Can I Swim With Bleached Hair? Try These 5 Ways To Protect Your New Hair When Swimming
Holidays are the ideal times to rest and rejuvenation but can also spell hell for our hair.
Bleached hair includes straw-like split ends, the colored highlights rises or fades, and the hair literally turns green.
So what is the best way to avert this vacation hair disaster?
In this article, we will answer your questions about whether to swim after hair bleaching?
And at the same time, this article also shows how and why swimming hair is green after swimming.
See also:
How long till I can go swimming after bleaching my hair?
Most experts recommend 24-48 hours of waiting time. This is the best standard time for your hair to return to a steady-state prior to exposure to another chemical.
However, the waiting time to swim after bleaching may also vary depending on your hair condition.
If your hair is significantly lightened, then it is possible that the cuticle is more likely to be up and open a great deal as opposed to normal. This means that if you go swimming, chlorine and other chemicals can easily penetrate and react with the remaining pigments in your hair.
However, there are swimwear-specific protectors on the market that you can use to prevent chlorine from entering your hair and keep your bleached and color-processed hair looking salon-fresh while you enjoy your pool time.
How can I protect my bleached hair from chlorine?
The need to go swimming is increasing, so ways to protect bleached hair from chlorine in pool water have also been discovered to help you enjoy the most exciting summer experiences.
- Oil Up: Try covering your hair with coconut oil or olive oil before jumping in the pool to create a slippery barrier between your strands and harmful chlorine.
- Use sunscreen for hair: Just like your skin, your hair needs protection from the sun as well. It will help fight the harsh rays and harmful effects of chemicals and help restore split ends and frayed hair.
- Put your hair up: You can keep your head and hair out of the water as much as possible with a cute bun, topknot, or braid. You can also use a swimming shower cap. This will prevent your hair strands from soaking in the pool water as you float around and wade.
- Shampoo right away: Alternatively, you can choose TRESemmé’s new sulfate-free color-care products (TRESemmé Botanique Color Vibrance & Shine Collection) that gently clean your hair without stripping away its color.
- Deep conditioner: You can add a few drops of Shu Uemura Essence Absolue on dry ends to protect from the sun and extra damage.
Will the pool turn my bleached hair green?
Elvin Arvelo is a hair designer and co-owner of the Oon Arvelo Salon. He once told SELF that copper was common in swimming pools.
In addition, he explained that copper comes well water or copper-based algaecides may be present in swimming pools.
Chlorine in swimming pool water can cause copper to oxidize (or rust). When those particles stick to the proteins in your hair, they can leave that unwanted greenish hue.
To avoid this, you need to use a clarifying shampoo right after swimming to get rid of chlorine and copper. And then use red shampoo to get rid of green in your hair.
(Note: Purple shampoo can’t fix green hair. Only continue to use purple shampoo after taking the green tinge out of your hair.)
Can you go swimming after highlighting your hair?
You are advised not to go into the pool immediately after using the highlighting service.
You need to wait for a period of time, which depends on the condition of your hair following the service.
After highlighting, experts often condition hair to help seal the cuticle layer. This process prevents color fading and locks in moisture to keep the hair from becoming dry and brittle.
However, if your hair is in good condition following the highlighting, you can be fine to go swimming.
Also, be sure to rinse your hair with fresh water and condition after you leave the pool.
You can also find “anti-chlorine” shampoos and conditioners to remove chlorine from your hair after swimming.
Does chlorine make your hair lighter?
Chlorine is a bleaching agent, and when the hair is filled with it, the chlorine will make the hair pigmentation lighter.
Furthermore, color-treated hair may fade and be less shiny.
A hair that has been chemically treated or permed, which is already porous and protein damaged, tends to absorb chlorine and become damaged further.
Chlorine makes your hair shaft weak and more susceptible to damage by brushing or combing, and hair breakage and split ends.
Does lake water ruin bleached hair?
No matter where you go swimming, you need to put a leave-in conditioner in your hair. You can rest assured knowing that the water in the lakes will not affect your hair color.
However, to ensure the safety of your hair after bleaching, you need to wash your hair thoroughly and condition it carefully after every swim.
Swimming is a great summer cooling activity. However, you also know that the water in the pool contains chlorine, which is why you need to think twice about your decision to go swimming after bleaching your hair.
Above, we have given you advice on waiting time to swim after hair removal. In addition, you also get a few tips on how to protect your hair after bleaching if you still want to swim.
See also: 6 methods to keep purple hair from fading
Aida
Founder & Hair Beauty Specialist
I’m Aida and this is my blog where I write mostly about beauty and make up related stuff, but I like to spice it up a bit with lifestyle and photography posts. Or with whatever that comes to my mind. Hope you will enjoy the reading enough that we will ‘see’ each other more often!