Why Pool Water Damages Your Hair (And How to Protect It)
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There’s something instantly calming about being in the water — the soft echo of the pool, the cool rush over your skin, that suspended-in-time feeling you only get when swimming.
But for your hair? The aftermath can be… less serene.
Dryness. Frizz. Rough texture. Dullness. Colour fading faster than it should. That strange, “why does my hair feel squeaky?” feeling that never shows up after a normal shower.
If pool water always seems to leave your hair feeling dry or unmanageable, you’re not imagining it. And it’s not just “chlorine being chlorine.” There are real chemical reasons why pools affect your hair so noticeably — especially during summer.
Here’s the science behind what’s happening, plus simple, practical ways to protect your hair before and after a swim.
Why Pool Water Damages Your Hair
1. Chlorine strips your hair’s natural oils
Your hair is coated in a thin layer of natural oils (sebum) that keeps each strand smooth, flexible, and protected. Chlorine’s job in a pool is to break down bacteria — but it also breaks down those oils.
When sebum dissolves, your hair becomes more prone to:
• dryness and rough texture
• increased frizz
• that “squeaky clean” or straw-like feel
Source: Journal of Cosmetic Science – Lipid removal from hair fibers.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10444677/
2. Pool water has a higher pH than your hair
Healthy hair sits around a pH of ~4.5–5.5. Most pools hover between pH 7–8 for swimmer comfort.
This jump in pH causes the cuticle to lift, making hair:
• frizzier
• more porous
• more prone to breakage
• less shiny and smooth
Source: International Journal of Trichology – pH and cuticle behavior.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24823429/
3. Copper + chlorine can cause green tones
Despite the myth, chlorine doesn’t turn hair green — copper in the water does. Minerals bind to proteins on the hair shaft and cling more strongly when the cuticle is lifted. This is most common in blonde, light brown, or bleached hair.
4. Chlorine affects already-fragile hair faster
If your hair is colour-treated, bleached, curly, or naturally dry, it loses moisture and protein faster. Pool water accelerates this because lifted cuticles expose the inner cortex — the vulnerable structural centre of your hair.
How to Protect Your Hair From Pool Damage
You don’t need a complicated routine. Small changes make a big difference — especially if you swim often.
1. Rinse your hair with fresh water before swimming
Hair can only absorb so much water. When you soak it with clean water first, it takes in less chlorinated pool water.
2. Apply a lightweight conditioner or hair oil beforehand
This creates a protective barrier that shields the cuticle from chlorine and minerals.
3. Wear your hair up — or braided
Less exposure = less damage. Braids also prevent tangling.
4. Avoid shampooing immediately after swimming
Shampooing right away removes natural oils your hair needs to recover. Instead, rinse well with lukewarm water and use a creamy conditioner to rebalance pH.
5. Use a clarifying wash only when needed
It removes buildup — but too often will dry your hair further. Once a week (or less) is enough for most swimmers.
6. Reduce chlorine exposure in your post-swim shower
This is the step most people overlook.
Your hair is already:
• pH-raised
• cuticle-lifted
• moisture-depleted
• vulnerable to chlorine binding
Then you go home and wash it in chlorinated tap water — at the exact moment your hair is most vulnerable.
A filtered showerhead reduces chlorine exposure during this fragile window, helping conditioner work better, smoothing the cuticle, and keeping your hair softer after swimming.
You can explore it here: Flowy filtered showerhead.
The Bottom Line
Pool water isn’t “just drying.” It strips oils, lifts the cuticle, shifts your hair’s pH, and accelerates moisture loss — especially in already fragile or colour-treated hair.
But with a few simple steps — fresh-water rinsing, light pre-swim conditioning, gentle post-swim care, and reducing chlorine exposure in the shower — your hair can stay soft, calm, and manageable all summer long.
You don’t need a complicated pool hair routine. Just the right support at the right moments.