Chlorine keeps a pool safe to train in, but it strips the same oils that protect your skin and hair. I trained five or six days a week for sixteen years, sometimes twice a day, so I know exactly what a season of pool water does to a body: dry patches, brittle ends, itchy scalp, sometimes a rash where a suit rubs. None of it is inevitable. A short routine before and after each session prevents most of it, and it takes less time than packing your bag.
Does chlorine actually damage skin and hair?
Yes, but indirectly. Chlorine itself is not what turns hair green or leaves skin flaky. It strips away the natural oils that normally coat your skin and hair shaft, so both dry out and become more porous. Once hair is porous, it absorbs metals dissolved in pool water, usually copper from algaecide or old plumbing, which oxidizes and gives that greenish tint. Dry, oil stripped skin is also more prone to irritation from suit fabric, chafing, and sun exposure at outdoor pools.
When should you rinse off after swimming?
Rinse within a few minutes of getting out, before your skin and hair dry with chlorine still sitting on them. My rule was always the same: a plain water shower for a minute or two before leaving the pool deck, even without soap. It washes away most residual chlorine before it dries onto hair and skin, and pool decks almost always have a rinse station for exactly this reason. If you only shower once you get home, twenty or thirty minutes later, the chlorine has had time to do more of its drying work.
Should you rinse before swimming too?
Yes, and it matters more than most swimmers realize. Wetting your hair and skin with clean water before you get in the pool means the hair shaft and skin absorb that water instead of pool water once you dive in. It is a simple form of saturation: hair that is already wet with fresh water soaks up less chlorinated water. Every competitive program I swam in built this into warm up without ever explaining why it helps.
What shampoo should swimmers use?
A swim specific or chelating shampoo works best because it is formulated to bind and remove metal deposits like copper and calcium, not just oil and dirt. Regular shampoo cleans hair but does not target those mineral deposits, so green tinting and dryness build up over a season even if you shower every day. Wash with a swim shampoo two to three times a week and use a regular gentle shampoo the rest of the week so you are not over stripping hair on top of what the pool already does. Follow with a conditioner every time you wash, focusing on the ends where damage shows first.
Does swimmers' hair really turn green from chlorine?
No, the green comes from copper, not from chlorine itself. Lab tests going back decades show hair exposed to dissolved copper turns green while hair in chlorinated water without copper does not, as this chemistry explainer from The Conversation lays out. Copper is common in algaecide and in some water systems' pipes, and chlorine's role is indirect: it roughens the hair so the copper binds more easily. Light or previously bleached hair shows the tint most because there is less natural pigment to mask it. A chelating shampoo used consistently removes existing buildup, and a swim cap cuts how much water reaches your hair in the first place, though it will not seal out all moisture.
How can you protect your skin during a swim?
Apply a thin layer of a water resistant moisturizer or barrier balm to areas prone to chafing and dryness before you get in: underarms, inner thighs, and any spot where a suit seam rubs. This is the same idea as the pre swim rinse, giving your skin something other than pool water to interact with first. For outdoor training, follow the American Academy of Dermatology's sunscreen guidance: a water resistant, broad spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, applied about 15 minutes before you go out, and reapplied after swimming. I did most of my training in outdoor pools in Brazil, and sun plus chlorine dries skin out faster than either one alone.
How do you prevent swimmer's ear?
Dry your ears fully after every session to avoid swimmer's ear, an infection that thrives in trapped moisture. Tilt your head to each side and gently pull the earlobe to help water drain, then dry the outer ear with a towel. Mayo Clinic's guidance on swimmer's ear describes a preventive mix of one part white vinegar to one part rubbing alcohol after swimming, which helps the ear dry and discourages bacterial growth. Check with a doctor or pharmacist before using any ear drops regularly, especially if you have ever had a perforated eardrum. For chronic sinus irritation from pool chemicals, a saline rinse after practice is a simple, low risk habit worth asking a doctor about.
Should swimmers moisturize daily?
Yes, ideally right after your post swim shower while skin is still slightly damp. Dermatologists recommend exactly this: the American Academy of Dermatology's dry skin tips call for applying moisturizer immediately after bathing, while skin is damp, because it traps water at the surface before it evaporates. Use a fragrance free lotion or cream on your whole body, paying extra attention to elbows, knees, and hands, which dry out fastest with frequent water exposure. This one habit, repeated daily, prevents most of the flaking and tightness swimmers associate with training season.
What is a simple post swim routine to build as a habit?
Keep it to four steps so it actually sticks:
- Rinse with plain water for a minute or two before you leave the pool deck.
- Wash hair with a chelating shampoo two to three times a week, conditioner every time.
- Dry ears thoroughly, tilting your head and toweling the outer ear.
- Moisturize skin while still damp, focusing on elbows, knees, and hands.
None of these steps take more than a couple of minutes, and together they prevent the dry skin, brittle hair, and ear irritation that make daily training feel worse than it needs to. Skin care is the recovery habit people skip; the fueling side matters just as much, and I cover it in what to eat before and after a swim workout. And if you are swimming for the long haul, is swimming good for your joints as you age covers what the sport does for the rest of your body.
If you want to see how your stroke technique is holding up over a season of training, not just how your skin and hair are handling it, join the SwimRead beta and get frame by frame feedback on your next filmed lap.