10/6/2008 12:00:00 AM

By Nichole Nichols

As the warm weather days come to a close, many of you may might be looking at your locks and wishing you’d jumped in the pool a little less often. The following tips from expert stylists will help you to defend your gorgeous tresses from the ravages of chlorine, over coloring and other elements that can cause damage.

Pamper your hair with monthly protein and moisturizing conditioning treatments.

This is a good way to avoid all types of damage. “Basically, (put) your hair on a diet,” says Queena McKee of Visions Hair Gallery in Greensboro, NC. “Make sure that just like when you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, that your hair basically has the same regime,” McKee says. She also recommends making sure your stylist thoroughly moisturizes your hair before any chemical treatments. Be careful with protein conditioners because too much can actually dry your hair out more.

Swimmers should apply a cream based conditioner to hair before getting into the pool and they should rinse their hair with a clarifying shampoo once they get out of the pool.

“If you are going swimming…you should always protect (your hair) by putting some kind of leave in conditioner with sunscreen in it because your hair does get damaged by the sun and wind,” says Crystal Johnson of Jade and Company Salon in Greensboro, N.C. McKee agrees and adds that the creamy conditioner helps to seal the cuticle so that the chlorine cannot seep into the hair. Johnson recommends rinsing with a clarifying shampoo to aid in removing chlorine from your hair, but make sure you follow up with a moisturizing shampoo to replace the moisture that is stripped out by the clarifier.

Try California Baby Swimmer’s Defense Hair Conditioner, Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo, and Suave Daily Moisture Shampoo.

Finally, if your hair is damaged, make sure you find a style to wear your hair in that is low maintenance and low stress on your hair.

“Keep the heat out of it…keep your hands out of it,” says La Tosha Lea of Dudley Beauty Salon in Greensboro, NC. Both Johnson and McKee agree, adding that you should avoid ponytails and other updos. They suggest roller setting the hair, letting it flow naturally, and getting regular trims.