How To Put On A Swimming Cap

You think putting on a swimming cap on you or your child is easy? If you have never done it before, I've got news for you! This is something you have to do right on the first try, especially on a toddler's first swimming lesson, or you will end up fighting tears and screams on what will probably be your child's first and last visit to the pool for many years to come!

Swimming caps are compulsory in most public swimming pools for reasons of hygiene, as they keep hair from contaminating the water, but many swimmers also use them to protect their hair from chlorium or just keep their hair dry. Most modern swimming caps are made out of latex or silicone which has a tendency to catch on hair, especially when dry. They can be very painful if you try to put them on the wrong way or reposition them on your head by pulling and stretching them to make them fit right.

So what is the easiest and less painful way to put a swimming cap on yourself or another person?

Photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net

In general, when using a silicone or latex swimming cap, it is easier to put on if your hair is already wet or if you sprinkle the inside of the cap with some water or baby powder. This is usually fine for kids, or competition swimmers but if your reason for wearing a swimming cap is mainly to protect your hairstyle, this may not be a good idea. Here is how to do it properly and painlessly:

This silicone swimming cap by Speedo is really an excellent choice. It is soft and stretches to double its size so that it goes on easily and comes off easily too, without snagging your hair. Speedo has been around for years and has an excellent reputation so you cannot go wrong here.

1. Put both hands inside the swimming cap all the way and splay your fingers out wide open, stretching the cap so as to create a large enough opening for the head. Be careful not to wear any rings and trim your fingernails beforehand, as silicone and latex tend to rip very easily.
2. Now put your hands, fingers splayed, around your head or your child's head. Your palms should be on the sides of the head, with thumbs stretching around the forehead and pinkies around the back if you are putting the swimming cap on someone else, and the opposite if you are putting it on yourself.
3. Carefully slide your hands downwards and out of the swimming cap. Hopefully, and if you follow these instructions correctly, as you take away your hands, the swimming cap should settle perfectly around yours or your child's/partner's/friend's head. Once fitted, you can tuck in any trailing strands of hair or ears by gently lifting the cap up from the sides.
4. If you get this really wrong the first time, it is better to remove the swimming cap completely and start again, than try to make it fit properly by pulling and tugging at it. First, because you may very easily rip it in the process, and second because it will almost certainly snag some hair which can be really painful.

People with long hair generally have trouble finding a swimming cap that really fits them. Most one-size swimming caps are too small to accommodate long or thick hair and have a tendency to pop off your head. This silicone swimming cap by Speedo has been especially designed with extra space and stretch to fit people with long hair and it has excellent reviews on Amazon.

Taking off a swimming cap is easier that putiing it on. There are two ways:

1. Take hold of the top of the swimming cap and gently pull it/slide it off.

2. Gently lift the sides of the cap and slide your hands inside, like you did in order to put it on. Slide both your hands and swimming cap over your head.