Why Does Chlorine Turn Hair Green?

On the hot days of summer, there’s nothing better than lounging in the pool to cool off. But if you’re hanging at the pool often and you have blonde hair, you may notice you are starting to get green hair from the chlorine.

The chlorine used to sanitize the pool is one reason your hair turns green. However, there are other factors at play.

Copper also contributes to the dull green hue your hair gets after being in the pool. It’s similar to the green patina a copper penny gets when exposed to water.

The copper in your pool can come from the water you use to fill the pool or algaecides used to kill the algae. The copper bonds with the chlorine forming a film that sticks to the proteins in your hair strands and turns it green.

Yes, you can get green chlorine hair from a saltwater pool like a traditional chlorine pool. Saltwater pools still require chlorine to stay clean, just not as much chlorine as a regular pool. Using high copper content water in your saltwater pool will also turn your hair green.

If your hair is prone to turning green from time in the pool, you may want to wear a swim cap the next time you go for a swim. According to Swim University, other steps you can take to prevent your blonde hair from turning green include:

• Wash your hair immediately after you get out of the pool

• Use a swimmer’s shampoo formulated to get the green out

• Apply leave-in conditioner to your hair before getting in the pool to coat your hair shaft,

• Rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar or use a hot oil treatment to seal the hair cuticle.

If your hair has already turned green, before you run out to buy a hair coloring kit (which could actually make matters worse), try one of these natural remedies for fixing your green chlorine hair.