Summer is right around the corner.

Along with summer comes increased opportunities to jump into the swimming pool for cooling fun and exercise. Swimming and water exercise is great for the body, but hard on the hair.

Protect your hair while swimming in the swimming pool, so your tresses can be a beautiful as your slimmed and toned body.

The chemicals used by public swimming pools are used to kill bacteria that can breed in the water and cause illness. These same chemicals, cause the hair to dry out and give your crowning glory a frazzled appearance.

If you have colored, or bleached, hair, the chemicals can discolor the hair, turning it green.

Green hair might be fun on St. Patrick's Day, but other than that, it is not a good fashion look.

Take simple steps to protect your hair when going to a pool party, the health club, or staying at a hotel with a swimming pool.

Wet hair with tap water before going into the swimming pool.

Soak the hair in the shower before entering the pool. Hair that is already saturated with water is less likely to absorb the swimming pool chemicals.

Apply a thin strip of petroleum jelly around the edges of the cap to minimize the amount of water penetrating to the hair beneath.

If using a swim cap is unsuitable for you, then you have to accept that your hair will need some treatment to help neutralize the chlorine levels to which it is exposed.

Short hair is easy to get into a swim cap, especially for men.

Medium hair (4-6 inches/10-15cm) requires a little more work, but still remains on the simple side of getting into a swim cap.

Long hair (over 6 inches/15 cm) means that an inexpensive swim cap is not the best option and restraining the hair is necessary before the cap goes on the head.

Long hair tucked inside a swim cap will likely get wet as its weight will pull it from the cap. Long hair should be affixed to the crown of the head with flat barrettes or gripped into a tail with elastics in intervals. Coil the tail on the top of the head for best results.

Tie hair up. If your hair is long enough, pull it into a ponytail on top of your head and secure the ends under the rubber band. Unless you are going to submerge your head in the water, this helps to keep most of the hair dry.

Tying up the hair also prevents the loose hair from floating into the pool and clogging the pool filter

Take care not to rip the interior of the cap with the barrettes by using clip style flat barrettes and only using elastics with no metal clip.

Alternatively, turning the head upside down to insert the hair into the crown of the swim cap will put very little pressure on the head and will use the head to prevent the hair from slipping out of the bonnet. This method does take practice

Wear a swimming cap. Some public swimming pools require a swimming cap, but many do not.

The caps protect the pool and your hair.

Hair conditioner helps to coat the hair.

Apply hair conditioner before entering the swimming pool.

Be careful with conditioner because the oils in the conditioner may not be good for the swimming pool.

Apply hair conditioner and tie the hair up or cover hair with a swimming cap.

Wearing the hair conditioner under the swimming cap gives the added bonus of a conditioning treatment for the hair.

Shampoo hair immediately after leaving the swimming pool.

Shower and shampoo immediately so the pool chemicals are not allowed to dry on the skin and hair.

Condition your hair. Hair conditioner helps to keep your crowning glory in peak shape at all times.

A deep conditioning treatment adds moisture and shine to hair.

Clarifying shampoos are designed for occasional use, rather than everyday use.

Deep condition weekly. A deep moisturizing treatment restores body and shine to tresses.

Ask your hair stylist for recommendations.
Most swim caps recommend on the label that the user should wet hair before putting on the cap for their comfort.

Dry hair will produce static electricity while moving around inside the cap.

Upon removal, the hair pulls. When wet, hair produces no static electricity.

Rubber swim caps prevent heat from escaping the body through the top of the head.

If the hair is wet, it will help cool the body during wear or the swim cap.

A swim cap will definitely protect hair from the chlorine of the pool or the salt of the sea.

When used properly, a swim cap can also keep your hair dry.

By following a few of these simple steps can keep hair healthy and hair dry with a swim cap.