Are Swimming Caps Really Necessary

Pool facilities have been mandating swimming caps lately, is the new pool-rule really necessary?

Is swimming cap a core must-have for every swimmer or is it just meant for competitive swimming? We’re here to tell you a few factors which might help you decide if they should be worn or not when you take your next plunge. Source.

Swimming, as relaxing a sport, comes with its own set of rather un-relaxing woes. You’d think that a recreational activity like swimming would require you to just jump in the pool and apply a few strokes, but that’s not true. 

What’s the whole point of a swimming cap?

Swimming caps protect your hair from damage. In most swimming pools the stagnant water is recirculated after a process of physical filtration. Every time you take a dip, your hair is exposed to chlorine and pool chemicals.

Swimming caps are not only meant to just keep your hair dry. They also add a layer of protection to the ears.

Water flows into the ear canals, even though everyone has a different build, not all ears are capable of shedding all water that goes in. Cold water swimming generally calls for a spell of ‘swimmers ear’ or ‘otitis externa’.

Apparently, protecting your ears and hair is not the only purpose of swimming caps.

[pullquote]Wearing caps helps you swim faster by eliminating drag. If you have long hair and don’t want them to hinder your speed and focus, it is always advisable to wear a cap. [/pullquote]

While the swimming facilities have several factors deciding on mandating the swimming caps, factors such as drain clogging, keeping the pool free from stray hair floating around are the vital ones. We are sure nobody would like a random hair to be stuck on their face while coming out of the pool for a picture-perfect moment.

Even though we love the feel of water running through our hair, but every time we tried raising my head above the water our hair would plaster down our face making it uneasy for us to see or breathe.

How do I put a swimming cap on?

Swimming caps come in a variety of materials. They are affordable and come in a million colors for those looking to match it with their swimwear.

When it comes down to choosing a cap, there are no strict rules. You could choose anything that meets your comfort, hair size, insulation or just the colour.

Besides, a new swimmer or learner may opt for latex or inexpensive spandex caps. Spandex caps tend to offer good sun protection and can be primarily used for those weekend practice sessions.

Although swimming caps avoid the dirt and oil in the hair to get into the pool.

Wearing swimming caps is not a life-changing decision, we don’t like wearing them. But if we are required to do so,we do. It’s their pool and they make the rules.