Here are a few tips that may save you a lot of heartache and money.

1.  Stay away from hair lightening products

Most contain some form of peroxide or metallic crystals and can cause severe damage to your hair, not to mention such undesirable effects such as orange, green, or pink hair.  Worse, if the product does contain metallic crystals and you then perm your hair, it may literally turn your hair into mush and wash down the drain.

Although a chelator, (an ingredient in some shampoos), can help remove some of the metals residing on the hair shaft, they are not strong enough to remove metal deposits that have penetrated the shaft.  The only chemicals that we know of that will do this are chemicals used in the development of film.  These chemicals are highly toxic and we do not recommend that you mess with them.

Bottom line, just let nature do its own thing, or invest in a highlight.  In the long run the highlight will be far less expensive than a color correction.

2.  Use a hair conditioner that contains a sunscreen
 

If you can't find one and you are heading out to swim or tan, simply massage some of your sunscreen into your hair, it should wash out.

If you are not going to use a sunscreen because you want a deep tan quickly, try using safflower oil.  It provides your hair with much needed fatty acids, and makes a great tanning oil to boot.

3.  After a day at the pool, clarify your hair

A clarifier is a stronger shampoo designed to remove toxins from you hair such as auto emissions and other environmental pollutants, as well as build up from some ingredients in over the counter shampoos such as silicon.  A clarifier is too strong to use daily, but once or even twice a week is okay.  It should also help remove chlorine from your hair, but if you are at the pool daily you will need to invest in a special shampoo to control chlorine.

Avoid 'green hair' before it begins.  Thoroughly wet your hair before you dip in the pool and add a bit of conditioner too.  Wash your hair immediately upon exiting the pool, BEFORE YOUR HAIR HAS A CHANCE TO DRY.  These precautions alone will go a long way toward dodging the 'swamp look.' 

Although not exactly a fashion statement, you can always wear a bathing cap too.

If you already have the 'Greenies' you can look around for a shampoo called 'Malibu 2000.' It may or may not work. You can also try soaking your hair in tomato juice, cap it and let it sit on the hair for about twenty minutes, then rinse, shampoo, rinse, and condition the hair.

These few tips should see you well through the summer and leave you with fond memories instead of bitter tales.