How to Handle Post-Workout Hair?

[endlessly]

So basically, I've started a grueling workout routine that results in pretty excessive perspiration. Typically, I wash my hair once or twice per week, but with this new routine, extending my washes that long is completely out of the question. At most, I'm able to go every other day now, but if I'm being completely honest, my hair almost needs to be washed daily. I've tried dry shampoo and that seemed to work somewhat well, but it was only a temporary fix, and before long, the greasy/oily feeling quickly returned.

Currently, my hair is in excellent condition and I spoil it with deep conditioners, oils, and hair masks. I haven't noticed any damage as a result of my more frequent washes, but since it's barely been three weeks since this started, I know nothing will show up that quickly.

Any tips or tricks to help with this? I'm assuming the perspiring is unavoidable because like I said, it's a very intense, grueling workout, but is there a hairstyle I can try to get more air flow? I tend to alternate between loose buns held by clips or braids - it's actually worse with braids, by the way.

As long as I'm being gentle and not scrubbing, should I be okay washing my hair daily if needed, just so long as I condition it more frequently? Thank sin advance for any suggestions!

[rhosyn_du]

Have you tried scalp-only washes? It's been a while since my hair was long enough to do them, but the way I did it was to put my hair in a braid that was very loose near the scalp, then clip my braid up over my shower curtain rod so it was out of the way, then put my head under the flow of the shower and wash my scalp as usual. Doing this kept my delicate ends from being washed too frequently and dried in a reasonable amount of time while still letting me clean off the workout nasties.

[Nadine <3]

On days I work out I either dry my roots with a blow dryer on cool, or I shower and just rinse and use a bit of conditioner on the ends.

[endlessly]

Have you tried scalp-only washes? It's been a while since my hair was long enough to do them, but the way I did it was to put my hair in a braid that was very loose near the scalp, then clip my braid up over my shower curtain rod so it was out of the way, then put my head under the flow of the shower and wash my scalp as usual. Doing this kept my delicate ends from being washed too frequently and dried in a reasonable amount of time while still letting me clean off the workout nasties.

I hadn't thought about trying that, so great suggestion! Downside, though, my hair isn't nearly long enough to reach the shower curtain rod...or, I suppose I should say, I'm not nearly tall enough. I'll have to see what I could come up with.

[endlessly]

On days I work out I either dry my roots with a blow dryer on cool, or I shower and just rinse and use a bit of conditioner on the ends.

I have used my dryer on the cool setting and it does help immediately, but then my hair will feel iffy later on.

[velorutionista]

I do a water-only rinse for my scalp if I get really sweaty working out but don't want to wash my hair...it rinses the salty/sweaty out, but leaves the length (I just pop my hair into a bun and wrap a sandwich baggie over it to keep the majority dry...rinse scalp under water, then blot as much water off as possible before taking it down).

[memeow]

This could be kind of gross, but I generally find that sweat doesn't bother my hair too much as long as I'm able to get it dry quickly. It gets nasty if I let it stay damp for too long. So I'd either try a blow dryer on your roots, or just take it down and sit somewhere breezy.

[proo]

Over on the NW thread, sweat is considered cleansing/conditioning -
the protocol is to move it away from the scalp down the hair mechanically
by preening, combing or brushing,
then putting it up.
Don't know what effect it would have with other product on the hair,
but it's worth a try.

[cutekitty]

As long as I'm being gentle and not scrubbing, should I be okay washing my hair daily if needed, just so long as I condition it more frequently? Thank sin advance for any suggestions!
Yes, gently rinsing your scalp and hair with water in the post-workout shower should be totally fine. You can condition the length if you want. As I said yesterday in another thread, my hair gets wet almost every day and it does just fine, no damage to be seen. I'd be far more concerned by not rinsing the sweat off your scalp, that doesn't sound like a healthy thing to do in the long run.

Congratulations on starting a workout routine :) Don't exhaust yourself, though. Moderation is key!

[Betazed]

Like others have said, I just rinse with water when I'm done my work out. I find if I massage my scalp (as if I were working in shampoo), it feels perfectly clean afterwards. I also like scalp-only washes once in awhile. I'm not near tall enough nor have enough length to clip my hair to the shower rod. What I do is this: braid the length and tie a shower cap around it, using a hair elastic to secure. Then, I hold it above my head with my left hand and use my right to shampoo. If I'm careful to keep my length up the entire time, it hardly gets wet, only a little damp and the shampoo doesn't get on it at all. I don't do that too often but I rinse at least every other day.

[teddygirl]

If you want to avoid the extra washing, you could also try applying dry shampoo before you workout. It will absorb some of the sweat and oil. I will sometimes do this if I dont want to dry my hair before work, so I can leave it up, have a quick shower, let it down and be on my way.

[scrivener827]

So happy I found this thread! This is a hair question that has been bugging me for a few years. Every time I have a serious workout, my hair gets pretty saturated with sweat, but I didn't want to have to shampoo every time I exercise. I'm glad to hear people say drying the sweat in the hair is okay, and the water only rinse sounds like a great idea, too. I'll probably be trying both of these methods in the next week or so!

[trolleypup]

Water rinse. YMMV, but for me, if I do the water rinse when my hair is still damp and my scalp is warm, it cleans pretty well.

[Deborah]

My head sweats five or six mornings a week from working out. Sweat is largely just water, and will dry on its own. I just let it air dry, then brush and style as usual. Or if I'm in a hurry, I put it up in a bun still damp from the sweat. Sweat on the hair does no harm. Many folks deliberately damp-bun their hair, and consider that it helps the hair's condition. Hair that is wet from sweat is not made oily or dirty by the sweat. It is just wet.

[Alien Girl]

I'm into weight lifting and go 4-5 days a week. I sweat a lot too. Usually if I shower then work out the next day, I don't feel too grubby and will usually just wash my body, then by the next day after the following workout, I'll take a full shower.

I do recommend doing scalp-only washes like someone else said here :) I do that all the time and only run the shampoo through my hair as it rinses.

[kidari]

I bought those hair ties that looks like a telephone cord and I use that to put it in a loose bun on top of my head. It's almost always in a heat free curl set and that also helps with the bun stability and airiness. The bun is kind of folded onto itself twice with the telephone cord hair tie securing it looped twice if that makes any sense. I find this stays in place and helps air out my scalp during my workout. Afterwards the sweat just dries quickly on it's own and I don't see a need to wash (maybe I'm gross or maybe I'm use to it or maybe it's both, who knows?) Some days I workout twice and I get very sweaty each time and there's no way I would want to wash my hair twice a day. It's not the clean feeling that's worth it but rather the hassle and time it takes that's more annoying. I've cut my hair VERY short before so that I could wash it twice a day but I'd rather have long hair than short. So some dried sweat that is two days old from several workouts doesn't bother me.

Think of it as a transition stage for now. Experiment with different updos, different washing techniques, etc until you get used to it or find your balance. In the past I've tried alternating water only washes and conditioner washes when I HAD to wash sooner and it KILLED me that I'm washing too often for the sake of my hair. I also religiously did more oilings and hair masks to "make up for the extra washing/damage." However, now I feel like I'd rather have a fit body than the most beautiful hair ever. So, if it's not as long or as healthy as it can be that's fine because I'd rather not freak out about avoiding damage or staying still and not sweating for the sake of my hair.