Why Does Hair Turn Green in the Pool
If you have blonde hair and enjoy swimming, you may be all too familiar with the green tint your hair may take on. We’ll go over why exactly this happens and provide some helpful tips on how to avoid this. Keep your hair looking healthy all year round.
Is the culprit really chlorine?
If you’re familiar with the green tint phenomenon, you may also be familiar with the blame being placed on chlorine. This isn’t completely accurate, though. Rather, the blame should be placed on copper and hard metals. You may be wondering where these hard metals come from. Well, it’s actually present in most of our tap and well water. Chlorine’s role in this process comes into play because it works to oxidize hard metals.
Once oxidation occurs, it can cling to porous material, such as human hair. Oxidized metals take on a green tint. The best example of this can be found on the Statue of Liberty. Lady Liberty is oxidized copper. So it has completely taken on the green tint we’ve become very familiar with.
“I have blonde hair, how can I avoid this?”
If you’re swimming in public pools which you don’t have too much control over, the best solution is to apply a leave-in conditioner. This acts as a barrier to somewhat protect your hair from the copper. Once you’ve completed swimming for the day, it’s best to complete a shampoo and condition cycle to minimize build up.
If you have your own pool, there are a few additional steps you can take to minimize the green hair effect. The simplest shift is to use a copper-free algaecide. You can also deliver fresh water to fill your pool which is free of the hard metals you’d find in tap water. Alternatively, you can add a filter to your hose to minimize metals in your pool water.
Tips for exposed hair taking on the green tint
There are several products on the market to remedy the tint. There are also several home remedies that people claim help too. Below is a list of some of the methods people have found success with:
Baking soda or ground up aspiring & water paste — mixing these two ingredients creates a paste that you can apply to your hair. Let it sit and then shampoo and condition your hair.
Ketchup — As odd as this may seem, the deep color and acidity can counteract the green. Apply evenly and cover with tin foil. After a half hour, rinse, shampoo and condition thoroughly.
Lemon juice — For a natural remedy, douse your hair with lemon juice and then shampoo and condition.
Having trouble with your pool water? Call today!
If you’re thinking about making some changes to your pool or struggling to keep the water in good condition, don’t hesitate to call our team at Pool Works Pools & Spas. Not only can we work with you to help you attain the pool of your dreams, but we can also ensure your upkeep and maintenance is on point with where you should be.
