My hair is a bit longer than yours and is very thick though straight. I dive almost every weekend locally in fresh water and as often as I can in salt water. What works for me is 1) don't dive with freshly clean hair. It is drier and tends to tangle worse. 2) I pull it back in a tight pony tail at my neck with a hair tie (not a rubber band). Then I braid it tightly and secure the end with another hair tie. Lastly I fold the braid in half and secure with a 3rd hair tie. This secures all the long parts. Not much to do about the short pieces. 3) After diving I undo the first 2 hair ties and just separate the braid. Let it air dry for an hour or so since when my hair is wet it's really hard to brush out. Then I take a pick like they use for perms and pick through it. Once the ponytail is combed out I'll take down the pony tail and pick out the rest and rinse well if diving the next day otherwise I'll go ahead and wash it. If I dive 3 days in a row then I go ahead and wash it but condition it extra heavy. The leave in conditioners work but I have a really hard time getting distributed completely through my hair when it's dry. Hope that gives you some other options.
Salt water not so good on long hair...
- Thread starter Lexy
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debpope
Guest
Wouldn't it not be a good thing to use leave in conditioners? I only wonder because so many locations request that you do not use sunscreen because it is harmful to the reefs. Wouldn't the same apply for conditioner?
I have long wavy hair. I put it in a pony tail and deal with the tangles after diving by using spray conditioners and intense conditioning treatments in the shower.
The last DM I dove with also suggeted putting it in a pony tail and wearing a hood while diving.
I have long wavy hair. I put it in a pony tail and deal with the tangles after diving by using spray conditioners and intense conditioning treatments in the shower.
The last DM I dove with also suggeted putting it in a pony tail and wearing a hood while diving.
Don Burke
Contributor
I have switched to a horse shampoo, "Mane 'n Tail". It takes about three latherings to get all of the salt out.
http://www.manentail.com
http://www.manentail.com
good question...... will have to research it.debpope:
pennypue
Contributor
YOU are so d@mned adorable!!!!baitedstorm:
I tried ordering on of those hair glove things (actually two) but they were never shipped to me before my dive trip. And the guy tried to send them to me on Coz, but I don't think they got there YET. Hmmmmm.
I'm still searching for the perfect solution. I'm going to try the beanie next.
I find that if I wash my hair, then soak it in conditioner and THEN brush it out while in the shower it's a little better. Needless to say, I wear a hat and look like H for quite a while.
But hey, I'm there to dive, the beauty pagent is on the next beach over.
Mark Vlahos
Contributor
My hair is short for me right now. It is at the bottom of my shoulderblades. I usually let it grow to about 4 inches below my belt then I cut it and send it along to "Locks of Love" they have gotten three of my pony tails over the years.
As far as keeping it managable while diving the biggest and best thing I have discovered is to just put in the back of my wetsuit. If I am diving with a hood the entire mop goes inside. If I am diving in a wetsuit without a hood I keep it in a ponytail holder and ask my buddy to carefully shove the entire thing into the wetsuit and zip me up! The only thing I do is bend my head forward so I still have mobility. The hair does get a little tangled, but not anywhere near the mess it is when I used to keep it out.
The key for me seems to be to keep the hair confined, when it floats about freely in the water it becomes a giant tangled mess, when it is confined against my back inside the wetsuit it still gets a little tangled but this is somthing I can deal with. When I get a drysuit I will need to come up with a different solution, but for now while I dive wet my solution works well for me.
Mark Vlahos (A guy with long hair)
As far as keeping it managable while diving the biggest and best thing I have discovered is to just put in the back of my wetsuit. If I am diving with a hood the entire mop goes inside. If I am diving in a wetsuit without a hood I keep it in a ponytail holder and ask my buddy to carefully shove the entire thing into the wetsuit and zip me up! The only thing I do is bend my head forward so I still have mobility. The hair does get a little tangled, but not anywhere near the mess it is when I used to keep it out.
The key for me seems to be to keep the hair confined, when it floats about freely in the water it becomes a giant tangled mess, when it is confined against my back inside the wetsuit it still gets a little tangled but this is somthing I can deal with. When I get a drysuit I will need to come up with a different solution, but for now while I dive wet my solution works well for me.
Mark Vlahos (A guy with long hair)
OP
Lexy
Guest
Thank you for all of the fantastic ideas and feedback. Looks like I have a ton of options and will definitely give each a try. I come to scubaboarders with a problem and you guys always deliver a solution!!
Thanks eyasha! What part of Laguna do you dive? FYI ~ There's a ton of really nice folks in the So Cal section. We all dive on weekends and some weekdays too. I was down in Crescent this weekend. Had a gear failure on Sunday and had to call the dive... darn Atomic SS1. :icosm12:
eyasha:Side note - to wet your hair before or to rinse conditioner after dive, I saw a good idea at Laguna this weekend. This guy had an old costco size laundry detergent container filled with water, and used it for a shower by pressing the little spout. I will be borrowing that idea in the future!!
Good luck on saving that beautiful hair
eyasha_star@yahoo.com
Thanks eyasha! What part of Laguna do you dive? FYI ~ There's a ton of really nice folks in the So Cal section. We all dive on weekends and some weekdays too. I was down in Crescent this weekend. Had a gear failure on Sunday and had to call the dive... darn Atomic SS1. :icosm12:
eyasha
Contributor
I have only dove in Cresent and Shaw's so far in Laguna. Much better for body surfing than scuba . . . Just got my gear this weekend and had thought about the atomic, maybe I should be glad I opted for the other!
eyasha
Contributor
LOL My post didn't make sense. I meant that that waves on sunday at cresent were better for body surfing - I rolled around in the sand a little bit! Knocked down for the first time!
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