Swimming with Bleached Hair

Women with bleached hair — Photo: Rocketclips.Inc./Shutterstock

Q: How long should you wait to go swimming after you have bleached your hair?

A: Generally, a waiting period of about 24-48 hours is a good base. It really all depends on your hair's condition.

If the hair is significantly lightened, you are probably looking at a considerable level of stress to the hair, and the cuticle is likely to be up and open a great deal as opposed to normal, unbleached hair. This means that chlorine and other chemicals could easily penetrate and react with the remaining pigment in the hair (often causing a greenish cast).

However, you should know that there are protectants made specifically for swimming so that you can block the penetration of chlorine into the hair and keep your bleached and color-processed hair looking salon-fresh while you enjoy your pool time. Look for "swimmers" products and go from there.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

Hair bleaching

The effect of chlorine on hair

How long must I wait until I can dye my hair after I've bleached it?

Can hair coloring turn my hair green if exposed to a lot of chlorine?