Go to bed with sweaty hair or wash it too often?

[LinzDigital]

I have this problem every summer and I still haven't sorted it out. I live in Florida where the summers are hot humid and rainy.... and I'm also in gradschool, which means that the summer is the only time I really have to work outside (on the car, in the yard, cycling- then its a braid, or working on the house). We finally had a break in the rain, and here I am working outside for 3 days in a row. I get sweaty, like really, I sweat through my whole bun and when I take my hair down its all soaked. I've tried braiding it but it just sticks to me. So tomorrow will be day 3 I've been outside getting sweaty and working, which will be a 3rd day in a row washing my hair, and a total of 18 hours sitting around with wet hair and that many wet detangling sessions. But I know this is super damaging and it likely some of what contributes to my constant frizzy state. Dry shampoo just feels like nasty cakey baby power. What do you all do? Do you just deal with it and stretch the wash, and what, wash only your body? Do you just go ahead and wash it despite the consequences?

[Krissycats]

I have this problem in California, too. I try to wash it every other day in the summer. Sometimes when it's sweaty, I turn my hairdryer to the cool setting and dry it a little bit. I don't like dry shampoo, either.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I don't feel that sweat harms your hair (in my opinion).

[pailin]

I live in a pretty hot place, and I just wash it every night, all year round- feels better to me. Also sweating leaves my hair greasier and looking dark at the roots, which I don't care for. I just use a lot of moisture (moisturizing conditioners, oils, etc) to make up for it.

[LinzDigital]

I added a poll :D

I don't think sweat is bad for your hair (well maybe the salt in it is, but only in sapping the water), but more it's that getting that sweaty out doors, in the yard, or whatever- sucks the dirt in the air onto your head. Least it feels like that to me. But I've wondered if it would be better to just deal with it.

For me yeah, it's the greasy hair thing too. I mean though yesterday, I knew I'd be out in the yard again today and thought about just not washing it and waiting until I was done done, but then the thought of eating dinner feeling that dirty (I was pressure washing and shoveling wet leaves- Florida had a lot of live oaks so it black dirt). But then I'm in the shower with shampoo in my hair for a second day in a row knowing I'll have to shower again today because I have a thing tomorrow. Hmm...

[Siri]

I'm in California and have this problem, can't stand the feel of my hair being sweaty. Ordinarily I wash my hair every other day but if it gets sweaty I wash it right away.

[Jo Ann]

When our A/C went out at the beginning of summer, I went from weekly Saturday night WCC washes to every 2-3 day CO washes with my Saturday WCC wash. Yeah, it can be a pain to have to wash one's hair more frequently because of the sweating, but my scalp felt better (sweat makes it itchy and that drives me nuts!). Maybe a scalp-only wash would work for you? Or use a milder shampoo, so not all the oil is stripped from your hair. I know it can be a pain with the hair drying and all, but sometimes that's the way it has to be, meaning this situation is only temporary.

[Ablubox]

I'm also facing this question, where I'm sweating everyday and not sure whether I'm supposed to rinse with a shampoo daily as a result, now for me the question arises from my scalp condition which I believe worsens with moisture, when I get that sorted out, I think I won't have a problem with just rinsing with water, and not have to shampoo daily. So I agree with sarahlabyrinth, unless you have a scalp condition, you needn't shampoo daily. Perhaps. :)

[Dendra]

I agree with Jo Ann, how about scalp only washes? I don't think sweat or dirt would harm your lengths necessarily, but I know when I tried to stretch washes whilst living in a hot country it led to chronic scalp problems. Your scalp health comes first.

[iforgotmylogin]

Are you able to sleep with the aircon on? If so I would definitely go with the latter

I live in a place that gets to 120°F on the regular for half the year and thus get a bit of sweat through my hair on those ****ty days. Ideally you would want a style that

a.) Maximizes surface area (evaporation)
b.) Keeps hair off of skin that isn't the scalp (more sweat pores than scalp)
c.) Minimizes the foot print of bundled hair on the scalp (increasing surface area of scalp exposed to air)
d.) Prioritizes the hair being on top to add in evaporation (you moved forward and backward looking ahead or sideways more than you pitch/roll/bob your head)

But turning that into real life really depends on your hair. I had easily shoulder length hair last heat season and my solution was a high loop-twist-tuck bun (the only one I've ever learnt) and a lower loop where the hair was pointing upward which made it naturally fan out (this doesn't work so well for longer hair lengths and more flexible hair)

Also, I just remembered you said 'go to bed'. I got carried was thinking about the daytime lol

[LadyCelestina]

I voted wash it, before noticing that there is the last option of washing it, then stretching washes on days you don't sweat too much. If I could go back, I'd vote that!

Honestly I don't think sweat is harmful to hair, but you'd rinse it off your body. Why not rinse it off your hair.

Also, frizzy hair doesn't necessarily mean it's overwashed or damaged, you're a wavy! :) Some frizz is normal for a lot of curly or wavy hair.

[MusicalSpoons]

I rarely have this problem but occasionally here the temperature will soar for a few days, and it's always a humid heat so I get sweaty and it feels disgusting. I tend to just put up with it if I can, even though it does make my hair greasy quicker. If I can't bear it, I'll rinse with cool water, or if it's really bad, use a small amount of diluted shampoo.


For me yeah, it's the greasy hair thing too. I mean though yesterday, I knew I'd be out in the yard again today and thought about just not washing it and waiting until I was done done, but then the thought of eating dinner feeling that dirty (I was pressure washing and shoveling wet leaves- Florida had a lot of live oaks so it black dirt). But then I'm in the shower with shampoo in my hair for a second day in a row knowing I'll have to shower again today because I have a thing tomorrow. Hmm...

I know we have a different hairtype so I don't know if it would be at all feasible, but for such occasions, would just rinsing it and maybe scritching to dislodge the dirt be any use to you?

[lapushka]

I'd wash it frequently now, but not let it continually be wet. :!: I'd take a blow dryer to it after air drying for a few hours.

Then later in a better season you might be able to stretch.

I had no idea Florida was so bad. Gosh.

[Jo Ann]

...I had no idea Florida was so bad. Gosh.
This time of year, highs in the 90's are par for the course, with high humidities to match--some days, the air has so much humidity, it's like walking into an air "wall".

Don't believe everything the Department of Tourism tells you :p

[Alibran]

I selected 'over washing = bad' even though I don't actually think it is because, for me, just letting my hair stay sweaty is the best option. My hair loves getting sweaty. (I discovered this when I started cycling in hot weather, and I learned I could take my helmet off, finger comb the sweat through my hair, shake my curls out, and I'd be good to go.) I think it's because what little sebum my scalp produces is so thick that it just 'sits' on my scalp, and sweat helps to spread it down the hair shaft.

We've had a very humid summer this year, and I've been sweating almost constantly, just going about day to day life. I have wet my hair every day, but only just enough to get it all wet and cool my scalp, not really to rinse the sweat out. Until the last few days, when the weather started to cool a bit, I don't think my hair was completely dry all summer. It was either damp with sweat or with added water, and it's never been happier.

[Chromis]

Wow, this is a super biased poll! I have been to even more hot and humid places than Florida and still stretched just fine even doing active outdoor stuff. No smelly scalp.

You are missing a very popular option though, just rinsing rather than washing.

I like night showers, but hate washing my hair at night and going to be with it wet, so by default I am going to bed with "dirty" hair even on a wash day.

[TatsuOni]

My scalp doesn't get greasy or stinky from sweat. I wash my hair every other week or less all year round, not matter how much I work or work out. My hair and scalp feels a lot better this way than when I washed it more often.

But what works for one doesn't work for someone else, so just do what works for you :)

[sarahthegemini]

Just wash it...why put up with disgusting hair if you don't have too? :-/

[spidermom]

Then there's the CO option - work conditioner through your hair at the scalp, allow to sit for awhile (as long as you can), then rinse out while massaging your scalp with your fingertips.

[samanthaa]

You are missing a very popular option though, just rinsing rather than washing.

Yes, this would have been my vote as well. It's what I do towards the end of the week (I wash once a week) after sweaty runs. A lot of times I just let my hair down and allow it to dry sweaty.

[lapushka]

Sometimes I wake up with a sweaty nape. Especially in the summer months. I just leave it be. It dries on its own, is not the end of the world, and it doesn't (oddly enough) add to the oil I have at the end of the week, right before washing.

[Anje]

I voted for the first option, but I'm really a fan of just rinsing hair if it's not dirty but you feel gross and sweaty. Sweat is water-soluble, after all.

That said, my hair has always dried pretty quickly (maybe 90 minutes if I leave it loose and keep fluffing the roots after 10 minutes in a towel), and I'm not opposed to blasting the roots with a warm (not hot) blowdryer for a few minutes if they're annoying me by not drying fast enough. Also, my scalp feels tight and dry if I shampoo daily, skipping days seems to make it happier.

[HairPlease]

I wash every other day and occasionally every day anyway, but I've been sweating a ton lately and sometimes taking two showers in one day (but only shampooing once in a day, never more). I can not stand going to bed sweaty. Yuck. :p

[Deborah]

Sweat does not equal dirt. I exercise hard most days and get sweaty. I shower every day (not getting my hair wet) but only wash my hair once per week. The sweat dries on its own and does not leave dirt or grease behind.

[spidermom]

Sweat does not equal dirt. I exercise hard most days and get sweaty. I shower every day (not getting my hair wet) but only wash my hair once per week. The sweat dries on its own and does not leave dirt or grease behind.

This is a YMMV issue. My hair not only gets oily much quicker when I'm sweating, it also smells bad. If I can smell my own scalp, it has to be washed. It gets a sour smell, kind of like vinegar, which I notice most when I unbraid or unbun it.

[LadyCelestina]

This is a YMMV issue. My hair not only gets oily much quicker when I'm sweating, it also smells bad. If I can smell my own scalp, it has to be washed. It gets a sour smell, kind of like vinegar, which I notice most when I unbraid or unbun it.
Yeah, wanted to post the same... I think in the poll, the OP was going by her own hair when creating the poll options - their hair might feel legit gross when it's sweaty. Scalp cleanliness is very YMMV.

For example I absolutely believe that infrequent washers have clean scalps, but mine would be dirty because my sebum/sebum level is different. I do believe some people have nice hair after sweating, but mine feels gross :D

[LinzDigital]

Thank you all for the replies! I disappeared.... into the yard all day :) and missed these sooner.

Jo Ann- HI fellow Floridian! Yes! In an effort to keep our cooling bill down I keep it about 78-79 in here, I have never been able to make it more than 3 maybe 4 days without a wash. My problem is I have oily skin on top of sweating a lot naturally (I'm originally from Colorado, I feel like I just never got used to the weather here) so I always feel dirty here. I mean, its totally different if I get sweaty inside too- that doesn't bother me as bad. But I swear its the dirt and pollen in the air here, it just clings on to you, especially with oily skin. Add to that the massive amounts of sunscreen I wear every day, I always feel yuk in the summer. I've been diluting my shampoo lately and its an SLS free gentle formula anyway, as well as I am ok with being wet- more I think I was worried about over manipulating the hair I guess.

Jo Ann and Dendra- How do you scalp only wash and not get everything else wet? I have pretty hardy skin, my only scalp issue is chronic oiliness. I'm not really concerned with dirt harming hair, I know it won't really, and definitely not as much as our super hard water! More its just I don't like feeling dirty and its a choice between my (mental?) comfort and putting up with it for the sake of trying to grow my hair longer I think.

Iforgotmylogin- Thats a good idea though! Style it in a way that its helping the problem before it begins! I'm still learning bun styles and so far can't seem to do much beside the nautilus and the Spock bun (and the cinnibun of course). The very longest part of my hair just touches my waist, but once its currently infuriatingly tapered, I would consider my hair on average mid back. Its frizzy and messy and hard to style! haha so braids are out most days because it will just frizz right out of the braid and roundly head. I usually have to pick a style that I can redo without much effort. But yes, I digress.... going to bed. I'm a night showerer because it gets REALLY frizzy while it dries.

LadyCelestina- yeah... I know some is normal, but man. I have the frizz of a curly hair lass with no curls in sight. Its like those specific hairs are curly, but theres not enough of them. Add to that living in one of the most humid places on the planet. Grrrr. ... On the second reply, yes I agree! I am rather envious of people that can water only, or wash only once a week or so. I am a big grease monkey really! Haha! Oily skin, oily scalp and live in a hot humid pollen-ful location with super hard water. Ugh. I mean, I didn't even get dry skin living in Colorado in the fall, but I don't think it was quite as bad there as it is here.

Lapushka- Oh man, Jo Ann is right, its bad. I mean, it rained and two days later the side walk was still wet. This is why it take 6 hours for my hair to air dry! and the dirt. This is such a dirty state, I swear. I've lived other humid places but here in central Florida its just in the air. I washed and waxed my car last week, a few days later it had a layer of green on it from the pollen and live oak fluff. Of course, I hate Florida a lot more than people that live here otherwise so I might be exaggerating ;) Yeah, I have a blow dryer just for the 5 minute occasions in the winter where my head is freezing. Maybe you're right on that. ... And yes, me too! I wake up like that a lot in the summer. Usually thats not as big a problem because I wasn't out in the elements.

Alibran- thats interesting! OF course, you have beautiful curl though! Me, dampness equals dreadlock tangles and frizz, haha! I'll take my hair down on the drive home from the trails after mountain biking to let it dry, but I have to move as little as possible or it will turn into one big tangle. My lengths actually don't feel to bad after that though- you're right, but my scalp sure gets itchy.

Chromis- I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make it so biased. I'm not sure how to change the poll post adding it? Honestly, I was just trying to be funny- I meant *even if* its smelly, not that it always is, and smell more meaning seeming dirty much of the time, but there are times I'm like, whoa, I think I smell haha!. Honestly, water rinsing didn't even occur to me. If *I* get my hair wet, it usually better accompany conditioner and detangler or I'm asking for big tangles, lots of halo frizz and totally unmanaged hair. I take conditioner with me to go swimming int he springs even! But then, when I use only conditioner my hair dries feeling even grosser. I don't know what it is. Maybe its the local water?

Spidermom- Yes, I did forget about that one too! Sorry! I have experimented with that a few times lately without much success. What kind of conditioner is better? It feels like my hair feels even dirtier after using only conditioner. Its worked for me if I I'd had to shower several times in a row and not gotten super oily or sweaty, but I tried it after my last bike ride because it was the second wash in two days and the result was kind of ick feeling. I ended up washing again the next day which was worse. And yes, agree, it is YMMV! I just wasn't sure if there was a generally preferred way of dealing with it I guess? I get oilier too. Those rare times in the winter when the humidity is down I don't get oily from sweating, and those occasional night sweats seem to be not quite as bad. But otherwise, yeah, sweat= stringy hair.

Anje- I agree, scalp and body wise I seem to be happy usually at every other day baring outside elements- more maybe I would like every 1 and 1/2 days but usually its just suffering that last half day. I wish my hair dried in 90 minutes! I do this flip it over and gently sort of let the air in once an hour until its dry and the best I've managed is 4 hours in the winter. Noted, another vote for a blast from the hair dryer. :)

HairPlease- see, thats me too! I like eating dinner and going to bed clean. But then I'm like man... what am I doing to my hair. Honestly, I've never had long hair before, I'm in uncharted territory. I want it to be longer I just have no idea sometimes how best to care for it!

[Stray_mind]

I never wash my hair if it gets sweaty. I never felt like my hair smelled bad when in contact with sweat. It just dries out. I only wash when my hair gets so oily the strands start clumping together and my hair starts looking stringy. Which is - every third day.

[Kikyou]

I try to wash every 3rd day usually, longer is not an option for me as I have SD and fourth day is the trigger for a flare up. In summer, when it's really hot, I wash every 2nd day, since sweat and heat does make my hair much oilier than normal. I use gentle shampoos anyway, and only shampoo the scalp while the rest is soaked in conditioner. My length tends to be dry so frequent conditioning is good for me anyway.

[OhSuzi]

Sweaty head is uncomfortable & probably not that appetising for others - but I find it makes my hair curlier. If its really hot and uncomfortable Ill rinse it in just cold water - one cause that feels glorious when you're boiling hot - two - your hair's not properly being stripped with shampoo n stuff, so it's a bit cleaner, a bit fresher but maintains some of the salty curlyness.

[spidermom]

CO doesn't work for everyone; YMMV again. I had the most success by using a very basic conditioner - short ingredient list - then massaging it into the hair at my scalp, putting on a disposable shower cap, and letting it marinate for awhile. Then I would wet it slightly and massage with my fingertips until I worked up a slight foam, then I'd get under the shower spray and comb through with my shower comb while I rinsed. It worked once or twice, but I never could do it more times in a row than that or would get dull, oily hair. I will still do a CO between washes if I feel I'm washing too often, like when I'm getting hot and sweaty from exercise or yard work every day.

[Eastbound&Down]

I choose Over-washing = bad. For me, I run 2-3 miles 5 days a week. I shower every night, but won't wet my hair the first night, WO the second, S&C once, and repeated before my DT and S&C wash on Sundays. When my hair is a little longer and I switch back the 1x/week S&C, I will probably add another WO rinse in the middle to hold me over until the weekend. Sweat on my scalp doesn't bother my hair even a little so YMMV.

[hobbitlocks]

I didn't vote, because I would also vote for scalp washes. If you search for scalp washes, you'll see various methods people have tried. Personally, I really like the PonyDry (link to thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=136047)). I don't necessarily think it's bad to wash your hair that often -- like all things, it depends on what your hair will tolerate. But personally, I don't like going through the whole motions of shampoo, conditioner, leave ins, waiting for it to dry, etc etc etc every time I work out/get sweaty.

Another idea -- I bike everywhere, so my scalp gets kind of sweaty under my helmet, especially in the summer. This summer, I've tried doing tea rinses (usually green tea, but black tea too) after my scalp washes to see if that helps with the time in between. I had read on one of the tea rinse threads that it's astringent and some people found it drying, so it seemed worthashot. I definitely think that has helped my hair stay cleaner in between washes. Plus, I seem to have a growth spurt this summer.

[melesine]

Wash my hair ( or at least rinse well with water), use a heat protectant and diffuse or blow dry on low speed with the heat off. I'm done with 8+ hour air dries. I gave up air drying about six months ago and I'm so much happier because I don't have to plan ahead to wash my hair so I have time to air dry and I've had zero damage.

I'm not sweating as much as you are, even when I'm working out. It's not to the point where I'm soaking my bun. So I still only wash my hair about twice a week.

[Jo Ann]

Thank you all for the replies! I disappeared.... into the yard all day :) and missed these sooner.

[QUOTE=LinzDigital;3455706]Thank you all for the replies! I disappeared.... into the yard all day :) and missed these sooner.

Jo Ann- HI fellow Floridian! Yes! In an effort to keep our cooling bill down I keep it about 78-79 in here, I have never been able to make it more than 3 maybe 4 days without a wash. My problem is I have oily skin on top of sweating a lot naturally (I'm originally from Colorado, I feel like I just never got used to the weather here) so I always feel dirty here. I mean, its totally different if I get sweaty inside too- that doesn't bother me as bad. But I swear its the dirt and pollen in the air here, it just clings on to you, especially with oily skin. Add to that the massive amounts of sunscreen I wear every day, I always feel yuk in the summer. I've been diluting my shampoo lately and its an SLS free gentle formula anyway, as well as I am ok with being wet- more I think I was worried about over manipulating the hair I guess.
I moved down here from NJ 43 years ago, when I was in high school, so yeah, I SO know what you mean! Back in my younger days, I couldn't let the sweat dry on my hair--it would get all oily and gunky, so I had no choice BUT to wash it! After washing it, though, I would sit outside on the porch (lanai, stoop, whatever) or in the carport and let it air dry--that helped a LOT to help it dry quickly! I couldn't do scalp-only washes for the same reason--scalp clean, but the hair would look nasty! And yeah, back in those days, my skin was oily and, especially when I had to work outside (washing windows, hanging laundry or whatever), I felt grungy. Even now, when I get done working where there's no A/C in the summertime, I go for the full baptism (shower, complete with WCC).

And yes, even after being down here for so long, my A/C is set for about 80, to better save money! When it's cooler (November/December and March-early May), we have our windows open during the day and the A/C's on at night ;)

[gohan]

I exercise a lot and get sweaty that way. Since I've only just been growing and reached apl it really didnt matter much until relatively recently. I have been trying to wash less frequently but sometimes I just can't help it. Lately I've been oiling more often to combat that. Maybe winter won't be so bad and I'll sweet a bit less on my runs.

[daywalker]

I used to mountain bike and I live in the US south. I just co washed and used a blow dryer with a diffuser. Now when I don't have time to wash I wrap it in a silk scarf.

[Andthetalltrees]

Wash it. I wash every other day anyway, But if I get sweaty it'll make my head itchy and my SD to flare up so if I have to wash it again I will.