Sunday, October 19, 2008

The Hair Issue: Dealing with Hair and Sweat


So I've noticed that a lot of you all find my blog by searching for hair maintenance during and after exercise. I'm happy so many of you are past letting hair your prevent you from exercising. I wanted to make sure that I provided you all with adequate information here. Luckily my sister is licensed beautician and she was gracious us enough to come up with some tips for you all. If you have any specific questions feel free to comment with them and I'll get them to her.

Enjoy!

Hi, My name is Dani I am a certified Cosmetologist. I work with all types of hair with Women and Men. When working with my clients I often find myself teaching them about maintenance and care for their hair. So I decided to jump on the bandwagon and help you guys on this blog.

Today, there are so many people that want to workout but also want maintain the fresh new hairstyle, and it seems impossible. Well, I am going to give you 5 tips to help maintain your hair while working out.


Sidebar: Your scalp has many holes in which is what hair(keratin) grows out of. You also have something called a sebaceous gland and when you are working out. The pores on your scalp open up and the sebaceous gland releases sebum (sweat). So yes your hair makes it's own sweat. AND THAT IS FINE! I know it sounds gross but you actually need the sebum. So if your scalp is dry. Try cutting down on shampooing so frequently. Let the sebum run down the hair strands.


Top 5
1. When working out, try to stay away from covering your head completely. You want your hair to breathe. Try using a sweatband or even a hairnet.
2. After working out and your hair feels dry and itchy, You may use a non-greasy light moisturizing lotion or serum and massage your scalp( with finger tips only).
3. If you work out very often and your hair becomes dry and brittle try a Deep Conditioner every two weeks. Still dry? up the Deep Conditioner to Once a week.
4. If you get a wrap or hair styled with curling irons. Next time try a RollerSet. Less heat and curls stay in longer.
5. NEVER NEVER NEVER before going to work out use an alcoholic product on your hair. Your hair makes it's own sebum which contains acid. Acid plus the alcohol will eat up your hair.

-Good Luck!
Dani

***I want to share one of my own tips. Do not touch your hair until it is dry. It takes my hair about 1 hr to dry after working out. While I'm in the gym or running outside I keep a sweat band on it and pull it into a loose ponytail so it can breathe. After I'm done I put a silk scarf on it and let dry. After it dries it is so much easier to manipulate. I usually just comb it down and wear it down. It took me while to learn that I shouldn't touch it until it dries. It seems like common sense but I wanted to share it anyway. So I get up a little earlier to make sure I have time to let it dry...if not it's up into a ponytail.****

Questions, Comments?
Please Share your tips!

12 comments:

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Prosechild said...

I definitely concur with letting your hair dry.. that's the key for me. Thankfully my scalp doesn't sweat that much (just along the front) but I see alot of sistas in the gym who sweat alot.

CherrineB said...

Great tips as always and thanks for reading my blog...Enjoy your week

Anonymous said...

I work out almost daily and I now wash my hair three times a week with conditioner. I deep condition with a protein treatment and then with moisture afterward once a week. I no longer have problems with a dry scalp like I used to. All I need to do is find a light moisturiser I can use so that my hair doesn't revert.

My hair is very short and I am experimenting with curly styles since I wash so often. I don't have the time or the patience to roller set three times a week.

Unknown said...

I find that deep conditioning your hair weekly really helps. I too had problems with dry, brittle hair as a result of working out, but I learned that adding moisture throughout the week helps. I also find that adding deep conditioner and covering it with a cap right before a run transforms my hair into a soft, strong, healthy mane. I have my hair ritual on my blog if anyone's interested. Great post.

Unknown said...

By the way, using the right products to add moisture is key. The salt that is expelled from the body through sweating can dry out the hair even more than usual. It takes some care, but it is so worth it.

Fitness Goddess said...

Thanks Erica! Can you please share the link to the post on your blog?

Anonymous said...

*If you like to wear your hair naturally curly then just try using a simple non- alcoholic texturizing gel or maybe a pomade.

*Another way to quickly style your hair if you want big and soft curls. You can try "Hot Rollers" takes apprx. 20 mins. to set and style and because it is not dry heat you can do it as many times as you want even on a daily basis routine. Remember when styling add some type off moisture product.



*If you wash your hair very often then I do not suggest you on getting a roller set, that tip is for the Bi-weekly salon visitors to help lock in curls.

*And the key to better, stronger, and healthier hair is a good Deep Condition.

*If you feel that you don't have time to Deep Condition then you may also try sleeping with the conditioner and rinse and style in the morining. Or better yet exercise with the conditioner and rinse and style when your done.

* And for those ponytail lovers: Your hair needs to breathe. If you honestly can't get rid of the "ponytail" you should definitely treat yourself to a weekly scalp massage,you need blood circulation.
**And on that note everybody should treat themselves to a weekly scalp massage. It will make not just make your scalp feel better but also your whole body.

Anonymous said...

nice advice! thanks for the info co'z i'm getting problem with my hair

Anonymous said...

Hey, I love this post - thanks so much! It's definitely helped! But I have this problem where I SWEAT SO MUCH, and my hair uber curly so I don't have time to straighten it everytime I work out - please tell me there's a way to preserve a blow dry through a workout session??

Anonymous said...

I sweat in my head A LOT also. I have natural hair and I am not able to keep a blow-out after a gym trip either. I've learned to embrace - I pull my hair back into a loose puff and secure with a scunci while working out. After the gym, I mosturize and seal with natural oil or butter at night. I wash at least twice per week with tea tree oil shampoo to keep my scalp clean from all of the sweat caused by cardio.

Clueless said...

Yes 2009 and I did not know that I should let my hair breath during a workout. I normally don't sweat much. This all changed after my last pregnancy. I have short processed hair and after every workout it is wet, in some places from root to tip mostly at the back. I have always felt that if I wait until it is dry then it would get all frizzy which it does now anyway. I will try Thanks :)