Swimming is an enjoyable activity that is beneficial for our physical condition and well-being. However, certain measures must be taken to protect your hair when swimming in a pool. The products used for water maintenance are often harmful and can dry out or discolor hair, especially for people with blonde hair. Frequent drying after swimming can also weaken the hair fiber. If you swim often, it is therefore essential to remain vigilant and protect your hair to avoid finding yourself with green hair after several sessions.

The consequences of pool treatments on hair

Treatments applied to pool water can damage your hair. It will gradually lighten, particularly on the lengths, and this is even more apparent on colored, bleached, or highlighted hair. If care is not taken, blonde hair, which lacks pigment, can even acquire a greenish tint at the tips. This green hair from the pool can be very unsightly, as it is not always just reflections but sometimes a very marked green coloration.

What are the reasons for green hair in the pool?

Several factors explain this effect on hair. While heat from the hair dryer can contribute, pool treatments are primarily responsible for these problems.

• • The aggressiveness of chlorine

Chlorine is essential in swimming pools to eliminate bacteria, but it can be harmful to the skin, eyes, and hair of swimmers. Indeed, it tends to dry out the skin and hair, which can lead to irritation and itching, while discoloring and drying out the hair. Hair colors can then change or fade, while weakened blonde hair will be more sensitive to the algicides that cause the famous green tint.

• • Pool anti-algae products

It is the copper sulfate present in anti-algae products that is responsible for the green coloration that blonde hair can take on after swimming. In reality, it is the reaction between chlorine and copper sulfate that releases copper particles and creates a blue-green coloration that attaches to bleached hair.

• • The role of the plumbing system

It is also possible that the pipes supplying the pool contain copper. In this case, copper particles, responsible for the green coloration of blonde hair, will inevitably end up in the water.

How to prevent the green tint in hair?

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent hair from being damaged by pool water. Here is how to limit the risk of greening, or how to mitigate the damage if precautions were not enough.

Check that the chlorine level in your pool is appropriate; it should ideally be between 1.5 and 2 mg/liter. Use an anti-algicide free of heavy metals and with a neutral pH like Desalgine. Wear a silicone swim cap to protect your hair and apply a protective product (gel, oil, or spray) to the lengths. As soon as you get out of the water, rinse your hair and preferably let it air dry.

• • If the green coloration is already present

If you have not protected your hair sufficiently or if repeated swims have compromised its integrity, you can try this home solution: after washing your hair with a mild shampoo, apply a mask based on effervescent aspirin and lemon juice to the lengths and leave it on for ten minutes before rinsing carefully. If the green reflections persist, do not hesitate to consult a colorist who will know how to neutralize them with red pigments.