What Type of Shampoo Should Swimmers Use?

Since they spend hours plunged in chlorinated water, swimmers must go the extra mile to maintain soft, healthy hair. After all, chlorine is a chemical that can lead to dryness, breakage, and scalp irritation. Without the right products, chlorine exposure can leave swimmers with parched, damaged locks. 

Thankfully, professional and casual swimmers have access to shampoos specifically formulated to offset the damaging effects of chlorine. In this article, we’ll discuss the type of shampoo that swimmers should use to protect and nourish their hair, even after an hours-long swim. 

What Does Chlorine Do to Swimmers’ Hair?

Chlorine removes the natural oils from swimmers’ hair. This dries it out, making it brittle, frizzy, and more prone to damage. 

In the long term, chlorine exposure can make hair more porous than usual. This means more chlorine can enter the hair strands, leading to even more breakage and dryness. 

Chlorine also contributes to the temporary green hue in some swimmers’ hair after being in the pool. The copper in pool water oxidizes from chlorine and water exposure. The copper then binds to hair proteins, causing the greenish appearance of blond hair. 

Do Swimmers Need Special Shampoo?

Swimmers need special shampoo to avoid hair damage and scalp irritation from chlorine exposure. 

Shampoo formulated for swimmers contains purifying ingredients that remove chlorine and salt water from the hair and scalp. While normal shampoos are made to remove excess oils and dirt from hair, they’re not properly formulated to tackle the stubborn chemicals and minerals found in pool water. Additionally, swimmers require shampoo with powerful hydrating ingredients to fight frizziness and soften hair. 

What Shampoo Should I Use if I Swim?

If you swim, you should use a specifically formulated shampoo to remove chlorine and salt water while soothing and nourishing the scalp. The best example is the Swimmers Shampoo from Trihard. 

Swimmers Shampoo from Trihard eliminates pool chemicals, deeply hydrates post-swim hair, alleviates dry scalp, and neutralizes any lingering chlorine smell. The formula uses PLECOTECH, Trihard’s proprietary technology, which features gentle yet powerful ingredients for post-swim hair. These ingredients include:

• Natural red algae
• Dead sea minerals, including magnesium chloride and Maris Sal
• Botanical extracts include aloe vera and chamomile extract

Blonde swimmers who struggle with green-tinted hair after spending time in the pool can benefit from the neutralizing effects of Trihard’s Swimmers Shampoo. After thoroughly removing chlorine from the hair and scalp, this shampoo naturalizes the copper-induced oxidation of hair fibers. This removes the green tint and restores the swimmer’s natural hair color. 

How Should Swimmers Wash Their Hair?

Swimmers should wash their hair as soon as possible after leaving the pool. This will help minimize chlorine’s damaging effects. 

Additionally, while swimmers should always wash or thoroughly rinse their hair after being in the pool or ocean, they should aim only to wash their hair a few times a week. So, on days that you don’t spend swimming, consider skipping the shampoo. Washing your hair excessively can worsen hair dryness and scalp irritation.

If you swim daily, use a deeply hydrating conditioner, like the Pre & Post Swim Conditioner, and your anti-chlorine shampoo. This product will help keep your strands soft and moisturized, even after a daily cleanse. 

Using a combination of swim-friendly hair care products is typically the best approach. For example, swimmers can use the Pre & Post Swim Conditioner before hitting the pool for optimal chlorine protection. After leaving the pool, use the Swimmers Shampoo to wash away chemicals and minerals. On days when your scalp feels particularly dry or irritated after swimming, try the Swimmers Shampoo Extra Boost for a refreshing boost with extra menthol.

What Is Good for Swimmers’ Hair?

Soothing, antioxidant-rich products are good for swimmers’ hair. Antioxidants help reduce scalp inflammation from chlorine and sun exposure, which swimmers are regularly exposed to. 

The Swimmers Shampoo from Trihard contains antioxidant-rich botanical extracts, including aloe vera. Aloe vera is naturally high in vitamins A, C, and E, which offer anti-inflammatory benefits. Because chlorine and salt water can cause scalp inflammation, these soothing ingredients are an excellent addition to any swimmer’s haircare routine. 

Additionally, non-drying, alcohol-free ingredients are ideal for swimmers. Many commercial shampoos contain harsh, potentially-irritating ingredients, such as parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, alcohol, and gluten. These ingredients can be particularly harmful to swimmers regularly exposed to chemicals and minerals in pool water. 

Trihard’s haircare products for swimmers are specifically formulated to soothe and nourish swimmers’ sensitive scalps. So, every product is paraben-free, cruelty-free, SLS-free, alcohol-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO. The products are also tested and approved by professional athletes for daily use.

Can Swimming Cause an Itchy Scalp?

Swimming can cause an itchy scalp. This is because the chemicals and minerals in pool water can dry out the scalp, making it feel itchy and irritated. 

How Do I Protect My Scalp When Swimming?

To protect your scalp when swimming, pre-treat your hair. Some swimmers simply rinse their hair with water for scalp protection, but pre-swim sports care products offer more reliable protection. 

Wearing a swim cap can also help protect your scalp, even while you’re spending time in the pool. Swim caps don’t create a water-tight seal, so the chlorinated water will likely still reach your hair and scalp. However, it can reduce the amount of chlorine that touches your scalp and stop the chemical from saturating your hair. 

The Pre & Post Swim Conditioner from Trihard is an option for swimmers seeking an effective pre-swim product. It prevents chlorine absorption when it’s used before you hit the pool. 

We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee for our products, allowing swimmers to try them before committing to the purchase. Place your order online today!