Advice For Your Clients With “Swimmer’s Hair”

It’s that time of year—pool-loving clients are showing up for their hair appointments with signs of chlorine, or “swimmer’s hair.” What’s the best advice hairstylists can offer these clients? Here are a few tips. 

Understand the Impact of Chlorine 

Studies show that chlorine damages hair by stripping out the natural oils, leaving hair brittle and prone to breakage. Chlorine can also irritate the scalp, and high levels can lead to chlorine toxicity, which causes a burning sensation in eyes, skin rashes, headaches, weakness, dizziness, and digestive issues. 

Know How to Recognize Chlorine Exposure 

Here are the top signs clients have chlorine-damaged hair:  

Green hair: The telltale green tint is a dead giveaway for chlorine-damaged hair. Naturally, it is easier to detect green hair on someone who is blonde, but I recommend to all my clients—blonde or brunette—to be cautious of “swimmer’s hair.”  

Weak hair: Since chlorine dries out natural oils, hair will become weak and split ends may be prevalent.  

Tangles: Chlorine can linger in hair, giving it a feeling of stiffness. This can cause hair to form tangles, which can lead to matting if not regularly brushed or detangled. If the client’s hair is thin or has a tight curl pattern, this tangling can cause serious damage. 

Best Tips for Clients With Swimmer’s Hair 

There is plenty of kitchen-borne advice on the internet for those seeking help with their chlorine-damaged hair, so it’s important your clients have solid professional advice to lean on for their green-hair recovery. Here are some tips you can share with clients to prevent and repair swimmer’s hair.  

Wear silicone swimmer’s caps—Prevention is best. These caps are made for swimming and keeping water off the hair. Recommend caps that are 100 percent silicone and latex-free. 

Rinse hair before swimming—Rinsing your hair thoroughly before getting in the pool can help slow down the hair’s ability to absorb water (and chlorine). Advise clients to use cold water when rinsing their hair before pool time. This helps the hair cuticle close slightly, making it difficult for chemicals to penetrate.  

Braid hair for extra protection—While this doesn’t offer complete protection, it does limit some chlorine exposure and prevents tangling. To get an additional layer of protection, use a leave-in conditioner, then braid dry hair before entering the pool. 

Use cleansing or purifying shampoos after the pool—Using these types of shampoos immediately after swimming can help remove chlorine buildup in the hair. (For clients who have ocean access, this tip is equally important to remove damaging sea salt as soon as possible.) For most clients, it might take only a few washes with clarifying shampoo to remove the green hue chlorine causes; for others with extremely porous hair, some professional color correction might be in order. 

Conditioning is key—Recommend conditioning treatments in the salon and a heavy moisturizing conditioner for at-home care. Since the hair has been stripped of its natural oils due to chlorine and other chemicals, it is important to try to bring some moisture back. Remind clients when choosing a conditioner to make sure it specifies that it is for “adding moisture.” Remember, there are so many different types of conditioners that it's critical to be clear with your recommendations for clients’ at-home routines.  

Summer hair means stressed hair, especially for clients who love the pool. Be on the lookout for signs of swimmer’s hair during your client consultations and be ready to pivot if damaged hair needs your extra attention from the effects of chlorine. 

 

Josephine Granato has more than 24 years of experience in the beauty industry and has cultivated a deep love for both practicing and teaching the art of cosmetology. In practice, she specializes in makeup, hairstyling, and cutting, and her work as a cosmetology educator, trainer, and administrator has included roles for Empire Beauty Schools and Tricoci University.  Whether in the salon or classroom, Granato says she is “dedicated to empowering individuals to discover and express their unique beauty through the art of cosmetology.”