Monday, June 7, 2010

Relaxed Hair + Swimming: Tips to avoid Breakage


Please don't think that since you have relaxed hair you cannot go swimming!  Swimming + Summer go hand and hand and while relaxed hair might not fit smoothly in with those two it certainly doesn't exclude you from having a good ol' time poolside and underwater this summer. 

I'm relaxed and during the summer months I spend a great deal of time underwater!  Over the years I've figured out how to keep my hair healthy despite all the exposure to chlorine and saltwater (but that's another blog post). 


Relaxed Hair + Swimming Rules:

#1. Always thoroughly rinse out any and all chlorine from your hair.  During my younger years I was forced to wear a swim cap to "protect" my hair from the water.  No matter what brand, how many caps, or how I positioned them on my head some of my hair always got wet.  Now did I always rinse it out?  Nope, because I didn't know any better and I figured since only a very small area got wet what's the point?  The point is that leaving chlorine on relaxed hair results in damage.  Point blank period.  It always did for me. 

#2. Don't always use shampoo.  Some of you might be confused, because Rule #1 clearly states you must rinse out any and all chlorine from you hair.  Please note I said RINSE, not wash.  If you swim as much as I do you would be shampooing every day or every other day at the least, now we all know that's a no no.  Instead - co wash!  Need a quick refresher on co-washing?  Read up on it here.   

#3. Condition like crazy.  I know my hair and I like to think you know your hair too.  During swimming season my hair craves conditoner, chlorine drys out my hair something terrible so to reverse that I deep condition my hair so much more during the summer.  Especially the edges and my ends. 

Side note: You gotta love Queen Bey with her red lips and drink in hand!  Super Fab!