Summer is fast approaching and what's the #1 thing most people are looking forward to....hitting the beach and pools! Well, the question is how do I protect my hair and still have fun in the sun? I did some Googling to find tips on the best ways to protect and treat your hair before, during and after swimming. Here's an article I spotted on ehow.com....

Summer can be rough on hair. Chlorine and sea water can leave hair dry and brittle. One option is to keep hair tied up and not put your head under the water. Another choice is to wear a rubber cap on your hair. But if you enjoy the feeling of your hair floating freely in the water, there are other steps you can take. With just a few minutes worth of effort and some cheap supplies, you can protect your hair while swimming and still have beautiful hair.

1. Soak hair with tap water before going into the pool or ocean. When your hair is full of water, it will soak up less chlorine or salt.

2. Don't wash your hair with shampoo before a swim. Your hair has natural oils which protect against the harsh pool chemicals and sea salt. If you wash your hair with shampoo before a swim, it strips away this natural protection and leaves hair vulnerable.

3. If you swim often, use neem oil on hair before swimming to protect and hydrate.

4. Sesame oil is a natural blocker of UV rays. Apply to hair before sunbathing.

5. Use a detox shampoo after swimming to remove chlorine. Or you can mix your shampoo with baking soda to remove some of the chlorine and chemicals from hair.

6. Wash scalp, not long hair. The soap will rinse down through tresses providing a thorough cleaning without over drying.

7. Deep condition weekly. While conditioner is on head, cover hair with a silk wrap to get a more intense conditioning. Don't wrap hair in a towel because cotton will soak up the conditioner. Conditioning while in the sauna will also give a deeper conditioning.

I'll definetly be putting some of  this info to use when the weather warms up. Read more from PJ Willams at EHow.com HERE!

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