How to prevent your hair from turning green this summer

So you think that getting green hair after swimming only happens to blonds??

Well let me shed some light on the situation by letting you know that it can happen to you if you have:

 
Blond hair

Light brown hair

Highlighted hair

Or color treated hair (going from a darker shade to a lighter shade)

It obviously effects blonds more dramatically then others but don’t think that it can not happen to you if yor fall into one of the categories above.

So why does it turn your hair a shade of green?

Hair is extremely porous so chlorine found in a pool or jacuzzi  will get into the cuticle of the hair and have a reaction that will cause your hair to change into a shade of green. 

Your hair will be more susceptible to this chemical reaction if your hair is chemically treated.  So that means if you dye your hair this can happen.  It is less noticeable in color treated hair as opposed to highlighted hair.  When you get your hair colored the process opens your cuticle, dyes it, then seals it so that the color will hold, but when you get highlights this sealing component usually is not done thus making your hair more susceptible to changing color when chlorine binds to the hair shaft.

So now that I have scared you, what can you do to prevent this from happening to you?

• Never get into the pool with dry hair
• Use a leave in conditioner on your hair so that the chlorine will not be able to bind to the hair shaft (*tip fill a spray bottle with 75% water and 25%conditioner  and take it with you to the pool and apply it to your hair before getting into the pool)
• Use a regular conditioner after washing your hair because this will make your hair less porous

So what if this advice is getting to you a bit late because your hair is already green?

Well I suggest that you buy a clarifying shampoo and wash it a few times and it should come out.  If this doesn’t work then you may need t go to a hair salon and have a treatment done that will lift the chlorine from your hair returning your hair’s beautiful color!