- If you bleached your hair, I recommend that you wait at least seven days to swim either in a pool or at sea.
- If you’ve only bleached a few strands for highlights, for example, I recommend that you wait at least three days before swimming.
- The times can vary and be longer depending on how your hair looks after bleaching. Also, if you bleached your hair at home or in a salon. The more damaged and dehydrated your hair is, the longer you should wait to swim.
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The swimming season has already started. Do you want to know if you can swim with your newly bleached hair?
It’s not convenient with freshly bleached hair. I’ll explain why later.
The time between your bleach and your first swim depends on several things.
First, the bleaching type you got at the salon. It’s not the same to completely bleach your hair as it is to bleach just a few strands for highlights.
The waiting times will be different in each situation.
- After bleaching, the hair is very sensitive. I recommend you to wait at least one week to swim in a pool or in the sea so that the hair has time to recover from the bleaching chemicals.
- If you just bleached some highlights and you must swim, wait at least three days. It’ll be enough to go back to the pool. Why three days?
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It’s time it takes for the color to settle after the hair is bleached.
Always use your common sense. What do I mean?
You could assess whether your hair is suitable for swimming in a pool or the sea.
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How to evaluate if your bleached hair can withstand the chlorine in a swimming pool or the salt water of the sea.
Look at your hair. If it's soft to the touch and moving, you can swim again.
On the other hand, if your hair is rough to the touch and a little rough, you should wait at least 7 days before swimming again.
Having said that, take advantage of those days to nourish and moisturize your hair so that it is ready for the next swim. You should take your time when you return to the pool. If you don't wait long enough, your hair could be threatened and exposed to extreme dehydration that could even break it.
The chlorine used in the pool has chemicals to disinfect the water.
Those chemicals dry the hair out. Imagine what could happen if it came into contact with your freshly bleached hair. It could be the trigger for even more damage. That's what we try to avoid by letting several days go by.
If you've bleached your hair yourself, you should wait at least 10 days.
There is also a difference between home bleaching and salon bleaching.
The risk of hair damage will be less if a professional stylist bleaches your hair. It could totally change the waiting times to dive back into a pool.
I've known many women who bleached their hair at home and didn't know they had to wash it lightly and apply an acid mask afterward.
I'm not sure that you have followed those steps at home. So, I’d advise you to wait at least ten days before swimming again. Your hair could be even more sensitive than if it was bleached by a professional.
What if I swim the same day I bleach my hair?
A few years ago, a client from the salon called me in despair because her hair had turned green and sent me a picture.
I swear it was neon green! Pretty ugly, by the way. Keep in mind that fancy colors weren't in fashion yet.
Never in my years as a stylist had I seen such intense, neon green. That's because she had no better idea than diving into her newly bleached head in the pool on her friend's terrace.
Her freshly bleached hair was so porous that the chemicals from the chlorine mixed with her blonde hair resulted in that dreadful green shade.
The more porous the bleached hair, the greener and drier it’ll be if you don't respect the times we discussed earlier.
Of course, some things can be solved, and some things can't. So, watch out! Be responsible with waiting times and always use the common sense rule I told you about earlier.
What precautions should I take before swimming with bleached hair?
Before swimming, you can apply a hair oil like coconut oil to protect your hair. The oils will be your best allies because they form a protective film between your hair and water.
A swim cap would be ideal. Although it’s not very fashionable, it’s the ultimate accessory to help you keep your hair away from chlorine chemicals.
Another option is to have your hair braided to avoid water contact.
Whenever you finish swimming, rinse your hair with tap water and apply a detangler.
You should have a special anti-chlorine kit and moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. These specific care products will help you remove chlorine from your hair and prevent your hair from drying out and turning green.
How do you prevent your bleached hair from turning green?
Green hair is the nightmare of all bleached blondes.
The best way to prevent bleached hair from turning green is to create a protective film that prevents the hair from absorbing water chemicals.
A mask and oil before going swimming will form a protective barrier to keep your hair hydrated and away from chlorine chemicals.
Apply this combination before entering the pool, especially to the ends of your hair. The hair ends are the most porous and dry parts, and that's where the green shades appear the most.
