For Olympic swimmer Brianna Throssell, years spent chasing performance in the pool came with an unexpected challenge: the toll it took on her hair health.

And for professional swimmers, the pursuit of success in the deep end comes with a unique set of physical demands – many of which extend beyond the pool. Years of chlorine exposure, repeated use of swim caps and tightly secured hairstyles can leave a lasting impact on hair health.

Australian Olympic swimmer Brianna Throssell knows this experience firsthand. After dedicating much of her life to elite competition, Throssell experienced the cumulative effects of years spent in the water, from ongoing breakage and weakened hair to the confidence challenges that can come with visible damage.

As hairdressers continue to support clients navigating hair concerns linked to lifestyle, environment and long-term stress, understanding the experiences behind these challenges is becoming increasingly important. Now transitioning into life beyond full-time training, Throssell shares her journey with rebuilding her hair’s strength, the emotional impact of hair damage and the importance of caring for a part of herself that was often secondary to the demands of elite sport.

TJM: When did you first realise the toll swimming was taking on your hair?

BT: I think it crept up on me rather than there being one obvious moment. When you’re in the pool every day from such a young age, dry, brittle hair just becomes your normal. But in my late teens, I started noticing my hair never really felt healthy. It wouldn’t grow properly, it snapped underneath, and it always felt rough, no matter what I did.

I remember taking my cap off after training and seeing hair in my hands, thinking, this probably isn’t great. At the time, though, performance was the priority, so I didn’t dwell on it. Looking back, that’s when I realised years of chlorine exposure were really adding up.

TJM: What was the “stubborn undercut” experience like, especially being in the public eye?

BT: That undercut was honestly one of the most frustrating parts. It was this layer underneath that just wouldn’t grow properly because it was constantly snapping from my swimming cap. No matter how I styled my hair, it always looked uneven or fluffy underneath.

Being in the public eye probably made me more aware of it than I otherwise would have been. You’re doing interviews, photoshoots and standing on podiums, so you notice those little things more. It sounds minor, but when it’s something you can’t really fix at the time, it does chip away at your confidence.

TJM: Did hair damage feel like part of the job, or did it affect your confidence?

BT: It was definitely both. I accepted it as part of being a swimmer, like sore shoulders or early mornings – it just came with the territory.

Quietly, though, it did affect me. I’d see friends or other girls with thick, healthy hair and wish mine looked or felt like that. I wouldn’t say it consumed me, but it was always there in the background, especially when I had to get dressed up or be on camera.

TJM: How different does it feel now to wear your hair loose without that constant tension?

BT: It feels surprisingly emotional, in a small way. For years, my hair was always tight, slicked back and practical. It was never really about how I wanted it to look.

Now, being able to wear it loose, not worry about it snapping and not shoving it under a cap twice a day feels really freeing. It’s such a small everyday thing, but it’s one of those reminders that life looks different now.

TJM: What post-retirement changes have made the biggest difference?

BT: The biggest one is simply not being in chlorine for 25 hours a week. Removing that constant exposure, along with the tension from caps and tight buns, has probably made the biggest difference.

Beyond that, I’ve just been more intentional – being gentle with my hair when it’s wet, nourishing it and treating it like something worth looking after rather than an afterthought. It hasn’t been about one miracle product, more about giving it time and care.

TJM: How long did it take before you noticed regrowth or strength returning?

BT: It definitely wasn’t instant. After a couple of months, the first thing I noticed was less breakage and less hair coming out.

Around the four-to-six-month mark, I started seeing proper regrowth underneath, which was really reassuring. It’s a slow process, but after years of damage, you expect it to be. The difference now feels really noticeable compared to when I was training full-time.

TJM: Has focusing on your hair felt symbolic – like reclaiming a part of yourself beyond sport?

BT: Yeah, I think it has, in a quiet way. Swimming shaped so much of my life, and that meant sacrificing little personal things without really thinking about it.

Looking after my hair now feels like one of those subtle shifts into life beyond the pool. It’s not dramatic, but it represents having the space to care about parts of myself that simply weren’t the priority before.

TJM: What would you say to young swimmers struggling with hair damage or confidence?

BT: I’d tell them it’s incredibly common and that almost every swimmer goes through it at some stage. Try to protect your hair where you can, be gentle with it and remember it’s not a reflection of you or your worth.

Swimming gives you so much – confidence, resilience, friendships and opportunities – even if it takes a little from your hair along the way. The good news is that, once you step back from the pool, it really can recover with time.

Follow @briannathrossell.