Does Chlorine Damage Your Beard? What Every Swimmer Should Know

Introduction

Many men say that the sun is to blame after spending a day at the pool, but as many as they may have seen the beard. After swimming, it feels a bit rough, so you wash it, and put beard oil on it, and you're hoping that you have it soften up by evening. On the other hand, the following morning, it feels stiffer, the ends are brittle, and it loses its shine with each time that you swim in it. Since nothing comes back to the beard you used before pool season, you'll need to switch to a higher quality oil or use more of it, or wash your beard less often.

Few weeks later, you wonder if having a beard and swimming together are not a mix of things. A few weeks later, one starts to ask themselves if it is just not beard and swimming together. The pattern is repeated so often many men think that chlorine would permanently dry their facial hair. In reality, your beard will change in some ways, after every swam. The bigger problem is what happens to your beard when it has to deal with repeated exposure to chlorine which strips away the protective layer it possesses. However, after each swim to the pool, the beard might look slightly worse if the cycle starts.

What's Really Happening to Your Beard

When your beard is wet, it may look normal, but as soon as it dries, it becomes coarse and stiffly so. The ends of the beard become rough and the beard is not soft before it goes into the water. If you don't change anything else, this is a challenge to style the beard and results in a dull look. Organic contaminants found in pool water will be destroyed by the chlorine. It also takes away a small amount of the natural oil coating on beard hair that helps keep it soft and moist when handling it a lot.

Fix it:

Rinse beard with fresh, lukewarm water for 60-90 seconds, as soon as possible after swimming. If you have been swimming in the pool for more than 30 minutes use soft beard cleaner to wash it. Use a microfiber in the beard, don't rub.This will eliminate any residual chlorine before it starts further drying out of hair and lessens the rubbing that can further damage stressed hair.

Why Beard Oil Alone Is Not Enough to Fix Chlorine-Damaged Hair

Unfortunately, beard oil alone is not enough to fix chlorine-damaged hair.Beards get dry after a swim, many men apply more oil to their beards after a swim. Although it may make a brief improvement in the surface for a short while, the roughness soon returns. This often leads to "overdosing" the beard and causing it to be heavier than it needs to be or better.

Chlorine not only removes surface oils. Also it temporarily dehydrates hair, which means there is only limited improvement that can be made with the oil alone without prior moisturizing.

Fix it:

Spray your beard with clean water to lightly dampen. Use a small pea-sized amount (or 2 pea-sized amounts for longer beards) of a beard leave in conditioner. At the end of 2 minutes add 2-4 drops of beard oil. This is done prior to sealing the hair with oil so that the hair has a better chance of recovering, and the hair inside will be moistened.

Why Frequent Swimming Causes Gradual Breakage

As the weave grows, there are several reasons why frequent swimming will cause gradual breakage:If you swim a lot, you might see more short beard hairs in the shower or on your clothes. Although it is still growing, the beard could start to look thinner around the edges. When the beard doesn't break evenly, it seems sparse and it may not be neatly trimmed.

Excessive chlorine use causes the outer hair shaft layer to become brittle. Dry strands are more prone to snapping than bending when vigorously brushed or rubbed with a towel.

Fix it:

After swimming, avoid brushing the beard until it has been conditioned and has rested for about 10 minutes. If you are going to use a beard brush, start from the ends and use a wide tooth comb up to the rest of your beard. This will help to alleviate any unnecessary stress on temporarily weaker hair after chlorine.

Another detail is left unmentioned.

Why Hot Showers Make Your Beard Even Drier

Hot showers dries your beard with chlorine make some sense. The notion that hot showers dry hair that is damaged by chlorine is not far from the truth.Many men after swimming immediately enter a hot shower. It's invigorating but the beard can be even coarser later in the day.Chlorine residue and super-heated water eliminate even more of the naturally occurring oils that nourish facial hair.

Fix it:

Take short showers, 5-7 minutes maximum. Rinse your beard for a final 15-20 seconds with cool water before drying. This aids to soothe the cuticle of the hair strands and also slows down further loss of moisture from the hair.But this is not the end of the process of recovery.

Why is Weekly Deep Conditioning Better Than Daily Oil?

Chlorinated beards become less elastic over time when they are exposed to the chlorine several times a week. Daily oil makes a difference in the appearance, but the underlining dryness keeps on increasing. The beard eventually turns brittle and frizzy.

Fix it:

Use a deep conditioning beard mask once a week after cleansing. Keep it on for 10–15 minutes and then rinse it off well with lukewarm water. As soon as beard is about 80% dry, apply 3-5 drops of beard oil.Deep conditioning replenishes moisture into the hair, rather than just on the outside.There is one more habit you can adopt that will help avoid some of this damage in the first place.

A Step Before Swimming That Helps Protect Your Beard from Chlorine

When swimming, most swimmers concentrate on recovery, and neglect preparation. Dry beard hair absorbs chlorinated water more than already clean water-soaked hair.

Fix it:

Make sure your beard is completely wet with fresh water for 30-45 seconds before entering the pool. Take 2-3 drops of the beard oil/beard conditioner the light stuff and apply it as a protective layer if you are going to be swimming for over 20 minutes. This minimises the water the beard needs to absorb since it is chlorinated, making recovery after a swim much easier.

Conclusion

The majority of guys believe that it is impossible to avoid chlorine pool damage, but the beard isn't likely to be damaged after just one swim. The true problem arises when oil is used as the sole recovery step, and the practices of repeated exposure, delayed rinsing, harsh drying are used. All of these habits contribute to the beard being rougher, weaker and more difficult to maintain over time.

It takes only a little more time to have a better routine. Before swimming, wet your beard with fresh water, then rinse it out after exiting the swimming pool; only apply a mild beard cleanser when necessary, apply a leave-in conditioner and finish with a small amount of beard oil. Use a deep conditioning treatment 1 time per week if you swim often, and refrain from hot showers right after swimming.

Your beard will become less stiff in the first couple of swims after you have dried it. With regular treatment, the hair should become softer, easier to comb and less brittle after two- to three weeks. Swimming frequently during the season this helps to avoid damage building up over time.

This will not heal or cure broken hair beyond the shaft or the medical conditions that affect beard growth. It will also not affect the natural coarse texture of the beard. The way it does it is that it minimises the dryness that occurs as a result of routine chlorine use, resulting in healthier beards between swims, rather than after a swim.

FAQs

Is there any permanent damage to beard hair?

No. The majority of the beard's moisture and natural oils are removed by chlorine. Most chlorine-related dryness can be enhanced with regular conditioning and good post-swim care.

When should I wash my beard after swimming?

Try and wash your beard with clean water as soon as you exit the pool. Within an hour of swimming use a mild beard cleaner if swimming longer than 30 minutes.

Can I swim each day without damaging my beard?

Yes, but swimmers need a program of recovery. Regularly rinse, deep condition weekly and don't overwash to prevent long-term dryness and breakage.

Is it better to apply beard oil prior to or after swimming?

Both can be of assistance, in some sense, but in different ways. Oil can be applied after conditioning to regain softness after rinsing off the chlorine and a little bit before swimming helps as a protective layer.

Why does my beard feel crunchy after going to the pool?

The stiff feeling is typically due to chlorine residue and loss of natural oils. The beard's hair becomes less flexible as it dries out until moisture is reintroduced.

Is beard oil better than beard conditioner after being exposed to chlorine?

Yes, after you have finished swimming. With beard oil you are able to keep moisture in and with conditioner you can get moisture in the beard. They produce a better result when combined with oil, rather than oil alone.

Will pool chlorine and salt water damage the beard as well?

Each has their unique way of drying the beard. Saltwater absorbs moisture from the hair and chlorine removes fats that protect the hair, and can damage the outer layer of the hair over time.