VERIFY QUESTION

As we dive into the unofficial start of summer, we are also unknowingly diving into a summer hair problem. Fellow blondes, you can relate -- you've often noticed your hair takes on a green tint after a brief dip in the pool.

Why do pools tend to turn blonde hair green? Let's comb through the truth.

VERIFY SOURCE

To VERIFY, we consulted the Materials Research Laboratory, co-sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the University of California - Santa Barbara. We also consulted the pool research website SwimUniversity.com.

VERIFY PROCESS

Both sources agree -- what turns blonde hair green in a swimming pool is not chlorine. At least, it's not chlorine, alone. Chlorine is clear, so the green comes from copper.

Copper is in many swimming pools, especially the ones filled from well water and those filled with algaecides. The chlorine oxidizes the copper and then binds the hair to protein strands. Simple chemistry causes the hair to turn greenish. This happens to all hair. It's just more noticeable on blonde hair.

So, is your hair safe in salt water pools? Not necessarily. Salt water pools take the salt and run it through an electrically-charged generator, essentially turning the salt into chlorine. When it reacts with copper, it creates the green.

VERIFY CONCLUSION

Copper causes hair to turn green when it reacts with chlorine or salt. Protect your hair by using a leave-in conditioner before swimming and washing your hair when you get out of the pool. You also could use a gloss coat that seals the hair cuticle. Or, you could just wear a swim cap.