Swimming is a fun and effective sport for total body workout but you’re hesitating because of your dreadlocks.
Are you wondering if your dreads will get on well with the pools or the ocean water or not? Are you looking for hair care items to support your swimming with locs?
This article will clarify these concerns. Let’s check it out.
Can I Swim With Dreads?
Yes you can! You just need to give your dreadlocks additional care than when you have a normal hairstyle.
When it comes to carrying with you the must-have products for swimming with locs, there are 2 main recommended ones:
Hair care products
Shampoos and conditioners for swimmers, pH balancing shampoo, essential oil and nourishing oil.
They do a good job of keeping your locs and scalp clean, at the same time, keep their nice look and the moist.
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Dreadlocks swimming cap
When you want to swim but don’t want locks to get wet, this is a great option.
The 3 Best Dreadlock Swimming Shower Caps
There are numerous dreadlocks’ swimming caps out there on the market. Below are some top picks swimming caps for people with dreadlocks:
Olympian Comfort Swimming Cap
This item is working great for people with mid-length hair. It creates less tension to your head and at the same time, prevents water from wetting your hair.
However, it doesn’t fully cover thick braids or dreadlocks, so it’s not really recommended for people with thick dreadlocks.
Soul Cap
This silicone and BPA free cap is famous for many reasons. Its extra large size ensures it fits all dreadlocks size, from short locs to shoulder-pass length and onwards.
The silicone material to make sure its strength, durability and flexibility. What is more, there are a vast range of colors for you to choose from. This is a one-size-fits-all swimming cap for your locs.
Firesara Extra Large Swimming Cap
This cap ensures you have an elegant and nice look even when your hair is covered. The same as Soul Cap, this cap is made from silicone without BPA so there is no doubt about its durability and flexibility.
Making it stand out, there are additional accessories that come with the cap when you make the purchase: three tier ear plugs and livable nose clips. These accessories are to support you in preventing water from getting into your nose and ears.
What Are Some Criteria To Choose A Dreadlocks Swimming Shower Cap?
Dreadlocks swimming cap is one of the most important things for swimming with dreadlocks that we’re likely to overlook. Some criteria to choose a good dreadlocks swimming cap are:
Your dreadlocks length and thickness
There are variants in the size of swimming caps: small, large, or extra large. If your dreadlocks are mid-length and thick, you should consider purchasing a large or extra large cap to have a full cover for your locs.
Materials
Silicone swim caps will be a great choice because of its flexibility and durability. Besides, there are other options to choose from.
Latex caps are good for the stretch ability and lightweight. Nylon swimming caps offer a good price but the waterproof function is not as good as the other two.
Budget
Choose a nylon cap if you’re on the budget and only want some quick option. If you’re looking for a long-lasting swimming cap for your dreadlocks, a silicone cap is an ideal choice.
FAQs
What Happens If You Wet Your Dreads?
Since hair is twisted tightly together in dreadlocks style, it will be very hard to dry when it gets wet.
Therefore, once your locks are wet and you don’t completely dry them, they will grow mildew inside the locks and your scalp might get itchy sooner.
Over time, your dreads will smell bad, and cutting them off will be your last resort.
Can New Dreads Get Wet?
For the first month of your baby locs, you might need to avoid swimming since your locs are still young and easy to detangle.
The more times your young locs get wet, the more likely and easily it will loosen and the harder you can get them to the previous state.
After that first month, you will be able to fix your locks after swimming, using the clockwise rubbing method.
That’s why it’s okay for your locks to get wet as long as you know how to swim with them. You should plan for your swimming to be on the days that you intend to wash your locs.
The whole idea behind is not to let your dreads get wet on many occasions. Showering before and after your swim is also a good way to maintain your locs.
Shower before entering the swimming pool is to let water absorb into your dreads and avoid the chemicals in the pool to harm your locs.
Also, shower after swimming is a good way to wash away chemicals from your scalp. It lets you give your locks treatment with a lot of conditioners to enrich the moist and reduce the breakage.
One more effective way to minimize the pool water or ocean water from damaging your locks shape is to wear a dreadlocks swimming cap.
Is Salt Water Good For Dreadlocks?
Salt water is beneficial for your dreadlocks. You can dry your hair naturally after getting under the beach, which is to help rough up the hair and encourage the tangling process.
However, in the long term, salty ocean water is not good for your scalp since it can dry out your scalp and damage your hair follicles easily. That’s when showering and air drying after the swim will help.
Should I Cover My Dreads When I Shower?
This is the most common question when it comes to showering with dreadlocks.
Since your shower day might not be your dreads washing day, you might wonder if your hair needs to be covered while showering or taking a bath or not.
The answer can actually vary from person to person. In general, yes, you should cover your dreads during the shower. That means it is not recommended wetting your dreadlocks every day.
It is said that when your hair, specifically your dreads get wet/ or soaked in water without being washed with shampoo, it will be easier to get itchy.
Moreover, if your hair is not healthy enough, wetting and drying too much will pose a risk to your dreads, making them dry and brittle.
How Do You Cover Dreads In The Shower?
Now you know that it’s not recommended rinsing your hair if not necessary. How to cover them while you take a shower or a bath is actually an easy task. Let’s check the instruction below:
Things you’ll need:
- A towel/A shower cap
Instruction:
- If you have short locks, you can simply wear a shower cap to cover your hair while taking a bath or showering
- If your hair is long and thick, tie it first then use a large towel to cover them from root to top to ensure it is completely dry.
Conclusion
It will be fine to spritz your locks every day to hydrate them, however, washing or rinsing your dreads with water too frequently is not ideal.
If you wear dreadlocks, and you are the one who showers every day, then it is best to cover your hair while showering or swimming.
Simply wrap it with a regular swimming shower cap, or a larger one if your strips are long, or cover them with a soft towel.
Don’t make the swimming time to be a stressed out experience. We hope you find the clarification and the tips above are useful for choosing a good swimming shower cap for your dreadlocks.
What are your other concerns when swimming/showering with your locks? Share with us here.
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