Facts for Restoring Chlorine Damaged Hair

Repairing Chlorine Damaged Hair: Treatment and Prevention Methods for Dry or Green Tresses from Swimming

As we become more active for our health or simply as the temperatures rise with the changing of the seasons, a dip in the pool is refreshing. Before your next dive as a swimmer you should be well prepared for the prevention and treatment of chlorine exposure. Chlorine is used in swimming pools as a disinfectant for maintaining cleanliness and sanitation. The chlorine however removes the natural protective oils of the hair and scalp causing a severe drying effect. When hair is subject to chlorine exposure this occurs and if hair is not rinsed post swim and is allowed to dry, the hair becomes brittle, dry and is prone to breaks as well as splitting. In order to prevent hair damage due to chlorine there are some steps you can follow with each swim.

Pre-swim steps for chlorine damage prevention.

Your first step prior to entering the swimming pool should be to thoroughly wet the hair. When hair absorbs un-chlorinated water there is less chance for major absorption of the chlorine into the hair shaft. Secondly you should apply a hair conditioner for moisture and protection. Thirdly a swimmers cap should be placed over the wet, conditioned hair. This is in fact the best way to protect and prevent chlorine damage. If you however choose not to use the swimmers cap then you will want to treat the hair post swim.

Post swim steps for chlorine removal

You need to rinse the hair thoroughly after a swim in chlorinated water. You can use club soda, which ceases the adverse effects of the chlorine. You can also rinse the hair in un-chlorinated water and it is advised to use a shampoo. Look for a shampoo that contains sodium thiosulfate. This ingredient is an antichlor, which removes the color and odor of chlorine from the hair. The chlorine in water can cause hard metals in the water, such as copper, iron and manganese, to attach to the hair causing a green coloration. Shampoos that offer aloe or glycerin can also be helpful as they are a natural moisturizer that can combat the drying effects of chlorine. If you experience severe drying and hair breakage you can receive a salon treatment that will reduce and or eliminate breakage for up to six weeks at a time. This is done with a product called Aphogee, which is fused to the hair using heat. The product hardens the hair and after rinsing and conditioning is completed there is a noticeable difference immediately. This product is for professional use alone; speak to your local hair salon technician for service.

Pre-swim, post swim step review

• Thoroughly wet hair with non-chlorinated water.

•  Apply hair conditioner.

•  Cover hair with swimmer’s cap.

•  After swim rinse and shampoo hair.

•  Condition hair after shampooing and alternate each week from regular conditioner to a deep conditioner.

• Dry hair gently with a patting motion with towel or on cool setting with hair dryer.

• If severe hair damage is experienced seek a hair care professional for treatment.

Repairing Damaged Hair at Home

Home Remedies and Treatments to Repair Damaged Hair

Dry, damaged hair is one of life's little horrors: it won't ruin you, but it won't do you any good. Maybe your hair was caught in a freak, hot roller accident; perhaps chemical straighteners or perms have tortured it into a permanent, frizzy fright wig. You may seek treatment from a local salon, but the stylist might recommend a crew cut. So, what can you do to repair extremely damaged hair that doesn't require a period of enforced baldness? Or what if you're darned close to bald already from chlorine, hair color, blow drying and other hair related emergencies?

People most likely to have damaged hair include those with fine hair and African Americans who use straighteners or keep their hair in cornrows (this tightness can damage the hair follicles and cause hair loss) . African American's hair is very delicate –usually drier than Caucasian hair, and can be easily ruined by chemicals and heat.

Lock In to Ways to Repair Damaged Hair

Anyone who has dry, damaged hair knows just how hard it can be to find effective and affordable products to fix the problem. With the popularity of hair colors, perms, extensions, and other harsh chemical treatments, as well as the current hair styles that call for using flat irons or hot rollers to perfect a certain look, having damaged hair is a problem that plagues so many women and yet there are still no perfect solutions. Avoiding damaging hair care practices, like having chemical treatments or using hot rollers, curling irons, and blow dryers in the first place is the best way to keep your hair healthy, but once the damage is done there are still products that can help you repair and restore your hair. Whether you need a deep conditioner, an oil treatment, a defrizzer, or a hair mask, help is on the way.

Start repairing your damaged hair right away!

How to Grow Out Your Damaged Hair

If your hair has been truly wrecked, sometimes the best thing to do is have professional advice and then cut off as much damaged hair and split ends as possible so you can start fresh. You know when to cut off your hair: it's when you'd rather be bald than look the way you do now! A super-short haircut can be appealing if you go to someone who will shape the cut to your face. Understanding face shape is the difference between a ten dollar, ten minute hair cut and an admittedly more expensive, hopefully much nicer one.

Remedies for Dry, Damaged Hair

Home remedies for "hair gone wrong" include restoration of moisture to hair not too severely damaged and making way for regrowth. In the case of hair ruined by hot rollers or straightening, you may have a few inches of relatively undamaged hair on the scalp. Get a medium-severe haircut to get rid of the frizzled hair tips, or leave the damage right where it is and concentrate on protecting the good hair. Leave off the chemicals, avoid the blow dryer and other heated hair appliances, and use gentle shampoo as infrequently as you dare. Shampoo strips oils from your hair, making it more brittle, so if you don't really need to shampoo, cut it down to once a week or so. And forget vitamins in shampoo: they don't work. You can try taking vitamins internally to keep your hair strong as a side effect of your increased health, but there aren't any vitamins that help when applied externally.

Home Deep Conditioning: Over the Counter & Natural Products

Buy deep conditioner hot oil products at the drugstore, or go the homemade route for less money. Hot oil treatments (actually, the oil is warm, not hot), work by starting with dampened hair, softening the cuticle and locking in the water by sealing the outside of the hair with a coating of oil. You can make your hair drier by using hot oil if you then go and wash it all out with a harsh shampoo. When you give yourself a moisturizing hair treatment, leave it on overnight and then wash it with a gentle shampoo the next day.

Deep conditioning home remedies and recipes for fried hair include mayonnaise, avocado and egg, but some of us prefer to eat our salads, not wear them. You can get the job done using any cooking oil (but peanut oil will make you smell peanutty!) Coconut suntan oil is a favorite, and it smells terrific, too. Rinse your hair with warm water, apply the oil from the palm of your hand, working it into your hair. Now comes the warm part: wrap your head in a towel or a plastic hair bag that comes with hair color kits, or in some cling wrap, and sit around in it as long as you can. Cover your pillow with a safety-pinned towel and sleep on it overnight. Next day, use a moisturizing or baby shampoo to wash out the greasiness.

If your hair has been ruined from color treatments, consider switching to a repairing henna, which has been used for centuries to keep hair shiny and bright. Unlike permanent colors, henna has no ammonia to strip your hair; the henna sits on the outside of the hair shaft, so it can't do any damage. But test it first; some people are allergic to this all-natural herb!