# Should I get a bathing cap?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 7, 2008, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118 "2008-06-07T12:10:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2008, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118/1 "2008-06-07T12:10:54Z")
I’d like to start swimming this summer, and I have my hair colored. I’m not a big fan of caps, but would it be better to use one?
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### Author:  [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118/2 "2008-06-07T13:41:40Z")
My disdain for caps stopped when I stopped thinking of them as a way to keep my hair dry. They’re to keep my hair out of my way. Before I swim I get my hair wet (damp, not dripping) and put a little leave in conditioner in it. That makes the cap easier to put on and stops - okay significantly reduces- the pulling at the nape of my neck.
I’m not an expert on the care and feeding of color treated hair, but I have heard that chlorine affects dyed hair. I don’t color mine (too lazy and cheap) but pool water really dries it out.
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### Author:  [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118/3 "2008-06-07T14:49:07Z")
My hair is very short, but I still use a cap.
It is not really for keeping your hair dry, you should wet your hair first with regular water and then put it on. Caps help keep the pool’s chemicals from saturating your hair and the regular water helps that even future along. Sometimes I will slather a bit of conditioner in there before the cap goes on. Not so much that I create bubbles after me when I swim. It’s less than a dimesize amount.
I’ve never had my dyed hair change any colors from years of doing this.
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### Author:  [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118/4 "2008-06-07T14:52:55Z")
Caps are not all the expensive, and I can never remember what kind I get: latex or silicone, but I think it is the latter as they tend to be less smelly and last longer.
Caring for your cap is as simple as making sure you towel it off inside and out after rinsing and then storing it in something that breathes.
I’ve had caps last me a very long time and my biggest problem has been losing them more than ripping them, which I’ve never done. YMMV.
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2008, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118/5 "2008-06-07T17:10:29Z")
That’s the main reason-to keep the chlorine out. I don’t care if my hair gets wet, but I don’t want my color job ruined. (Speaking of which, I need to get my roots touched up!)
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### Author:  [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118/6 "2008-06-07T19:31:04Z")
If you have long hair, a bathing cap also works must better than a hair elastic to keep stray strands out of your face. I’d strongly recommend one.
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### Author:  [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118/7 "2008-06-07T23:24:32Z")
Of course you should. What would give you pause about wearing one?
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### Author:  [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118/8 "2008-06-08T00:23:37Z")
Man, I hated those things as a kid.
They pinched and pulled my hair. Of course, I don’t remember ever wetting my hair first. I think we thought they were supposed to keep your hair DRY.
I’m surprised they’re even still on the market.
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118/9 "2008-06-08T02:14:52Z")
[QUOTE=overlyverbose]
If you have long hair, a bathing cap also works must better than a hair elastic to keep stray strands out of your face. I’d strongly recommend one.
[/QUOTE]
No, my hair is chin-length. I’ll probably use conditioner to slick it back.
Thanks, I’ll have to look for one. How much do they usually go for?
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### Author:  [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2008, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-get-a-bathing-cap/452118/10 "2008-06-08T03:52:45Z")
Oh, they’re less than 10 bucks. I use one to keep my (medium-length) hair out of my face (nothing like doing freestyle badly and getting a sopping gob of hair near your mouth every time you come out for air, when you’re already having a hard enough time breathing)