot Oil on my scalp and around my hairline. Put on a scarf, then a bandana, then a swim cap, AND then my play cap. Post swim, if hair had gotten wet, I shampooed with Suave Daily Clarifying and conditioned with Suave Green Apple or V05 Strawberries and Cream.

I was relaxed but kept my hair short at the time btw.

 

[Nonie]

Please let me know which serum you choose. I am looking into that invisible swim cap as well.

XXXtacy, the one serum I've been having an affair with since time immemorial is John Frieda's serum. About three years ago, I met its cousin the Thermal Protection and sorta had a fling with it when I straightened my hair and it seems the whole family has my heart. So when I use a serum, it will be John Frieda's. As you know I didn't use anything today...but I do know that next time I will apply the serum along the hairline all the way around.

 

[diadall]

Well, I asked most of the swimmers and lifeguards what they use and do. They always suggest putting conditioners on their hair before swimming. Never thought about condition of pool.

I may be wrong...but when you spend 4 hours cleaning a pool and drain traps, anything strikes a nerve! LOL!!!

 

[Seamonster]

I may be wrong...but when you spend 4 hours cleaning a pool and drain traps, anything strikes a nerve! LOL!!!

I was talking about the high chlorine/chemical content of public pools, and strenuous lap swimming about two hours in the water a day. Sometimes my eyes burn when I get near the pool, but that is what they have to do to make it safe. The skin gets itchy, and the hair splits. The problem with most home pools is that they are not olympic or junior olympic so lap swimmers usually go to a public pool.

 

[niqu92]

i used to be on the swimteam, i started swimming at 5yrs old and ive always had bsl hair or longer.
prior to swimming i would rinse my hair in the shower and slather it in conditioner and put on a swimcap . after swimming i would use shampoos catered to swimmers (keracare and ion have lines for people who swim regularly) and i would condition with a moisturizing conditioner. because of swimming i barely wore my hair out i always kept my hair in braid extensions but i would treat the extensions as if it were my real hair so that may be the reason why i was always able to maintain long hair with swimming-with the braid extensions my hair wasnt as "exposed" to the water.

ooh and btw i dont know if youre relaxed or not but relaxed hair and swimming do not go together on the swimteam i saw girls with beautiful full apl-bsl hair get to chewed up sl-neck length within a couple of months.now that i think of it i think this is the main reason why my mom never let me get a relaxer until after highschool

 

[XXXtacy]

I played water polo in high school and was in the water 2-3 hours 6 days a week. Pre-pool, I used grease or ORS Carrot Oil on my scalp and around my hairline. Put on a scarf, then a bandana, then a swim cap, AND then my play cap. Post swim, if hair had gotten wet, I shampooed with Suave Daily Clarifying and conditioned with Suave Green Apple or V05 Strawberries and Cream.

I was relaxed but kept my hair short at the time btw.

Thanks for the routine. I'm in the pool about 1.5 - 2 hours 4 days a week. Your schedule or someone whose active in pool sports is closer to what I face. I was not putting anything around my hairline and that is always the first place to get wet. I will definitely try this as well. Most of the African American girls on the swim teams/lifeguards all have short relaxed hair. They don't want to worry about this. All have said if I can find a way they would follow.

 

[XXXtacy]

I may be wrong...but when you spend 4 hours cleaning a pool and drain traps, anything strikes a nerve! LOL!!!

At this point, I would kindly clean the drains if I could keep my hair from breaking. This is a trip.

 

[XXXtacy]

I was talking about the high chlorine/chemical content of public pools, and strenuous lap swimming about two hours in the water a day. Sometimes my eyes burn when I get near the pool, but that is what they have to do to make it safe. The skin gets itchy, and the hair splits. The problem with most home pools is that they are not olympic or junior olympic so lap swimmers usually go to a public pool.

Yes ma'am. I had to move from a cute little saline pool to a huge chlorinated pool because I have to work on my laps. It's a beast. My swimsuits stay chewed up. It's the same with my hair.

It's been great having so many great suggestions. I hope by the end of the summer I will have a better story to tell about my hair.

 

[XXXtacy]

i used to be on the swimteam, i started swimming at 5yrs old and ive always had bsl hair or longer.
prior to swimming i would rinse my hair in the shower and slather it in conditioner and put on a swimcap . after swimming i would use shampoos catered to swimmers (keracare and ion have lines for people who swim regularly) and i would condition with a moisturizing conditioner. because of swimming i barely wore my hair out i always kept my hair in braid extensions but i would treat the extensions as if it were my real hair so that may be the reason why i was always able to maintain long hair with swimming-with the braid extensions my hair wasnt as "exposed" to the water.

ooh and btw i dont know if youre relaxed or not but relaxed hair and swimming do not go together on the swimteam i saw girls with beautiful full apl-bsl hair get to chewed up sl-neck length within a couple of months.now that i think of it i think this is the main reason why my mom never let me get a relaxer until after highschool

Thanks for the routine. Some of the babies (young black girls) are having a tough time as well. I am thinking about switching pools. This is the only one close to me.

I am natural. Someone suggested to go relaxed. I chose the wash and go instead. But with these suggestions I may be able to keep my my straightened hair.

 

[Eisani]

After the 'damage - demarcation', I have been so concerned that I am leaving chlorine in that I have washing maybe too much. I like the braid method. I was hoping the Terressentials would be like a chelate shampoo. I do deep condition after each swim. Is that too much as well??

I don't think it's necessarily too much to dc that often, but I find that if a use a moisturizing conditioner beforehand, I don't have to dc as long after the pool. I love Darcy's Pumpkin conditioner as my pre swim conditioner, but I'm sure something inexpensive like Aussie Moist or Tresseme Naturals would be just as useful. With this method, I dc for maybe 10-15 minutes and I'm good to go.

 

[LiftedUp]

This is what I did (so need to start back swimming)

I slathered my hair with cheapie conditioner (VO5 or Herbal Essences), put on one of those cheapie plastic shower caps and put the swim cap over it. The conditioner should be enough to cover your strands but not too much that it would seep out when it gets too hot under the cap.

When I remove the swim cap I rinse then cowash with some more cheapie conditioner and air dry.

I shampoo and DC once per week.

 

[bb09]

Nonie
Serums should work. I haven't been swimming in absolutely ages, but I remember reading posts from Priss_Pot (RE: shea butter) and KCcurly's blog (RE: swim caps) with great swimming tips.

I just wanted to share this with you ladies. I've been swimming almost weekly since the beginning of summer, and had to quickly find a way to protect my hair from the constant chlorine contact. Out of all of the methods I've tried, shea butter works far superior than the others.

1. Wetting hair and slathering with conditioner before getting in the pool- This still left my hair feeling stripped and very very matted after getting out of the pool. Detangling took forever.

2. Applying loads of coconut oil- My hair still felt very stripped and rough when getting out of the pool.

3. Applying loads of avocado butter- same results as when using coconut oil

4. Applying a few fingertip-fulls of shea butter- Hair feels very soft upon getting out of the pool.


I rub shea butter throughout my hair before swimming and it works like a charm. This has really helped to keep my hair moisturized, especially since I spend at least 2hrs in the pool each time I go, a few times a week. When I'm done, I get in the shower and rinse my hair really well then co-wash. When I get out I bun it up again.

I will actually use shampoo about 1-2x a week. I've tried using the Sally's ION's Swimmer's Shampoo before, but it stripped my hair something terrible.

Also, I don't use a swim-cap, and I very rarely swim with my hair down. I keep it pulled back into a bun.

Someone did mention, I think in that same thread, http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=484418, that serums work in the same way.

 

[bb09]

KCcurly mentioned the types of swimming caps that protect hair. I can't get to the blog link for some reason.
This is a thread on lycra swim caps though, started by KCcurly: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=439454

 

[Nonie]

XXXtacy, do you wash your swimsuit out after each swim with detergent? I ask because even when I used to swim 5 days a week, I only changed my bathing suit when it got too big for me coz I was losing weight. In high school, I had the same bathing suit and was in the swimming team for the first year and we had swimming practice every morning. My hair got chewed up coz I didn't rinse it out or wash it after swimming and I had to shave off the steel wool I wound up with, but my bathing suit was still the same one I used through the years whenever I'd go swimming.

bb09, it makes sense to me that serums would work. Thanks for the links. I'm tickled that I was actually involved in one of those discussions and don't even remember. I'm even more tickled that I've used the excuse of not knowing where my swim cap is as my reason for not swimming for years. Oh and yes, that cap KCcurly is talmbout is the one I mentioned earlier that I'm going to try out and give feedback on. But I'm kinda giving Lycra the side-eye and lovingly staring at my silicone cap. Silicone just seems so much mo' tough to me. But with Saran wrap, I think I can give lycra a trial run. We shall see....

I have a question: what's the reason for wetting the hair before applying conditioner? To me that'd make the protection way too light and easy to wash off. I feel safer using conditioner neat.

Oh and XXXtacy, thanks for the kind wishes about my hair following my swim yesterday. It turned out OK. It's as soft as I am used to it being after a wash.

 

[diadall]

I went swinning this morning. I have my braids up in a bun. I sprayed it with a mixture of Triswim and water.

 

[choctaw]

I do an oil rinse before going to pool, put hair in a single braid, do not wear a swimming cap. My hair has been saturated with water, oil, conditioner and does not tangle in the braid. After I leave the pool, I shower and oil rinse again. I use shampoo before conditioner about 1x week. I swim daily, sometimes twice per day and my hair is natural type 4.

I add a capful of white vinegar to water used to rinse swimsuit, swim shirt, goggles, swimfins, kickboard, pull buoy, etc. The vinegar solution prevents chlorine damage.

HTH

 

[XXXtacy]

I don't think it's necessarily too much to dc that often, but I find that if a use a moisturizing conditioner beforehand, I don't have to dc as long after the pool. I love Darcy's Pumpkin conditioner as my pre swim conditioner, but I'm sure something inexpensive like Aussie Moist or Tresseme Naturals would be just as useful. With this method, I dc for maybe 10-15 minutes and I'm good to go.

Darcy's products are really great. Havent tried this one. Aussie Moist was my go to before I went completely natural products. I think since I am in chlorine, I have to open myself up to some other options.

 

[XXXtacy]

@KCcurly mentioned the types of swimming caps that protect hair. I can't get to the blog link for some reason.
This is a thread on lycra swim caps though, started by KCcurly: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=439454

Thank you so much for linking to this thread and sharing the old post.
Extremely informative.

 

[XXXtacy]

No. Not after each swim but I do wash them once per week. I swim with swim shorts and rash guards. I keep 2 - 3 in rotation at all times. 2 are big on me now. YEAH!!!!! The last one fits better than the other two. My swimsuits kept getting chewed up so I went with the rash guards to save myself from embarrassment.

@XXXtacy, do you wash your swimsuit out after each swim with detergent? I ask because even when I used to swim 5 days a week, I only changed my bathing suit when it got too big for me coz I was losing weight. In high school, I had the same bathing suit and was in the swimming team for the first year and we had swimming practice every morning. My hair got chewed up coz I didn't rinse it out or wash it after swimming and I had to shave off the steel wool I wound up with, but my bathing suit was still the same one I used through the years whenever I'd go swimming.

@bb09, it makes sense to me that serums would work. Thanks for the links. I'm tickled that I was actually involved in one of those discussions and don't even remember. I'm even more tickled that I've used the excuse of not knowing where my swim cap is as my reason for not swimming for years. Oh and yes, that cap @KCcurly is talmbout is the one I mentioned earlier that I'm going to try out and give feedback on. But I'm kinda giving Lycra the side-eye and lovingly staring at my silicone cap. Silicone just seems so much mo' tough to me. But with Saran wrap, I think I can give lycra a trial run. We shall see....

I have a question: what's the reason for wetting the hair before applying conditioner? To me that'd make the protection way too light and easy to wash off. I feel safer using conditioner neat.

Oh and @XXXtacy, thanks for the kind wishes about my hair following my swim yesterday. It turned out OK. It's as soft as I am used to it being after a wash.

 

[XXXtacy]

I do an oil rinse before going to pool, put hair in a single braid, do not wear a swimming cap. My hair has been saturated with water, oil, conditioner and does not tangle in the braid. After I leave the pool, I shower and oil rinse again. I use shampoo before conditioner about 1x week. I swim daily, sometimes twice per day and my hair is natural type 4.

I add a capful of white vinegar to water used to rinse swimsuit, swim shirt, goggles, swimfins, kickboard, pull buoy, etc. The vinegar solution prevents chlorine damage.

HTH

Thanks!! I am leaning towards not using a swimcap if I can get my pre swim routine together. I am getting a little frustrated with this problem.

I keep white vinegar in my swimming kit along side of my shampoos, conditioners and oils. It does wonders for my swim clothing and googles.

 

[XXXtacy]

Updates:

I have been swimming 5 times since I started this thread. Here is the routine I came up with from the helpful information you ladies provided.

Before swimming
1. Braid hair, Beeswax on edges and hair, Saran wrap hair, swim cap
2. Braid hair, conditioner, Beeswax on edges and hair, Saran wrap hair, swim cap

After swimming
1. chelating shampoo, conditioner, braid hair, (no wash & go's)

Results -
Before swimming 1 or 2, hair was still wet. I even switch between lycra, silicone and latex with both methods. Hair still got wet. No way around it. Now I need to focus on what to do with it. Too much shrinkage to do a bun but I will have to think of another style like flat twist or so and let it dry.

Thank you ladies for all of your help. It made a difference in trying to find a plan of how to handle my hair. Now I got to get my swim time together and I will be very happy.

 

[ImanAdero]

I am DEFINITELY keeping my eye on this thread. I swim about twice a week, not for too long, probably no more than 45 mimnutes each time (just enough to train for my triathlon), but I realized how much I ENJOY swimming!

What I've noticed is that largely only my hair line gets really wet. I also never wet my hair before going in the pool (guess I'll do that).

I think I'm gonna try using castor oil around my hairline and my nape, and see how it works from there.

I always thoroughly rinse my hair after (not always shampoo) and thoroughly condition/cowash my hair after swimming though.

Keep the ideas coming!

 

[Curlykale]

Great idea about the beeswax!

I would try unpetroleum jelly (Alba botanica makes one too) or I'd mix beeswax with shea butter and a little bit of oil in order to make a pomade. Since unpetroleum jelly is beeswax + oil. Or you can make your own with 1 part beeswax and 3 parts oil in a double boiler.

Shea butter is great too:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=484418

I find that a healthy way to easily remove beeswax or butters is oil, especially castor (oil rinses are very convenient for everyday, and rice bran oil is great for oil rinses because it resembles grapeseed - non greasy and slippery-, very cheap and it has ceramides. another cheap great one is soy oil).

I trust oil and the helmet effect, I wish there were good swim caps... Curious about the ones made with neoprene as they are thermal and more expensive but I don't know if they protect from the water.

Hope it helps!

 

[Seamonster]

How do I get this hard bees wax on my hair? Do I melt the wax, apply it to my hair and let it get hard? How do I get it off?

 

[DarkJoy]

If you got a regular 100% beeswax you will have to melt and mix with something like (gasp!) Petroleum jelly or shea or coco butter.

The one I get from the bss is called australian beeswax and its mixed with (gasp again!!) petroleum so it can be spread.

Shampoo with one of them chlorine removing shampoos. If u put it on real thick you might have to follow with a sulfate (so many gasps today!) Shampoo.

 

[Seamonster]

DarkJoy thanks dear, I already use petroleum jelly AKA royal crown to protect my hair before I swim and once every week or so to seal when I don't. My hair grew from mostly eye length with that layer in the back reaching neck length to full shoulder length using petroleum jelly and water, so I don't listen to that bandwagon. My hair loves petroleum jelly and a protective style.

I am going to seal my hair with the wax mixture before I swim, and wash it out afterward with a sulfate shampoo. Wish me a blessed hhj. Exercise and healthy diet grows my hair better than any product anyway.