Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Sweat Hard, Without Damaging Your Hair


These tips are applicable to all hair styles: braids, locs, relaxers, etc. No matter how you wear your hair you have to make sure to remove the sweat to keep it healthy.


If you are doing a lot of cardio you may have noticed that your hair feels a little drier than usual. When I first started working out the sweat was really drying out my hair because I was not washing it enough. Now, I make sure I get the sweat out of my hair by washing it after 3 workouts and sometimes between workouts I will use a "no-rinse shampoo." There is also Aveda Reviving Mist which I hear works great in between shampoos (I haven't tried it yet)


The Black Women's Health Imperative Wrote a great article about what happens to your hair when you sweat. The section below describes had damaging the sweat can be.

"Remember that the scalp is skin, and just like the skin on your face you must clean it on a regular basis, or you will develop a build-up in the pores. You have heard experts warn you about going to bed without cleaning away your makeup, because it can cause aging damage to your face. Well, your scalp has pores and follicles that must stay clear and clean in order to keep a healthy environment for healthy hair growth and to inhibit an itchy scalp, or scalp disorders. When you sweat, your hair becomes dehydrated and brittle causing aging damage, which can shorten the life of the strands."

Use this Tips to avoid dry and brittle hair! (from www.blackwomenshealth.com)

Quick-Fix Part 1: Clean and Condition

Step 1. In the shower rinse your hair as you rinse your body.

Step 2. Apply shampoo to your hair as you lather your body. Using an acid-balanced shampoo is safe on your hair, scalp, and body, and it saves time.

Step 3. Rinse your hair and body.

Step 4. Apply conditioner and let it sit while you shave your legs or lather your body one more time.

Step 5. Rinse your hair as you rinse your body.

You are now clean and conditioned from head to toe.

Quick-Fix Part 2: The Five-Minute Hairstyle

The Quick-fix regimen is to style the hair, which for some can be a real challenge. When starting a workout program, some women will cut their hair short, get a curly perm, or braid their hair with extensions. Those are options that you can choose, but don't ever feel forced. There are ways to keep your hair styled without making an atypical change just to manage your hair.
After your quick-fix shampoo and condition, you are ready for the next part.

Step 1. Wrap your head with a towel while you dry off.

Step 2. Remove the towel and lightly apply a leave-in conditioner.

Step 3. Apply a sculptor setting lotion to your hairline. If your hair is curly, apply a moisturizer before the sculpting lotion, then smooth your hair back flat if it's short, or gather it into a ponytail using a cloth holder for longer hair.

Step 4. Spray a sculpting mist to your hair and hairline, and then tie a satin scarf around the hairline.

Step 5. Apply a hair attachment (e.g., bun, fall, or drawstring ponytail).

Step 6. Secure the perimeter with bobby pins, and then remove the scarf.

full article: http://www.blackwomenshealth.com/2006/articles.php?id=142


Do you have any additional tips on keeping your healthy?

*-I forgot to mention the importance of conditioning. Every time I wash my hair I deep condition it for at least 15 minutes.-*

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh fitness godess, thank you so much!

And you wash your hair every three days?!?!

*cries*

Right now I wash it once a week. My hair isn't relaxed right now and it does take some time to get a good hair do after washing it.

I was thinking about braids when I thought "wait, what do I do about the sweating?"

Well, I'm just going to have to deal with it. Thanks you so much!

Fitness Goddess said...

Mekare,

I know it sounds like a pain but when you get a routine down it gets easier. I'll keep my eye out for any additional tips about braids specifically.

I hope that helps!

Glennisha Morgan said...

Great post! I think the key is washing it like you said and conditioning. Sweat contains sodium which naturally tends to dry things out therefore your hair is going to dry out and you need to wash that left over sodium out of your hair.

Anonymous said...

omg. this is awesome.

I think a lot of women struggle with this (like myself); you want to go to the gym and give a good workout, but then your relaxer gets all frizzed out haha

Anonymous said...

I have natural hair. I wear my hair in twists. I wash my hair occasionally. Maybe once every two or three months. My hair does not have an odor. I use Pink Lady Short Looks Twist It. It locks and moisturizes hair. My hair grows quickly. I get so many compliments on my tiwst and twist outs. People are always telling me how beautiful my hair is! When I do shampoo my hair I use Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo. I just pretty much go. I don't spend hours doing my hair. I love the freedom of my natural hair. I also love the beauty of it.
If you want to know how to do twist, go to www.youtube.com and type in twists. There are videos of how you can do your twists yourself.

Anonymous said...

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I am a flight attendant. I am on reserve and I have to fly at moments notice. I have early calls at 3:00 am in the morning. That means I have to jump up when the phone rings from crew scheduling, shower, change and run to the train or bus. I don't have time to spend on my hair. I just get up and go.

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Anonymous said...

Are there any Jamaicans out there? Please share your natural hair care tips?

Are there any websites?

How often do you shampoo your hair?

What products do use?

What natural receipes do you use?

How do you get your hair to grow so long and so quicly?

Anonymous said...

I agree. Hair should not be an obstacle to being healthy. As my trainer once told me, "do you want to buy new clothes or do you just want to pull your hair up once in awhile."

Tamika Jackson said...

These are great tips. I will make sure I frequent this blog for information as I try to shed 30 pounds this year.

Anonymous said...

Great tip about the Aveda mist - I might have to try that. I do cardio nearly every day and I sweat a whole lot. I hate knowing all of that salty sweat is in my hair. I end up washing my hair with conditioner only nearly every day and doing one of the five minute styles you mentioned. My bun isn't the most stylish hairstyle in the world but when I do wear my hair down it is not a dry crispy fried mess either. :)

Fitness Goddess said...

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm working on post about hair products that help keep our manageable with all the exercise. Let me know if there are any u really like.