Long, flowing hair adds a lot of beauty to a person’s appearance. But it is not always a blessing, definitely not when it comes to scuba diving. If you have ever gone diving, you will know that long hair and diving are not made for each other. While you are enjoying this water sport, you should keep all the hair out of your face. Long hair can easily get tangled and obstruct your vision under the water, and this can create issues or can even lead to dangerous consequences.
If you are learning to dive or planning to get enrolled in a scuba diving course, you should know how to properly secure your hair. Given below are some of the best tips for taking care of your hair when diving.
Your Hair Needs Protection
Of course, long hair is a blessing. That is exactly why you need to protect it from any kind of damage. When you are diving, the salty water can harm the natural color and texture of your hair.
While you want to enjoy the adventure of scuba diving to the fullest, you should also see to it that your beautiful hair remains safe. It is important to keep your hair moisturized at all times. But the chlorine and salt of the ocean water can take away the moisture of your hair and dry it up. With a little preparation in advance and adherence to some best tips, after you finish the dive, you can keep your hair well-protected and retain its natural beauty, shine, and texture.
There are several ways in which you can protect the natural look of your hair. First and foremost, you should remember not to shampoo the hair before you dive. Not applying shampoo pre-dive will keep the natural oils in the hair intact. This, as a result, will keep your long hair well-protected. There are several top-quality hair care products that you can apply on a regular basis for keeping your hair healthy. Before you dive, for example, you can apply a leave-in conditioner or a cream that will give your hair protection while you are enjoying scuba diving under the water. Use the days on which you are not diving to take good care of your hair.
Tips to Contain Your Long Hair While Diving
You don’t have to cut your hair short for the sport of diving. If you have long hair, you can use a number of ways to keep it contained. New divers need such tips and tricks more to fully enjoy the sport.
Wear a Hood:
One of the best ways to tackle the dive hair problem is to wear a hood. If you have never worn a hood before, just try it and you are definitely going to like it for what it is. Hoods allow you to keep your hair effectively contained while you are diving underwater. What is more, hoods come in a wide variety of styles. This means you can choose your favorite style too.
Use Headbands:
If you want to avoid obstruction while diving, you can choose to wear a headband. You can purchase headbands in a likable color from the market or you can make one yourself. All you need to do is wear it in a way that does not interfere with your diving mask.
Wear a Swimming Cap:
To keep the long hair out of your face, you can use a swimming cap too. In fact, many divers wear it to keep their hair tucked away and secured while they are under the water. Just make sure the swimming cap you get is one that snuggly fits your head size.
Use Head Scarves:
Think of these accessories as modified headbands. You might have seen divers wear these at many scuba diving destinations. For people with long hair, wearing a headscarf also works well. You will find these at most of the local scuba shops near diving locations. To properly secure them, you should wear the scarf in the correct manner. The diving scarf is provided with a wide strip, using which you can wear it properly to ensure it does not slip.
Suitable Hair Styles for Divers
Apart from using different types of headgear, it is also a great idea to style your long hair in a way that it remains secure and protected when diving. Such styles keep your hair tied so that the hair does not float and get tangled or interrupt your vision. Some of these hairstyles are as follows:
French Braids:
This hairstyle is more appropriate and effective when diving. Form a single braid and start it at the top of the head. Since this specific type of braid remains tightly interwoven, there is no chance that your hair will get undone or the strands will slip during scuba diving.
Pigtails:
If you are worried about how to wear your long hair during diving, you should try the pigtails hairstyle. Separate your hair down the middle and make two braids, keeping each of them equal. Many divers wear this style because the hair remains tightly braided and it will not slide around. In fact, this style works better than French braids, as you will not have to deal with tangles after you finish diving. After the dive, give your hair a careful comb.
Ponytails:
This is a hairstyle that works both for people with long hair and short hair. If you tie your hair in the form of a ponytail, it will prevent the hair from coming into the face for peaceful diving. Though it is easy to make a ponytail, you should form it in a proper manner so that there is no risk of getting it undone while you are under the water. For people with long hair, the ponytail should be positioned on the top of the head. If you have short hair, you should keep it at the nape of your neck. Just remember to place the ponytail either above or below the mask strap so as to avoid interference. If the ponytail is tied well and tight, it is an easy and effective way to keep your hair from obstructing your vision.
Taking Care of Your Long Hair After the Dive
Just like you prepare and style your hair before the start of the dive, you need to take care of your hair after the dive as well.
Long hair is never going to be a problem if you know how to protect it both before and after the dive. If you are under the water for a long time, the saltwater is going to take away the moisture of your hair. Your hair can get messy or tangled after the end of the diving session. After you have finished diving, take a look at your hair and give it the right treatment. Wash your hair thoroughly with fresh water as soon as you are out of the ocean water. The trick is to restore the moisture that long hours of diving may have taken away. Use the best quality hair care products such as shampoo and conditioner to ensure your hair is moisturized well.
It is a great idea to have a couple of hair care products in your dive bag. In this way, you can straight away apply the right products and give your hair the best care that it truly deserves. If your hair is braided, do not wash it right after you finish scuba diving. Just wait for some time and try to loosen the braids first. Remove the tangles slowly with a wide comb. You can also use a hair detangler to get rid of the tangles before you give the hair a good wash with fresh water.
Talk to a Dive Instructor for More Tips
If you are looking for clothing and accessories to contain your long hair or want more useful tips, head straight to the Scuba Schools of America, located in Montclair, California. Apart from having a professional dive store, we also offer a wide range of courses and programs such as Open Water Diver Class, Claremont College Scuba Program, SSI Scuba Skills Update, and SSI Specialty Programs as well as local and international dive travel.
You can reach out to us via a phone call or email. Fill out the contact form on our website and one of our representatives will get back to you shortly to answer all your questions about diving courses and gear.
