Chlorine in the elemental form is gaseous and is hardly used in the household realm or in cosmetic products.
The chlorine that you get in the swimming pool is a product of bleaching powder and water that is used to disinfect the pool water that gets contaminated due to long standing and many people diving in the same pool.
That doesn’t make the chlorinated water of the swimming pool good for you either. If not dangerous, chlorine will leave some side effects on your hair after a long stay in the pool.
Worried about the chlorine that has entered your hair after diving into the swimming pool?
Then this post is just what you need as I have got covered for you:
- How long can chlorine stay in your hair?
- How long can you leave chlorine in your hair?
- Is it bad to not wash hair after swimming in the pool?
- Does chlorine permanently damage hair?
- Can you leave chlorine in your hair overnight?
- How to prevent damage to your hair after entering into chlorinated water?
Curious about all the above questions? Then let’s read on…..
Table of Contents
How long can chlorine stay in your hair?
The simple answer is, chlorine will stay in your hair until you wash it off with a shampoo.
Some posts say that washing with fresh water can also help to get rid of chlorine, but after talking to salon experts what I have known is chlorine is a harsh chemical which can ruin the natural properties of your hair and that won’t go until you wash it off with a clarifying shampoo.
How long can you leave chlorine in your hair?
It’s not at all advisable to leave chlorine water in your hair after you have come out of the swimming pool or the hot tub.
A maximum of 2 hours stay in the pool in the chlorinated water is enough for the chlorine to strip your hair of all moisture and make it dull, lifeless and frizzy.
So, you can leave chlorine in your hair only until you are in the swimming pool! ( If you are not that lazy and don’t want to ruin your hair LOL).
Is it bad to not wash hair after swimming in the pool?
Are you okay with keeping the water in your body in which countless numbers of people have swum already?
Not at all right?
So, even if not because of the health of your hair, just for the sake of maintaining hygiene you would definitely take a shower after getting out of the pool. And that includes even washing your hair!
And for the chlorine in your hair, if kept for long it can strip all moisture from the hair and also make your hair discoloured.
Does chlorine permanently damage hair?
Yes if kept for a long period of time like if you haven’t washed your hair for 2 days after swimming in the pool or if you swim regularly in the pool, chlorine can have a long term effect in your hair which includes making your hair dry, brittle and discoloured because chlorine oxidises the hair strands.
See also: Can You Swim With a Perm?
Can you leave chlorine in your hair overnight?
It’s better not to leave chlorine in your hair overnight because it can cause itching in the scalp and also make your hair dry, tangled and frizzy.
How to prevent damage to your hair before entering into chlorinated water?
As you have seen that chlorine can have a long term side effect in your hair, so it’s better to nip the vice in the bud and take some precautions so that the chlorine can’t harm your hair when your enter the swimming pool:
1.) Wash your hair with fresh water before entering the pool as this will make your hair already wet which then won’t soak in chlorinated water much
2.) Wear a shower cap so that no chlorinated water can even touch your hair
3.) Apply a thick oil like coconut oil or jojoba oil in your hair as this will act as a preventive shield for the chlorinated water
4.) Apply a leave-in conditioner as this will also stay in your hair as a protective layer and won’t allow the chlorine in water to touch the hair
How to repair damage to hair done by chlorine?
If you are someone who love swimming in the pool quite often, then you must not miss out on the following tips to care for your hair after it has been acted upon by chlorine:
1.) Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo right after coming home. This will take off the chlorine from your hair
2.) As chlorine strips off moisture from the hair applying conditioner after shampooing is a must
3.) Oiling the hair regularly will help restore all the naturals oils that chlorine has taken off from your hair
4.) Applying a leave-in conditioner will prevent the hair from getting frizzy and developing split ends
See you soon!
I hope I could cover all the necessary details regarding the effect of chlorine on hair and the subsequent remedies for it. If you liked reading with me, do stay tuned for more informative posts in the future. Till then…..
Keep it simple, keep it fashionable!
