Chlorine Effects on the Skin and Hair

#1 : Loss of shine and flexibility in hair

Chlorine strips the naturals oils that over the hair, resulting in weak and brittle strands prone to breakage and damage. Soaking the hair in pool water can cause the hair shafts to absorb the chlorine, resulting in severe drying of the cuticles, resulting in limp and lifeless hair

#2 : Split ends and damaged strands

Chlorine can get between the hair fibres and once the chemical starts to crystallise within the hair shaft, the crystals can separate the fibres thus destroying the structural integrity of strands of hair, causing split ends and roughness

#3 Premature aging

Chlorine can seep into your skin through open pores. Over time, this can damage the skin, causing premature signs of aging. Chlorine also tends to strip the skin of the natural oils that keep skin supple and protected against the elements, causing it to dry up and crack, leading to wrinkles and lines

# 4 Dry and flaky skin

Spending long hours in the pool will exacerbate its effects on the skin. It worsens for those with sensitive skin, resulting in rashes or dry and flaky skin

#5 Chlorine can kill good bacteria

While chlorine is good at getting rid of the harmful bacteria that makes us sick, it is also capable of killing off good bacteria and beneficial microflora on which our healthy skin relies. 

#6 May increase cancer risk

Some studies show that chlorine may promote the generation of free radicals in the body and skin which are known to cause cancer. Drinking tap water with chlorine has linked to cancer in the bladder, bowel and breast,. Long term effects of drinking, bathing and swimming in the pool water may lead to malignant melanoma

Source : Mariefranceasia