It’s a great summer and in trying to keep cool, people are asking ‘should you

wash your hair after every beach or pool day?’  Frolicking at a beach or a pool is required when the weather gets really hot.  With all the fun you are having, hair care is probably the last thing on your mind!

In my area, summer is basically two months of joy.  When I first came here I wondered why people

went crazy during this time.  But, after several years, I became those people – eager to be outside all the time.  If you swim in one or both of these waters, you have to be aware of what happens to your hair.

Wherever you swim, it is important to keep your hair’s health in mind.  It does not matter if your hair

is chemically restructured or natural, here are some important things to know:

• Pools:  The chlorine used for cleaning the water makes the hair very dry.  It may take a longer time to see the effects on natural hair but the damage is just as bad.
• Beaches:  Salt water makes the hair dry also and it has a particular smell if it is left on the hair too long.
• River and lakes:  It is best to wash your hair with fresh water after a swim.
• The hair should be shampooed and conditioned immediately after leaving the water. 
• Every week or two, a deep penetrating mask is recommended.  The directions should require it to stay on your hair for 15 minutes with heat or longer if not.
• Swim caps are notorious for not saving the hair from getting wet. Therefore, you still have to shampoo it although it might just be around the perimeter of your head that is wet.

I have seen people  use co-washing instead of shampooing to stop the hair from getting dry.  However, over time, the integrity of the hair is eaten away by the chemicals or the salt.  Therefore, should you wash your hair after beach or pool day, the answer is “Yes”! 

By Paula Barker, Silkie Locks Hair Design

Books:  “Talking Hair”, “Filling My Head” & “Dreadlocks – A Hairstylist’s Manifest”.