Don't forget your hair this summer! DERMAdoctor-proven strategies to minimize chlorine and sun damage

My husband, David, only uses a pea-sized amount of shampoo each time he washes his thinning, dirty blonde hair.

Why am I telling you this, you may ask? It's because he uses such small amounts that it takes him years to get through a single bottle. I know this because I am in charge of shopping for such items in our household.

Each time he runs out (which has only been about five times in the course of our courtship), I am charged with searching high-and-low for shampoo that gets the chlorine out as my husband's year round exercise of choice is swimming. This is no easy task and often I must visit several different chain and mom-and-pop drug stores to find such a shampoo especially in winter when sunscreen and other seasonal products are scarce. Fortunately, I usually come through for him.

And that's a good thing because as it turns out the same chlorine that sanitizes pools can also cause us to lose our hair (something that David cannot afford). Recently, an extreme situation made the news. A school pool in Sharonville, Ohio was forced to close temporarily when the pool's chlorine system failed and continuously gave a reading indicating the pool needed more chlorine. As a result, the system kept adding chlorine. High school swimmers started complaining of hair loss as chlorine can dry out hair to the point that it breaks.

You see, the cortex, or inner layer, of hair is protected by the cuticle, or outer later. The chlorine in pools sucks a natural, protective lubricant out of hair, which may cause the cuticle to crack. This results in a diminished shine and sheen, split ends, breakage and hair loss. Besides these problems "swimmers' hair" is classically bleached in color. In fact, blonde hair can even turn green. Some swimmers also report scalp tingling or discomfort.

While people with chlorine allergies may be at a higher risk of such problems, this chemical can affect all swimmers. And it's not just chlorine that damages hair. The summer sun can further dry out hair, causing even more styling misery. But there are some ways to protect your mane from the ravages of chlorine and ultraviolet rays while still enjoying your summer. For starters, make sure that the pool you're using checks their chlorine levels properly and has good ventilation. The best way to do this is to ask the person in charge of maintenance. If there is no-one in charge, that should be a red flag that the pool is not being properly maintained.

Put a lid on it. Many public pools require swimmers to wear bathing caps, but even if they don't, wear one. Rubber bathing caps, in particular, help form a protective layer form the pool water.

Use anti-chlorine hair products after swimming.

Several are designed to get the chlorine out including:

• Triswim Shampoo
• UltraSwim Ultra Repair Conditioner
• California Baby Swimmer's Defense Shampoo & Body Wash
• California Baby Swimmer's Defense Hair Conditioner

They will nourish and condition hair while removing chlorine and chlorine odor. They also help remove copper deposits and other oxidized metals that can cause lighter colored hair to take on a greenish hue.

Go light. Hair coloring, perming, waves, hot curlers/combs and blow dryers can all damage the hair, augmenting chlorine and sun damage. When you do blow dry your hair, use only on medium or cool settings.

Go wide. Use a wide-tooth comb, not a brush, to detangle wet hair as it causes less injury.

Go deep. Deep conditioners such as Tricomin Deep Conditioning Treatment help breathe new life into damaged, over-processed or chemically treated hair. For deep conditioning, use a shower cap and cover hair with a towel after applying the treatment; this uses the heat from your head to help products penetrate. Do it once a week.

Ante-up your styling aids. When choosing styling aids, look for ones that contain UV protectors and anti-oxidants. They'll help prevent damage and keep your hair color as you like it. UV light produces damaging free radicals, but antioxidants soak up free radicals; protecting your precious mane.

Denise Mann
DERMAdoctor Staff Writer

(Any topic discussed in this article is not intended as medical advice. If you have a medical concern, please check with your doctor.)

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