While swimming might be keeping your body healthy this summer, it’s definitely not doing the same for your hair. In fact, the negative effects of chlorine and salt aren’t just limited to your hair- they can damage your skin and scalp, too. Thankfully, with a little planning and the right products, it is possible to protect your locks against the harm that chemicals and salt water can cause. Read below to find out what steps to take to repair swimmer’s hair and which Morrocco Method products are your summer essentials in the fight against hair damage from water exposure.

Swimmer’s Hair Prevention and Repair

Swimmer’s hair repair doesn’t just begin after stepping out of the water; it starts before you even get in. Hair is porous, and just like a sponge, there’s only so much water it can hold. If your hair is already saturated before you hit the water, its less likely to be able to absorb what you’re swimming in. Treating hair with products like natural conditioners or oils before it’s submerged will also help prevent any chemicals from permeating the scalp or hair follicles.

Even when taking preventative steps to protect hair, it’s still almost impossible to completely eliminate exposure to damaging elements when you’re swimming. Chlorine and saltwater are known to dry out the scalp and hair by sucking out natural oils that protect cuticles from cracking that can lead to split ends and brittleness. This is why properly treating your hair afterwards is so important when it comes to restoring it’s natural, healthy state.

Pre-Swim Procedure

STEP 1- PROTECT: For the best preventative defense against swim damage, rinse with apple cider vinegar. Next, coat hair with a protectant, specifically one that’s oil-based, which will act as a barrier for your hair follicles. Finally, cover hair with a swim cap. If you don’t have a cap available, it’s best to protectively style your hair in braids instead.

After Swim Hair Care

STEP 2- CLARIFY: To begin repairing hair damage after swimming, start by cleansing hair with a clarifying wash to flush out bacteria. Try a natural method, like using apple cider vinegar, which restores hair’s pH balance and increases the activity of the scalp’s sebaceous glands while still removing chemical build-up.

STEP 3- SCALP REPAIR: Next, you’ll want to focus on scalp repair. Particularly, by using a clay mask treatment, you’ll be able to draw out impurities that are left by chlorine and salt water, while leaving in the essentials oils that are the body’s natural moisturizers. To really give your scalp the royal treatment, complete this step with a product containing bentonite clay, since it’s also known to work as both an itch reliever and a breakage-eliminating conditioner for your hair follicles.

STEP 4- CONDITION: Finally, a deep conditioning treatment should be performed to replenish the nutrients that salt water and chlorine strips away from hair. With the right products, especially those with natural moisturizers like avocado and jojoba, even regular swimmers will only need to do this on a bi-weekly basis. This will also smooth dry ends and restore proteins in the hair follicles.