Swimming Hair Help?

[Nonie]

XXXtacy, I'ma need to see receipts. :scratchch

Is it just your hairline that gets wet or your whole head? Did you wrap Saran wrap down beyond your hairline to your forehead?

Also, does your cap leave ears out

....cover ears completely

...or just partially?

Also do you make sure it's coming down your forehead?

...or do you try to be cute and wear it like this?

I think playing around with these different ways of wearing your cap may help you find the one that leaves most of your hair dry. I hope to go swimming soon so I'll report how things go when I "don't make like a dolphin" and just swim above water with head under water.

 

[Nonie]

OK, so I have started my swim cap experiments.

I went swimming and applied Vaseline on my dry hair around the edges all around. I didn't apply anything else to my hair or anywhere else. I applied so much Vaseline my edges looked white. Then I wrapped Saran wrap as usual and wore my swim cap like this:

Before y'all look at me all crazy I do have a reason for leaving my earlobes all out: I wanted to see if my cap would create a better seal against my head w/ ears out of the way. Wrong! This could be because the cap I have is for "long hair" so with less of my non-long haired head inside it, it may not have given a good fit and yes, it was way too empty and fluffy on top. I swam breast stroke as it should be swam, getting head in water and this time I didn't do any under water dolphin moves.

Observations after the swim: hair around the perimeter still got wet. Hair everywhere else was dry. As before, I applied my clarifying shampoo to the wet area then rinsed and repeated, but this time shampooing my whole head.

Even though I shampooed twice with Paul Mitchell Clarifying shampoo, the area that had Vaseline still felt greasy. So I repeated the shampooing twice with Garnier Fructis...and while I got most of the grease out, I didn't get my usual squeaky clean hair in those areas. I decided I'd just let it be. Normally I'd be annoyed with this, but I choked it up to Vaseline being so good at sealing my hair and so viewed this as a blessing. Coz if even a product that is meant to "clarify" and to cut through grease had trouble getting that out even with hot water, then probably chlorinated pool water didn't even get to "meet" my hair thanks to that seal.

Next stop: swim cap with ears completely covered. I'll report back.

 

[Nonie]

XXXtacy, OK, yesterday's experiment looked like this:

...full coverage including ears.

I didn't apply anything to my hair (not Vaseline, not conditioner, not serum). I cornrowed hair reverse French braid and then wrapped Saran wrap as normal. I then put on a new cap that LatterGlory recommended. I considered using two caps but I decided not to. I put the cap on so that it came down to my eyebrows and then fastened the back. Well, I was doing this at home and still had to drive to the gym. So I folded cap up over itself then wore something over it. The doubling up of the cap created a lot of pressure that I felt as if my circulation was being cut in the back. So as I drove, I moved it up in the back, shifing my nice Saran seal.

I get to the gym and find out they close early today. :crazy: There were 30 mins to closing and I know the pool closes 30 mins before closing on weekdays. I was not about to miss out so I dashed to the changing room and got out of my clothes in haste, pulled cap down and zoomed into the water and was well into my swimming before anyone tried to stop me. Of course because of my frantic determination to get my swim on, I didn't really study how carefully my cap was fastened. Still I am happy to report that I had less wet hair this time than before. Only the back got wet...but remember I shifted the cap on my way to the pool.

Apart from the nape, my hair was completely dry. If yesterday had not been washday, I'd have felt very OK only shampooing the back of my head coz chlorine didn't touch the rest of my hair.

I would like to test this cap and the full coverage out again, before I swear that this cap is the miracle cap it is said to be. For now, I'm very happy I got it and send a big thank you to LatterGlory :blowkiss: coz it just might give my beloved cap a run for its money.

Oh this is the cap I used: http://www.myswimstuff.com/index.html

 

[Nonie]

OK, so I went swmming a couple of times or so since last post. In the first instance, I didn't apply anything to my hair, just wrapped Saran wrap well and wore the cap properly covering ears completely and with cap over my eyebrows like this:

I used just my regular ol' Speedo swim cap. I swam mostly breast stroke but threw in two freestyle laps at the end. Only the back of my hair got wet. Sides were dry, but about an inch in the back got wet. So as before, I applied my post-swim shampoo to that section even before wetting then repeated with Garnier.

The last time I went swimming I use the cap that @LatterGlory recommended and I just wanted to let you kind lady know that I can confirm that My Swim Cap (link in previous post for those who don't know what it is) really works. Just coz I wanted to be extra careful, after doing my regular reverse French braid so that my ends were a-top my head, I applied Vaseline to the sides and back of my hair--a really thick coat so my hair looked white. Then I wrapped Saran Wrap making sure to come down my forehead and also in the back. I was determined this time I'd not mess up the seal as I did before when I shifted the cap and Saran on the way to the pool. I put the cap on but folded it up as I had needed to before then covered my head with something and headed to the pool. I pulled the cap down like the model in the photo above, made sure I fastened the back and went swimming. I did back stroke, crawl, breast stroke. I figured if chlorine water got in as it's done before, my hair was sealed and it'd just sit on the Vaseline, so I threw all caution to the wind.

Before jumping in the shower, I took the cap off to inspect my hair. All of it was dry. All except the beady beads that are kinda down my neck. You know the short hairs that coil up and look like bugs or peppercorns? Yes, those are the only hairs that got wet. The rest of my hair--and really what I care most about--was dry and had not made contact with pool water! So I really only needed to shampoo the grease out (I dunno how all y'all who use grease can do it often; it took so much hot water and several shampoos to get my hair and scalp to feel squeaky clean. Too much work I say...but definitely proof that even if pool water had got in, my hair would not have been affected) but I love washing my hair so I did give it all a good shampoo once the perimeter was free of grease.

So once again LatterGlory, I thank you kindly! :notworthy

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

My DD takes swimming lessons. I use the Aubrey Organics swimmer's shampoo. Works pretty well no major issues.

 

[XXXtacy]

My updated regime is here......

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=617437

Thank you for all of your help ladies. Hair is feeling wonderful. Now to master the stroke.

 

[hillytmj]

Swimming actually grows my fine 4c hair. That is how I went from eternal 3 inches of hair to 7 inches.

Products:
1. Dollar store Dandruff shampoo with pine tar, it is a dupe for Neutrogena's T-gel shampoo,
2. Dollar store rinse out conditioner like suave or white rain
3. Dollar store olive hair creme,
4. Petroleum jelly

Protective Style: Tree braids with synthetic hair (the synthetic hair does not absorb minerals, and no thread is used)

1. Grease scalp with petroleum jelly before swimming, (hair must be dry to absorb the most petroleum) making sure to put a lot upon the cornrows to protect your hair from the chemicals. Professional/Daily swimmers use this all over to protect themselves from chemicals.
2. Rinse hair with water
3. Apply diluted T-gel dupe shampoo to roots, and massage until it foams. Rinse and repeat.
4. Rinse out conditioner
5. Olive creme on wet hair, and massage into braids until they feel soft. Use a lot, it is only a dollar.

I'm a new swimmer and will be taking weekly lessons for the next 19 weeks. I bought serum to put on my hair before swimming but when I passed a huge jar of good old fashioned Blue Magic grease, I thought to myself that might work too. The first ingredient is petroleum; surely nothing will penetrate that, lol.

 

[InsertCleverNameHere]

(((((((((((((((Nonie))))))))))))))))

Thanks so much for your response.

This is the reason my swim instructor told me the reason for swim caps. I had 2 swim caps and saran wrap. I tried saran wrap my hair swim cap then swim cap on top = wet hair. I tried swim cap, saran wrap and then swim cap = wet hair. It would take about 15 -20 min in the dressing room fiddling with my caps. The swim instructor came in to get me several times. He explained swim cap was for navigation not keeping hair wet. That's why men wear swim caps.

That's why I need help.

I see you have come up with a good regimen, but for anyone else still struggling...

Try a TYR silicone swim cap. I had read great reviews on it so I tried it for my daughter who takes twice weekly lessons, but is also loc'ing her hair. When pulled over her ears, only the very edge of her nape gets wet.

My daughter says it is a bit tight, but I don't think it bothers her much after she's been in the pool a few minutes. I don't use saran wrap or anything like that, just pull it into a loose pony at the top of the head.

 

[hillytmj]

I see you have come up with a good regimen, but for anyone else still struggling...

Try a TYR silicone swim cap. I had read great reviews on it so I tried it for my daughter who takes twice weekly lessons, but is also loc'ing her hair. When pulled over her ears, only the very edge of her nape gets wet.

My daughter says it is a bit tight, but I don't think it bothers her much after she's been in the pool a few minutes. I don't use saran wrap or anything like that, just pull it into a loose pony at the top of the head.

Does her hair still get wet underneath? Where do they sell this cap?

 

[InsertCleverNameHere]

Does her hair still get wet underneath? Where do they sell this cap?

Only the very edge of the nape. Otherwise completely dry. I think I got hers on amazon.

 

[aviddiva77]

I wish more pools went the salt water route. My friend fills his pool with saltwater so when I go swimming there I never have to worry.

When I was younger, I would be in box braids and I would rinse my hair at the shower and just use a 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner and my regular conditioner when I got home.


My white gfs don't really care. They will sit around with chlorine in their hair until they feel like washing it (they will rinse it in the shower). And it never affected their hair growth. I RUN to the bathroom.

 

[hillytmj]

OK, so I went swmming a couple of times or so since last post. In the first instance, I didn't apply anything to my hair, just wrapped Saran wrap well and wore the cap properly covering ears completely and with cap over my eyebrows like this:

I used just my regular ol' Speedo swim cap. I swam mostly breast stroke but threw in two freestyle laps at the end. Only the back of my hair got wet. Sides were dry, but about an inch in the back got wet. So as before, I applied my post-swim shampoo to that section even before wetting then repeated with Garnier.

The last time I went swimming I use the cap that @LatterGlory recommended and I just wanted to let you kind lady know that I can confirm that My Swim Cap (link in previous post for those who don't know what it is) really works. Just coz I wanted to be extra careful, after doing my regular reverse French braid so that my ends were a-top my head, I applied Vaseline to the sides and back of my hair--a really thick coat so my hair looked white. Then I wrapped Saran Wrap making sure to come down my forehead and also in the back. I was determined this time I'd not mess up the seal as I did before when I shifted the cap and Saran on the way to the pool. I put the cap on but folded it up as I had needed to before then covered my head with something and headed to the pool. I pulled the cap down like the model in the photo above, made sure I fastened the back and went swimming. I did back stroke, crawl, breast stroke. I figured if chlorine water got in as it's done before, my hair was sealed and it'd just sit on the Vaseline, so I threw all caution to the wind.

Before jumping in the shower, I took the cap off to inspect my hair. All of it was dry. All except the beady beads that are kinda down my neck. You know the short hairs that coil up and look like bugs or peppercorns? Yes, those are the only hairs that got wet. The rest of my hair--and really what I care most about--was dry and had not made contact with pool water! So I really only needed to shampoo the grease out (I dunno how all y'all who use grease can do it often; it took so much hot water and several shampoos to get my hair and scalp to feel squeaky clean. Too much work I say...but definitely proof that even if pool water had got in, my hair would not have been affected) but I love washing my hair so I did give it all a good shampoo once the perimeter was free of grease.

So once again LatterGlory, I thank you kindly! :notworthy

Ok Nonie, help me figure out what I did wrong. I got the My Swim cap and my hair still got wet around the edges and nape. The crown of my head and ends (since I pinned them up there) were dry. I put my dry hair in a shower cap and pinned it down with a bobby pin. Then I wrapped my head in saran wrap three times, then put on the cap. I have a small head, so I got the regular size swim cap. It didn't fully cover my ears; you could see the saran wrap peeking out in the ear area. I'm wondering if less water would have gotten in if I didn't cover my ears since the cap coudn't fully cover them anyway? The inside of the cap was wet, but again, the crown wasn't because of the saran wrap.

I came home immediately after my lesson and washed and DCd. Under the dryer rollersetting now.

But the good news is...I finally learned how to swim today! It's nothing short of a miracle for me, LOL. I have several more lessons in my package that I purchased, so I'm trying to stay on top of my hair game.

 

[sckri23]

Im planning on using vaseline on my hair to protect against pool water idk if that will work or not.

I'm gonna cowash and dc after.

 

[Nonie]

Ok Nonie, help me figure out what I did wrong. I got the My Swim cap and my hair still got wet around the edges and nape. The crown of my head and ends (since I pinned them up there) were dry. I put my dry hair in a shower cap and pinned it down with a bobby pin. Then I wrapped my head in saran wrap three times, then put on the cap. I have a small head, so I got the regular size swim cap. It didn't fully cover my ears; you could see the saran wrap peeking out in the ear area. I'm wondering if less water would have gotten in if I didn't cover my ears since the cap coudn't fully cover them anyway? The inside of the cap was wet, but again, the crown wasn't because of the saran wrap.

I came home immediately after my lesson and washed and DCd. Under the dryer rollersetting now.

But the good news is...I finally learned how to swim today! It's nothing short of a miracle for me, LOL. I have several more lessons in my package that I purchased, so I'm trying to stay on top of my hair game.

@hillytmj, why didn't you use the mention feature so I would know you addressed me? If someone hadn't bumped this thread up and I hadn't gone to page 3 to see if anything interesting was there, I'd never have known you spoke to me.

When I wrap Saran wrap, I don't cover my ears so I think that gives me a better seal around the edges. Also I make sure to wrap it all the way past my hairline onto my forehead.

I'm not sure what you did wrong. You say you have a small head, did the cap feel big? I have a huge head (hats that say "one size fits all" don't fit mine ) so the cap I got (not sure what size it was fits well. I don't remember it being wet on the inside. I may go swimming this week so I'll see if there's anything else to remember.

Maybe you should apply Vaseline around the edges just to be on the safe side. When I was doing the experiments I described in this thread, the times my nape and sides got wet, I had Vaseline applied and so chlorine didn't wreak havoc on my hair.

 

[simone103]

My cousin said when she took swimming lessons that she would wear two swim caps and that her hair never got wet from doing so.

 

[LaidBak]

I have tried plastic conditioning caps underneath my tight lycra swim cap and that did absolutely nothing. I will try the saran wrap next. My goal is to avoid having to shampoo at all after a swim. One question; doesn't your head sweat underneath the saran wrap? Wouldn't the hair be wet from sweat?

 

[Nonie]

I have tried plastic conditioning caps underneath my tight lycra swim cap and that did absolutely nothing. I will try the saran wrap next. My goal is to avoid having to shampoo at all after a swim. One question; doesn't your head sweat underneath the saran wrap? Wouldn't the hair be wet from sweat?

@LaidBak, baggying is a way of life for me. I wear Saran wrap when I wear hats, when I wear headwraps, so Saran wrap under a swimcap is commonplace to me.

I don't use leave-in products and I'm not much of a sweater. My hair does feel damp but smells as if it's just been conditioned--its as if baggying recycles conditioning for me. I consider it my moisture infusion treatment.

ETA: I do shampoo my hair (focusing more on my scalp) every 3-4 days so I'm sure that also helps with keeping the funk at bay. I remember back when I used products (grease to be precise) and tied a scarf, my scarf always had this smell of (I dunno) sweaty dirt? I didn't wash my hair as frequently as I do now so I'm sure that didn't help either.

 

[LaidBak]

@LaidBak, baggying is a way of life for me. I wear Saran wrap when I wear hats, when I wear headwraps, so Saran wrap under a swimcap is commonplace to me.

I don't use leave-in products and I'm not much of a sweater. My hair does feel damp but smells as if it's just been conditioned--its as if baggying recycles conditioning for me. I consider it my moisture infusion treatment.

ETA: I do shampoo my hair (focusing more on my scalp) every 3-4 days so I'm sure that also helps with keeping the funk at bay. I remember back when I used products (grease to be precise) and tied a scarf, my scarf always had this smell of (I dunno) sweaty dirt? I didn't wash my hair as frequently as I do now so I'm sure that didn't help either.

Thanks Nonie. I had kinda given up on the idea of dry hair after a swim, but this thread has given me new hope. I ordered the My Swim Cap, and will try the different wear positions you showed upthread. I prefer having my ears 100% out, but if I need to cover them to have dry hair, so be it!

 

[XXXtacy]

Thanks @Nonie. I had kinda given up on the idea of dry hair after a swim, but this thread has given me new hope. I ordered the My Swim Cap, and will try the different wear positions you showed upthread. I prefer having my ears 100% out, but if I need to cover them to have dry hair, so be it!

I wanted my ears out as well but starting using ear plugs to minimize the water creeping under my cap.

I have read your post. So grateful to Nonie for her suggestions. I hope to be able to contribute some new methods and products soon.


I am working with a hair stylists/chemist/PhD Cosmetologists (didnt know they existed until now) who specializes in exotic hair problems. (They Had never met a black women complaining about chlorine in their hair.) I had several test done and it was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that my hair is saturated with chlorine. So much so that my hair cuticle will not lay down as well as I have a green cast over my black hair.


I am really appreciative of these people helping me. I dont want to sacrifice my health for my hair and vice versa.


Been focusing on minimizing the water coming under the cap how to stop that process.

Good Luck to you.
Will reach out when I have more information.

 

[XXXtacy]

@XXXtacy, OK, yesterday's experiment looked like this:

...full coverage including ears.

I didn't apply anything to my hair (not Vaseline, not conditioner, not serum). I cornrowed hair reverse French braid and then wrapped Saran wrap as normal. I then put on a new cap that @LatterGlory recommended. I considered using two caps but I decided not to. I put the cap on so that it came down to my eyebrows and then fastened the back. Well, I was doing this at home and still had to drive to the gym. So I folded cap up over itself then wore something over it. The doubling up of the cap created a lot of pressure that I felt as if my circulation was being cut in the back. So as I drove, I moved it up in the back, shifing my nice Saran seal.

I get to the gym and find out they close early today. :crazy: There were 30 mins to closing and I know the pool closes 30 mins before closing on weekdays. I was not about to miss out so I dashed to the changing room and got out of my clothes in haste, pulled cap down and zoomed into the water and was well into my swimming before anyone tried to stop me. Of course because of my frantic determination to get my swim on, I didn't really study how carefully my cap was fastened. Still I am happy to report that I had less wet hair this time than before. Only the back got wet...but remember I shifted the cap on my way to the pool.

Apart from the nape, my hair was completely dry. If yesterday had not been washday, I'd have felt very OK only shampooing the back of my head coz chlorine didn't touch the rest of my hair.

I would like to test this cap and the full coverage out again, before I swear that this cap is the miracle cap it is said to be. For now, I'm very happy I got it and send a big thank you to @LatterGlory :blowkiss: coz it just might give my beloved cap a run for its money.

Oh this is the cap I used: http://www.myswimstuff.com/index.html

Yes Ma'am.

This is how I look when I enter the pool. Saran wrap almost to my eybrows with swimming cap to cover it. I have been working with someone over the size of the cap, type of cap, etc to minimize the chlorine coming under the cap. I have a LOT of swim caps that I have been testing.

Hair styles - flat twist or any style that does not make my cap puffy.



Was on the verge of quitting swimming. I've had to cut my hair and my texture is so rough. Within the last 3 weeks, I have found a team of people to help me. Prayerfully, I can find a solution.

I appreciate all suggestions because a little tweak here and there can make all the difference.

Thanks

 

[LaidBak]

The My Swim Cap arrived yesterday, and I wore it to today's swimming lesson. Its comfortable. The straps need more velcro, I fasten it low and the straps overlap a lot. The straps actually came loose at one point. I wore it so low that it interfered with the seal on my goggles. My hair was still very wet by the time I was done. I attribute that to the loose straps. I gotta work something out, maybe not cover the ears so i can wear it higher. One bright spot: the crown of my head was actually dry. So I know that with some tweaking, and some Saran Wrap, I may come very close to a solution.

 

[LaidBak]

Well, even with the plastic wrap and the My Swim Cap I end up with a wet head. So i give up. Just gonna start putting conditioner in my hair before each swim.

 

[JJamiah]

I am in week 5 of my swim classes and I have tried several things. As we all know it doesn't take much or long for damage from chlorine to start to take effect on our hair, skin and other.

what works best for ME: is

washing my hair in the shower before going to my class. Slathering Porosity Control and Motions Moisture Plus on my hair then capping it with MY SWIM CAP, cap.

I go to my lessons and when done drive home, then I wash my hair in the shower again with a Conditioner, rinse then add a leave in. I do this twice a week.
My hair feels amazing. When I was shampooing after class my hair was hard, this seems a lot gentler on my strands.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I start my swim lessons today and I plan to coat my hair with conditioner and just rinse it out when I get home.

 

[virtuenow]

I did swim classes last summer and fall; and plan to start again later this month. Before swimming, I would spritz w/water and coat w/Evco. Afterwards, I rinse my hair and co-wash or lo-poo/condition. I tried coating w/conditioner before swimming and prefer evco.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I used two swim caps tonight and my hair didn't get wet. I used a silicon cap pulled down low to cover my ears and then a latex bubble cap (size medium) on top with a chin strap. I was really shocked that my hair didn't get wet. Another woman in class also had on two swim caps (latex I think) and her hair was only wet at the nape and a little by her ears but she also had her ears exposed when swimming.

 

[FelaShrine]

naturalmanenyc where did you get the bubble one from? I might as well get another to alternate

 

[naturalmanenyc]

FelaShrine

I bought it on ebay, but Swim Outlet has them too. I needed a medium and Swim Outlet only has a one size fits all version which seems to be large based on comments in the reviews.

 

[snoop]

I'm taking swim lessons and her's how I keep my hair dry: First, I wrap my edges with saran wrap; then put on a plastic shower cap (the disposable kind). This is so that the swim cap doesn't rip at my hair as I put it on. After I put on a latex swim cap then a silicon one. At most if not done properly, a bit of the edges gets wet. My hair is dry and I can wait until my regular wash day to wash.

 

[Ogoma]

Another thing I do is mix one tablespoon of vitamin c crystals with 4 oz of water in a spray bottle and spritz away. I then co-wash it out.

I used a latex cap and I used my swim cap and I rarely got water on my hair. If I did, it was just the edges.