Let’s be honest—swimming with hair extensions can be a hit or miss and often times just straight up intimidating. Neither chlorine nor saltwater is great for your curls, so things can easily go wrong, but if you’ve been wondering if you can swim with hair extensions, the short answer is yes, you can absolutely rock your extensions while swimming. However, unless you want your expensive extensions to turn into a tangled mess, there is a right way to do it. Keep scrolling for our top tips on how to swim with your curly extensions.
Can You Swim With Tape-In Extensions?
You can swim with tape-in extensions. The adhesive strips used for installing tape-ins are relatively sturdy and can withstand a moderate amount of water exposure. However, this does not mean you should drench them in the pool for too long.
The chlorine and salt in pools, lakes, and oceans can weaken the bonds on your tape-ins with prolonged exposure, so although you can swim with your tape-ins, it is important to avoid leaving them for too long in the water and also take precautions to keep the tapes secure.
Does Chlorine Ruin Hair Extensions?
Chlorine does not exactly“ruin” hair extensions instantly, but it can cause damage over time if you’re not careful. Exposing your extensions to chlorine for too long makes them dry and brittle, but it can also make them more prone to tangles, weakening of adhesives, and the dreaded hair colour change.
Can You Wear Hair Extensions In Water?
You can wear your hair extensions in water. However, it depends on the kind of extensions, as some options, like lace wigs installed with glue, are not suitable for swimming. Here is a breakdown of the most common hair extension methods and how they behave when exposed to water.
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Clip-ins: Can be worn when swimming, but the hair must be put in a secure braid or ponytail, as they can easily fall out and cause tangles.
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Tape-ins: Safe but not recommended for long-term exposure. Perfect when you want to take a quick dip in the pool, but not if you’re spending a lot of time doing water sports
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Sew-ins: secure and safe, but still require proper aftercare
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Microlinks / I-tips: Safe, although the beads may feel heavier when wet.
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Wigs: Fine if it’s a glueless unit or headband wigs, but glued lace installs are a big no-no.
How To Prep Your Hair Extensions Before Swimming
If you want to keep your hair extensions in perfect shape after swimming, prepping them before you dive in is important.
1. Use A Leave-In Conditioner
Start by drenching your hair in water and then apply a generous amount of leave-in conditioner. This will prevent your hair from absorbing too much of the chlorinated or salty water while you swim, resulting in fewer tangles and damage.
2. Put Your Hair In A Protective Style
If you wear your hair loose in the water, that is a recipe for tangles, dryness, and damage. Before jumping into the pool or sea, put your hair in a simple protective style like a ponytail, plaits, braids, or a bun. Doing this will keep all your hair secured in one place and prevent the extensions from floating around too much in the water and soaking up all the drying salt and chlorine. Most importantly, it will help you avoid tangles.
3. Wear A Swim Cap
The easiest way to protect your extensions before you swim is to keep everything covered with a swim cap. This option is ideal for frequent swimmers or those who don’t want to put their hair in a protective style. The cap will limit how much water touches your hair.
After-Care Routine For Swimming With Hair Extensions
1. Rinse Your Hair
As soon as you leave the water, rinse your hair thoroughly with clean tap water to remove any mineral or chemical residue in your strands. If your hair is in a protective braid, loosen it to ensure every strand soaks up enough water. Then gently dry your hair with a microfiber towel.
2. Co-wash
If you were in the pool for a really long time, cleansing with a cowash is a great way to remove any extra salt or chlorine residue without further drying out your extensions. Use a moisturising conditioner or cowash product to wash your hair, but avoid scrubbing too hard or tugging on the roots where the extensions are attached. Most of your focus should be on the middle to the ends of the extensions. Additionally, you can lightly finger-detangle while cowashing to release any knots or tangles.
3. Detangle With Care
After cleaning your hair, it is important to detangle your hair with care. Apply a little moisturiser or leave-in conditioner and gently detangle from the ends to the roots using a detangling brush or wide-tooth comb.
4. Air Dry And Oil Your Hair
To revive the shine and softness of your extensions, finish with a little bit of your favourite hair oil and then let it air dry completely before trying to style or manipulate the extensions again.
Final Thoughts
With the right care, your extensions can handle pool days, beach days, holidays, and everything in between. All you need is good prep and an after-care routine to protect your curls, and your extensions will remain in perfect condition no matter how often you swim with them. Most importantly, make sure you use quality extensions like our 100% human hair kinky curly extensions, which are less prone to damage and tangles.