Growing up, kids may feel uncomfortable wearing swimming
caps, but there are now many styles and colors to choose
from. Some swim caps are made to keep hair out of the
face and others are made to keep water off the hair.
Here is a breakdown of the types of swim caps available:
●
Lycra Lightweight swim caps
designed to keep hair away from the face. They are not
effective in keeping water out of the hair. Lycra swim caps
are on average, $5 a piece and can be found online or
sometimes in stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods or KMart.
●
Silicone A heavier duty swim
cap that keeps some of the water out. It is softer on the
hair and comes in a variety of designs and styles. They also
come in larger sizes for longer, thicker hair. The average
price range is $9-15.
●
Latex Theses are the most
popular swim caps and have a very tight fit. Many may not
like the way they may pull on the hair, so you could layer
swim caps, using a lycra one first, then the latex. You
could also try a satin like wave cap before placing the
latex cap on. Lycra swim caps are available for under $5
online and at local stores like Target and Walmart.
If
you’re not a swim cap wearer, try wearing twists or
braids to protect your hair, mainly the ends of the
hair. Applying conditioner to the hair and plaiting it
or placing it in several large twists will also protect
the hair while swimming. Or if you prefer not to use
conditioner, olive oil will protect the the hair as
well. The creamy conditioners work well for this, as
they provide a protective coating on the hair strands
and helps to keep the hair soft-combating the effects of
chlorine and extreme sunlight. For shorter hair,
applying conditioner is a good practice to adopt, every
time you swim. Even if you do wear a swim cap, applying
conditioner helps as edges may be slightly exposed.
Some
key items to take with you on your swim outing:
●
elastic bands
●
a large fabric headband
●
barrettes
●
a wide tooth comb
●
plastic combs
A
question often posed is “what will I do to my hair
after I swim? A lot of times, people may not go
right home after water recreation. In the event that you
don’t condition and plait your hair before swimming, you
can create a large french braid, or a few cornrows into
a small bun after swimming. For shorter hair, you can
fancy up by placing a cute headband, flower or
decorative clips in your hair until you get home or you
can try a great headwrap which looks great and covers
your hair until you can get home. Having these essential
items is great for family reunions when you will be in
and out of the water all day or if you’re at an
amusement park.
Once
you’re done swimming and have made it home or to your
destination, treating the hair with a swimmer’s shampoo
is important. Swimmer’s shampoo like Ion Swimmer’s
Shampoo (available at Sally’s) Aubrey Organics Swimmer’s
Shampoo or Ultraswim Chlorine Removal is formulated to
remove the chlorine from the hair and aids to prevent
hard hair and excessive dryness from combinations of
heat, sunlight, chlorine, salt water or even fresh
water.
More
families can enjoy water recreation this Summer by including
these tips to protect the hair from the common issues and
concerns with swimming.
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