Taking care of swim hair.. and I DON'T want to wear a swim cap..

[Te'TahHead]

erplexed

I think swim caps are pointless. Plus, I HATE the way they look

But, I just re-learned to swim and plan on swimming about 3-4 times a week.

So, what are some tips for the relaxed ladies who swim? I don't want almost 3 years of progress going down the drain.

I relax every 4 months and I do slather conditioner on my hair before going in. Any product recommendations?

TIA, Ladies

 

[Newtogrow]

put conditioner on your hair under your swimming cap. (Sorry, I don't know any other way).

Do a search there's threads that discuss this with great tips.

 

[Te'TahHead]

I did a search and found nothing.

Thank you for your reply.

What exactly is the swim cap supposed to do if your hair gets wet anyway?

 

[d-rock]

I hate swim caps too, but I'll be darned if I'm getting in that hair stripping chlorine water without some protection. I literally wrapped my head with saran wrap once (like that chick with the big weave off Flavor of Love 3) and then put on a tight swim cap and my hair was in a protective style at the time: kinky twists. I guess you'll just have to be some extra deep conditioning if you're going to be swimming 3 or 4 times a week.

 

[cupcakes]

i dont wear swim caps either. i put conditioner in my hair before swimming and then wash my hair afterward with a neutralizing poo. but if i plan on swimming multiple times a week i will just co wash afterwards then at the end of the week i will wash with a neutralizing poo. and i will deep condition

 

[Junonia]

I did a search and found nothing.

Thank you for your reply.

What exactly is the swim cap supposed to do if your hair gets wet anyway?

I've been conditioning before and after. I am kinda tired of doing this. My instructor has also told us to coat the hair with vaseline.

 

[JustKiya]

I was natural when I was swimming, but I had dreads, so I was even more paranoid about chlorine sitting in my hair - this is what I did.

Oiled my hair before I got in the pool (oil won't dissolve in water, conditioner will).
Rinsed as soon as I got out, and soaked my hair in conditioner, put on a shower cap and a scarf for the trip home.
Got home, rinsed again, very well, and moisturized.
DC'd once a week.

Knowing what I know now, I would up the DC to twice a week, and include a chelating shampoo once a week to insure that all of the chlorine is getting pulled out of your hair.

 

[Trace]

I know what you mean about wearing a swimming cap and I've been wondering how to protect my hair from chlorine. My 20 month old is taking swimming lessons and I have to get in the pool with him. Eventhough I don't go underwater, my hair always gets wet (even when it's up) b/c of all the splashing. What I've been doing is gently washing my hair once with a mild sulfate free shampoo (Aubrey J.A.Y.) and then conditioning it. After that, I put more conditioner in my hair (I'm wearing it natural) and I massage my scalp with a blend of essential oils, then braid it up. So far, so good, for me that is. I know I may not have the best regimen, but before I would have shampooed my hair three times with just about anything, conditioned it and that would be it. I think from reading the threads, I'll start doing a deep condition on my swim days and use a clarifying shampoo weekly.

 

[Te'TahHead]

Wow! Thank you ladies for your suggestion.

Kinda OT: But I am really feelin' the love, especially from the natural ladies. Yall are holding it down in here and are giving me advice, neverminding all that natural vs relaxed BS that's been going on. Thank you!!!!

So, we agree that an extra DC 9or two) is needed whith a chelating poo? Any good recommendations.

ETA: I am not a PJ, so I don't know abbreviations. You gotta tell me what, where to get it and and who.

 

[redd]

I go swimming every weekend and just saturate my hair in conditioner before I get in the pool. Afterwards I make sure to wash my hair with a chelating shampoo and DC w/ a moisturizing conditioner.

 

[maddywoo13]

Lotsa women told me that Nexxus KerapHix(I think thats the name) is really good to use after a swim

 

[JustKiya]

Wow! Thank you ladies for your suggestion.

Kinda OT: But I am really feelin' the love, especially from the natural ladies. Yall are holding it down in here and are giving me advice, neverminding all that natural vs relaxed BS that's been going on. Thank you!!!!

So, we agree that an extra DC (or two) is needed whith a chelating poo? Any good recommendations.

ETA: I am not a PJ, so I don't know abbreviations. You gotta tell me what, where to get it and and who.

Ya know, I did pause to think 'Will she care about what I have to say, since I wasn't relaxed when I was swimming?' but then I laughed at myself - because I really do think that when it get down to basics, hair is hair, no matter what kind of curl (or chemical) it has, and I posted.

So glad you didn't mind.

And I'm not a PJ (I'm an IJ ) so I have nothing for you. Most chelating shampoos will have 'mineral removal' or something like that on it - ya know, I think Joico makes one - I think I remember looking at it in Ulta....

 

[Ms. Plain Jane]

A friend of my puts conditioner on her hair then a swim cap and rinses everything out afterwards and applies more conditioner and washes her hair when she gets home.

If you aren't going to use a swim cap, maybe it would be best not to put anything in your hair? No need to waste conditioner. With a swim cap (and perhaps a plastic cap underneath the swim cap), you'd waste less conditioner.

 

[Geminigirl]

why do you put condtioner in your hair? wouldn't that just rinse right off? I don't see the point. Help a sister out to undestanderplexed

 

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

why do you put condtioner in your hair? wouldn't that just rinse right off? I don't see the point. Help a sister out to undestanderplexed

It actually does help- it serves as a protective coating over your hair against the chlorine. You hair will have absorbed the condish before the chlorine really gets to get into your hair. Afterwards, of course you need to rinse your hair really well and shampoo. It does work, putting cond in prior to swimming. I do it with myself and my daughter all the time.

 

[winnettag]

In addition to the conditioner tips, a swim band worn under a tight swim cap is supposed to help keep water out...and they say to go for silicone instead of latex.
Keep us posted on your results!

 

[Extremus]

bumping for more tips

 

[Evalina1]

i just perm my hair yesterday and I am taking my son to a water park today what to do people......

 

[-Love Love*]

I'm going to be swimming for only 4 days, not every week. I'm going away to this camp for 4 days and I don't want my progress to go down the drain! Do I NEED to buy a chelating shampoo or will my Suave Clarifying suffice because its only for 4 days?

 

[Snuckles]

We're about to take a family trip to an indoor water park for 3 days. My entire family is natural. I, my son & daughter willl sport twist and my husband wears locs.

I was thinking of just rinsing then conditioner wash with cheapy conditioner every night. Then once we return home . . . hmmmmm haven't thought that far.

 

[-Love Love*]

bumping for answers