How to Protect Your Natural Hair From Chlorine While Swimming

You are probably here because you've realized the difference in the feel of your natural hair after taking a swim or you simply want know how to protect your hair before swimming. This is because chlorine is one of the many known chemicals like magnesium, copper, iron and calcium in hard water which have been found to be unfriendly to the natural hair.

Although highly effective in keeping pools clean and sanitized, chlorine can cause the skin dryness and irritation if it is exposed to long-term. In some cases, it can also cause the development of cell destroying  hypochlorous acid when it penetrates the skin layer. While protecting your skin is important, keeping your natural hair protected as well should also be a priority when taking a deep in the pool.

In this blog post, you would read about;

• How chlorine water affects the natural hair
• How to protect your natural hair from chlorine
• How to treat chlorine damaged hair

How Chlorine Water Affects The Natural Hair 

High levels of chlorine can cause various problems for people with sensitive scalps. Some of these

include thinning or shedding of hair. Although chlorine can cause hair to turn greenish, it does not

change the color of the natural hair. The discoloration is caused by the metals in the water.

Constant exposure to chlorine especially in pools or other treated water can lead to irritation of the scalp, dryness, flaking and coarseness of the natural hair.

How to protect your natural hair from chlorine

Some of the ways to protect your natural hair from chlorine is by;

•  Using pure water to rinse the hair before taking a dip in the pool. Strands of hair are great at absorbing moisture. However, they can also be very difficult to absorb chlorinated water. The fresh water creates a blockade that make it difficult for the hair to absorb the chlorinated water. 

• Using oils like coconut or olive oil provides a protective layer for your natural hair against chlorinated water. 
• Also, applying conditioner to the hair before swimming also help in protection, however, this can be easily washed off but the damage would still be minimized as compared to when the hair and scalp is left bald.

How to treat chlorine damaged hair

Chlorine damaged hair is not permanent and your natural hair can be restored in no time. We recommend you wash and rinse your hair thoroughly to remove any impurities immediately after

swimming. Using a chelating shampoo is highly effective in getting rid of the harmful chemicals in the

pool. Bentonite clay also does an excellent work at removing the toxins

If you feel your chlorine has done long term damage to your natural hair as a result of frequent swimming,

Africa Naturalistas hair repair shampoo is definitely the way to go.

A protein-rich conditioner is also recommended to nourish and protect the hair.

If you notice hair loss after consistent swimming, we advice you visit our hair clinic for immediate

treatment.