How Chlorine Affects Your Hair
To understand how to properly care for your hair after swimming, it is a good idea to know exactly how and why pool chemicals cause damage. While it is effective in disinfecting the pool, chlorine is bad for your hair in the ways.
Stripping Natural Oils
One of the main ways chlorine damages hair is by stripping away the natural oils, or sebum, that protect your hair and scalp. Sebum offers a layer of protection against environmental damage. When chlorine strips that oil away, hair is left unguarded and prone to dryness.
Without those natural oils, your hair cuticle (the outermost protective layer) becomes damaged. This leads to a roughened texture, tangled strands, and increased breakage risk.
Color Changes
Many swimmers are all too familiar with chlorine’s effect on hair color. Blondes may notice their hair takes on a greenish tint over time. This is because copper found in pipes plus chlorine interact to alter lighter shades.
For those with color-treated hair, frequent swimming can cause your salon dye job to fade quickly. The chlorine molecules react with the artificial pigments to dull and wash out your pricey highlights.
Weakening Hair
In addition to stripping your hair’s protective oils, chlorine further weakens your strands by creating gaps in the hair cuticle. This damage allows moisture to leak out while also letting in pollutants.