Is chlorine bad for your hair and skin? Over time, yes. Discover the effects of chlorine exposure and how Canopy's water filtration solutions help all summer long.
Swimming is a fun way to stay active and fit. But if you regularly immerse yourself in chlorinated water at pools and water parks, you may wonder: Is chlorine bad for your hair and skin? Over time, yes, and coupled with hard water at home, constant heat and sun exposure, you'll need to show your hair and skin a little extra love this season to keep them looking and feeling their best.
Though the smell of chlorine can trigger nostalgic memories of sun-soaked, carefree days, it's important to be intentional in combating the effects. Chlorine, a common disinfectant, is used in most water treatment facilities and pools to kill bacteria and viruses. Although the chemical makes tap water safe at home and pool water safe for swimmers, its inclusion comes at a cost.
The effects of chlorine on skin and hair are wide-ranging. Canopy water filtration devices can help improve the water quality in your bathroom. Read on to learn more about these innovative products, plus tips on how to protect your skin and hair from increased chlorine exposure. Fresher water means happier hair and skin.
How Does Chlorine Affect Skin and Hair?
By knowing the toll overexposure to chlorine can take on your skin and hair, you can take steps to protect both this summer and beyond.
The Effects of Chlorine on Skin
Is chlorine bad for your skin? The disinfectant can strip skin of its natural oils, compromising the skin barrier. Prolonged exposure can contribute to dryness, visible signs of premature aging, and increased sensitivity. Frequent swimmers or those with sensitive skin may also develop a rash or notice flare-ups of eczema and dermatitis after long pool days1. Chlorine and chloramines (byproducts of chlorine reacting with organic material) can also accelerate skin aging by breaking down collagen and elastin2.
The Effects of Excess Chlorine on Hair
Does chlorine damage hair? The short answer is yes. As with skin, it has a super-drying effect on your locks. Dry hair is brittle hair, making it more prone to breakage. It can also irritate your scalp and alter the color of both natural and dyed hair, particularly for those with lighter tresses. People with thin, fine, chemically treated, damaged, or dry hair are more prone to further damage3.
Why Kids Can Be More Sensitive to Chlorine Overexposure
As parents know, little ones have more sensitive systems than adults. Youngsters' skin, hair, and eyes are certainly thinner and more delicate than those of adults, so adverse effects may develop even sooner4.
And kids also tend to swim more and stay in the water longer than adults. Luckily, there are things we can do to help protect the whole fam from excess chlorine.
How to Manage Chlorine Exposure
Aside from avoiding prolonged exposure to chlorinated water in pools and water parks, here are suggestions for how to protect your hair from chlorine and minimize the damaging effects on your skin. This way, you can soak up all that luscious summer fun. With a little more self-care before and after, you'll keep your skin and hair uncompromised, too.
Before Swimming
If possible, check the pool chemistry to be sure everything is properly balanced.
Rinse your hair and body before taking the plunge. Your hair and skin will absorb that water first, minimizing the amount of chlorine absorbed3.
Apply a leave-in conditioner, coconut oil, olive oil, or other natural oils to your hair. The oil creates a protective barrier and keeps hair moisturized. Wear a swim cap for additional protection.
Apply water-resistant sunscreen and let it absorb for 15 minutes before applying coconut oil. Doing so will preserve your natural skin pH and provide another protective layer5.
After Swimming
Don't skip that post-swim everything shower or bath — it's your opportunity to wash away chlorine. Using unfiltered tap water is ill-advised because it's also chlorinated (though not as much as a swimming pool).
Limiting at-home chlorine exposure supports healthier-looking hair and skin. Our devices, including the Filtered Showerhead and Bathtub Filter, use granular activated carbon, KDF-55 (a copper-zinc mixture), and calcium sulfite to reduce chlorine in the water supply.
Use a gentle cleanser to wash your face and a sulfate-free shampoo. Using a Canopy Water Filtration device will reduce dryness-causing contaminants, further supporting skin and hair health. Apply a leave-in conditioner, then let your hair air-dry.
Apply a face moisturizer and a body moisturizer containing ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, coconut oil, or jojoba oil to replenish the skin barrier1.
Canopy is your choice for reimagined household devices that effortlessly optimize your home for beauty and wellness. And we're ready to help you maintain healthier-looking skin and hair this summer with our complete line of water filtration products, including the Handheld Filtered Showerhead, which can make bath time safer for babies, and our Mini Filtered Showerhead. This compact shower head is perfect for small spaces and has the same easy, renter-friendly installation process as our other shower heads.
Sources:
- Swimming and Skincare: How to Protect Your Skin and Hair from Chlorine Effects. Borealis Dermatology. (1 August 2024). Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://borealisderm.com/blog/swimming-and-skincare-how-to-protect-your-skin-and-hair-from-chlorine-effects/
- Effects of Chlorine and Hard Water On Skin: Top Skin Problems and Solutions. Clean Water Store. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.cleanwaterstore.com/blog/effects-chlorine-hard-water-skin/
- (3 September 2021). 9 Tips to Protect Your Hair from Chlorine. Form Swim. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://www.formswim.com/blogs/all/9-tips-to-protect-your-hair-from-chlorine
- Chlorine and Kids: How Pool Water Affects Skin, Hair, and Eyes (And What Parents Can Do). Felix's Swim School. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://felixswimschools.com/chlorine-and-kids-pool-effects
- Schreiber, J. (2 June 2023). Pool Time: How To Protect Against the Side Effects of Chlorine. Children's Wisconsin. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://childrenswi.org/at-every-turn/stories/2023/06/chlorine-safety
