Hair Loss and Swim Caps

Swimming with Hair loss

Earlier today I went snorkeling in a super popular spot, which you access through a popular restaurant in Grand Cayman.  In preparation for snorkeling, I put my swim cap on before I had even left the house. Why? I don’t have hair! Well, much of it. And swimming in public places can be really horrifying. No one expects a swimmer to peel off their wig and jump in the water…onlookers tend to find it unusual. Alternatively, I could rock my bio hair, but I don’t always want to (a decision which everyone is entitled to make for themselves J). Let’s discuss an alternative- Swim caps. 

While driving to the snorkeling spot and wondering how alien I must’ve looked in my swim cap, I got thinking. Growing up I used to hate swimming in public. I am a massive water baby and love doing anything in on or around the water.…just not in public. For school swimming sports, I would swim with my denim hat on my head- which definitely did not make me a quicker swimmer, but in my kid brain at the time, it seemed far more normal than wearing a swim cap. I also felt that swim caps were so tight, they made me look even balder- a distant concept to the kids I went to school with.  It would have been so much easier if it was “cool” to wear a swim cap. 

I recently watched a video of my 8-year-old niece competing in a school swimming competition and noticed she was the only one not wearing a swim cap. My niece was also born with alopecia, like me. However, she currently prefers to swim with nothing on her head- especially not a denim hat! I asked her why, especially in light of the fact that she is really struggling with bullies at school, and wearing a swim cap like the other kids is an opportunity to ‘look the same’. Her answer was simple and not at all what I had expected, but it makes complete sense coming from an 8-year-old. “My swim cap is too tight so I don’t like to wear it!” Simple.  My niece is young and has the beautiful view that she should be accepted as she is and that she shouldn’t have to hide any aspects of who she is. And she is correct, unfortunately not everyone sees it that way- thus the existence of bullies (a story for another day).

Swim caps were not always uncool! For years they were actually an indispensable fashion accessory for which no women’s swim costume would be complete without.

Imagine how much easier managing hair loss would be if it was cool to always wear accessories such as swim caps. Interacting with water is one of the most terrifying activities for someone living with hair loss. Why? Well, usually you would not wear your wig, hat, headband, weave, hair extensions or whatever your choice of hair loss solution is in the water. Water is like Superman’s kryptonite for someone with hair loss. Water will either lift whatever you are wearing right off or utterly destroy it. I can’t count the number of hours I have spent brushing out thick salt water dreads from my hair extensions, and I have a whole separate post about my experience of mixing water with weaves. But it shouldn’t be this way. Those with hair loss should be able to confidently and happily participate in all water-related activities. The ultimate goal is to love yourself and rock what you have…. But we all know that can be easier said than done. So for the days you don’t feel like rocking your bio hair, why not wear a swim cap!?

The Origins

The origin of swim caps goes back hundreds of years- men and women were known to have bound their hair with nets made from taffeta, which is synthetic silk, and straw to keep their hair dry and away from water and sun damage.

It was only in 1883 with the invention of rubber that swim caps started taking the form of what we are familiar with. But they didn’t jump straight to popularity- not until the dazzling 1920s when swimming was recognized as a sport and grew in popularity. Swim caps became an indispensable fashion accessory which protected females’ expensive, time-consuming ‘permanent wave’ hairdos of the time, which were otherwise utterly destroyed upon contact with water. The shaping of swim caps was very similar to the form-fitting hats popularly worn during the 1920s, further supporting the normalcy of the appearance. 

What further helped swim caps grow in popularity was the exclusivity of swim caps in the 1940s, due to the rubber shortage caused by World War II. According to EpicSports, to have had a swim cap during this time was considered extremely lucky.

In the 1950s once rubber stock had replenished and swim caps were readily available again, swim caps skyrocketed in popularity. Everyone always wants what they can’t have, and one swim caps were available, everyone had to have them.  This time swim caps were more flowery, colorful, and more fashionable than ever, regularly being featured on top magazines cover pages. Swim caps represented the height of fashion in the 1950s and were featured on the cover of Vogue. Swim caps were even used on a rainy day with an umbrella to further secure hairstyles. Could you imagine it being acceptable walking down the main street with a swim cap on?!

Popularity for swim caps started to fade in the 1960s but was still commonplace (and required) in a public pool as big and more hair became fashionable for men and women.

Since the 1970’s when public pools reduced their rules, and convenient cuts became fashionable, no longer requiring the protection swim caps provided- swim caps became what they are more commonly known as today-  if it was not for recreational swimming rules, and swimming as a competitive sport, swim caps probably would have disappeared. 

In the earlier days, swim caps served the dual purpose of protecting hairdos and topping off stylish swim costumes. Today, swim caps are no longer commonplace and are primarily only spotted in a competitive swimming environment. 

An unconventional fashion hero

But things are changing, and a new appreciation for vintage is everywhere. My favorite café is lined with vintage goods, including walls of records, paperback books, vintage bikes, and sofas, etc and I am dying to get a typewriter. The same can be said for swim caps. Valentino, Chanel, Dior, Prada, Marc Jacobs, and Victoria Beckham have all recently featured swim caps on their runways. They are using the swim cap as a fashion accessory, lined with leather, silk, or even sequins.  Amber Heard stole the show on the red carpet at London’s premiere of Aquaman and looked Hawt rocking an embroidered swim cap. Swim caps were called an unconventional fashion hero back in the roaring ’20s…which I’m speculating to say are making a comeback.

Fashion trends go in cycles, and I hope this is one cycle to come back around! What do you think? Interested in helping, at least to make the horrifying act of getting into public water, more bearable for those with hair loss? I challenge you to wear a swim cap anywhere, take a photo and put it on social media using #swimcapchallenge and encourage your friends to do the same.

The hope is to help make swim caps cool and commonplace again, not just limited to competitive swimming. Let’s use swim caps when we are spending the day at the pool with friends, when we are scuba diving, surfing, boogie boarding, you name it- do it in a swim cap.

How can i swim with hair loss? swimming with hair loss? can i wear swim caps? what is it like to have hair loss in the water? History of swim caps