Nothing is as cooling as a dip in the pool given this high heat and humidity. Swimming is also a great workout because it exercises most of the muscle groups in the body. But swimming in a pool can lead to hair problems due to chlorine and other chemicals in the water.
While chlorine helps to clean and disinfect the water, it can strip the hair of its natural oils, making it dry, dull, matted and rough. And repeated exposure to chlorine can make the hair brittle, leading to split ends and breakage.
Light hair colour can sometimes become greenish after swimming in the pool. This is not due to chlorine, but the presence of excess minerals like copper in the water. As far as after-care is concerned, coloured hair needs greater care, with hot oil and deep conditioning treatments. Use mild shampoos with built-in conditioning.
Precautionary measures and home remedies
It is also a good idea to wet the hair thoroughly before a swim. Hair is porous and it can absorb that much and no more. Wet hair will absorb less chlorinated water. Apply hair serum and wear a cap before swimming. Serums coat the hair and protect it. Hair should be rinsed thoroughly with water after a swim, to wash out the chlorine.
Dry hair may be washed two or three times a week. However, if you swim every day, it may be necessary to wash the hair more often, using very little shampoo. Dilute the shampoo with a little water before application. Mild herbal shampoos, containing amla, bael and brahmi, are suitable for dry hair.
After shampoo, use a creamy conditioner and massage it lightly into the hair. Leave it on for two minutes and then rinse with plain water. This helps to soften the hair and make it smooth and manageable. Use a hair serum or leave-on conditioner. Take very little and apply it the same way, but do not rinse. Apply oil once or twice a week, the night before and shampoo the next day.
Oily hair may need to be washed every third day, or even more frequently, using less shampoo. A hair rinse works better on oily hair than using creamy conditioners. Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a mug of water, and use this mixture as a last rinse.
Shahnaz Husain
Founder,Chairperson of The Shahnaz Husain Group