Excessive sweating from exercise and hair care - advice please?

[fhairyqueen]

Hello everyone :)
Recently I have started to try to get a bit more active as I’m extremely unfit
The issue is that I am sweating excessively in a short time enough that I need to wash my hair immediately
I’m doing this EVERYDAY
My concern is that it will cause hair damage washing so frequently
does anyone have any advice or experience with this ?
my apologies if this is a thread that already exists I just couldn’t find anything on this specific problem of daily excessive sweating and hair care

[Margarita]

I recommend you to co-wash atleast 2 times a week. Dont use shampoo everyday, it'll damage your hair badly, since shampoos contains harmful ingredients no matter if its sulphate-free. Ofcourse, wash with cool water and not very warm :)

[fhairyqueen]

Thank you so much for replying .
It’s so bad I feel like I need to wash is everyday but I guess I’ll just have to have greasy hair some days
Is the CO washing conditioner only ?
I thought this would make my hair extra greasy ... I’ve never tried it so will give it a go
I didn’t know that conditioner was less harmful than shampoo
Please correct me if I’ve misunderstood




I recommend you to co-wash atleast 2 times a week. Dont use shampoo everyday, it'll damage
your hair badly, since shampoos contains harmful ingredients no matter if its sulphate-free. Ofcourse, wash with cool water and not very warm :)

[Margarita]

You're welcome, dear!
You can use dry shampoo sometimes but becareful to NOT use this thing almost all the time :)
Yes, co-wash is using conditioner only. But becareful, do not put conditioner on your scalp, it'll make it greasy.
Rinse your hair with cool water so it can "wash out" the oiliness and you'll see it gonna be good :)

[fhairyqueen]

Thank you ever so much for explaining it in detail
I’m defo girly going to try this thank you :) I really appreciate you replying and helping me out


You're welcome, dear!
You can use dry shampoo sometimes but becareful to NOT use this thing almost all the time :)
Yes, co-wash is using conditioner only. But becareful, do not put conditioner on your scalp, it'll make it greasy.
Rinse your hair with cool water so it can "wash out" the oiliness and you'll see it gonna be good :)

[bjt]

You could also try just rinsing with water only on some of those days. I think sweat is water soluble so you can often just rinse it out. that way you're not shampooing every day. I can't put conditioner on my scalp, and that's really where my issue is when I sweat from working out.

[Obsidian]

My scalp also sweats easily and I absolutely have to wash with shampoo. Sweating also makes it oily and rinsing is no way enough.

You can try diluted sulfate free just on the scalp. I see no reason not to wash if it's what you need. Many of the members here wash daily or every other day

[MusicalSpoons]

You could also try just rinsing with water only on some of those days. I think sweat is water soluble so you can often just rinse it out. that way you're not shampooing every day. I can't put conditioner on my scalp, and that's really where my issue is when I sweat from working out.


My scalp also sweats easily and I absolutely have to wash with shampoo. Sweating also makes it oily and rinsing is no way enough.

You can try diluted sulfate free just on the scalp. I see no reason not to wash if it's what you need. Many of the members here wash daily or every other day

It seems to vary between people, so just rinsing would be worth a try, and if it doesn't work then no harm done :)

Personally I've found diluted sulphate-free works well to target the bits that need attention between full washes (or even full scalp washes). I use an applicator bottle to apply the solution to dry hair, which works better than on wet hair (it just runs off wet hair so I can't use such a runny/weak solution; on dry hair it goes where I want it and lathers well enough to clean effectively.)

[AutobotsAttack]

I’d agree with the sulfate free shampoo that’s been diluted.

Mainly just wash the scalp, condition the ends.

Co-washing May or may not work too well. The constant sweating and conditioner ingredients may lead to more itching or irritation of the scalp.

Maybe a vinegar rinse here and there so the salt deposits of your sweat don’t build up too much on the hair. That may or may not effect, but just in case.

[lucid]

My scalp sweats easily as well. It's one of the first places I sweat, so all work out results in hair that is sweaty to some degree. I can have sweaty hair and a dry t-shirt even :p

If I work out two days in a row, the first day I either:
- Very sweaty hair: Wash normally
- Medium sweaty hair: Water rinse + conditioner on ends.
- Just a bit sweaty: Put my hair up, and only wash face/body. I do get some water at my hairline and neck, so some of the sweat in the hair gets rinsed of. When my hair dries it gets a bit more textured, but doesn't look greasy or smell or anything like that. I usually braid my hair when it's in that condition.

The second day I wash with shampoo as usual. So some days a shampoo my hair two days in a row. I don't think it's especially damaging to my hair.

[Chromis]

Just rinsing with water should be fine, but really I don't even need to do that most times. It dries fine!

[ravenheather]

I water rinse after work when Im sweaty.

[fhairyqueen]

Oh wow ! So many helpful replies thank you everyone !
I’m one of those people gang is super sentive to everything , I’ve had very dandruffy and itchy scalp lately and I changed shampoos and it seems to have stopped being so bad but now I’m trying another new shampoo and conditioner so will see how it goes
I’ve actually never tried water rinsing so I could also try that

[fhairyqueen]

Im not going to lie this is what I’ve been doing just letting it dry but now I’ve upped my work out I’m soaking with sweat
if I can get away with just drying it I will if it’s whats best for my hair



Just rinsing with water should be fine, but really I don't even need to do that most times. It dries fine!

[fhairyqueen]

I was worried washing everyday would destroy my hair
Is that not necessarily so ?


My scalp also sweats easily and I absolutely have to wash with shampoo. Sweating also makes it oily and rinsing is no way enough.

You can try diluted sulfate free just on the scalp. I see no reason not to wash if it's what you need. Many of the members here wash daily or every other day

[Chromis]

I was worried washing everyday would destroy my hair
Is that not necessarily so ?

Depends on your scalp and hair. Mine would be destroyed by doing this, but other people find they need to.

[trolleypup]

Everyone's hair and scalp is different. I could wash my hair every day but I'd lose my mind from dealing with it.

What I've found for me is a good water rinse, with enough pressure to reach my scalp, is pretty effective when the scalp is still overheated and sweaty...certainly enough to put off a S&C wash. Water rinses also avoid the possibility of my scalp getting angry about being touched by products. My normal wash schedule is once a week, if there is a lot of sweating going on, I might move it up a day or two.

And...with all the backpacking I do, there is plenty of just letting it dry, haven't noticed damage from that.

[samanthaa]

Just rinsing with water should be fine, but really I don't even need to do that most times. It dries fine!

Same. I workout 4-5 times a week and only wash my hair once a week. I used rinses as a way to get to the point that I'm at now, where I don't need to rinse at all between washes.

[Kat]

I live somewhere humid and hot, so washing my hair often is a must. After a workout (my group meets outside), my hair can be as damp as if I just washed and towel-dried it. I second CO-washing. For me, it not only is perhaps better for my hair than shampoo (haven't compared so I don't know), but I felt it got the oil/sweat out of my hair better, too (my hair likes to hang onto that manky-oily-sweaty stink even after thorough washing). I CO-wash twice a week (after my two hardest workouts) and then shampoo on the weekends. And yes, I do use it on my scalp hair (that's the part that most needs washing) and no, it doesn't make my scalp greasy.

You could also do a scalp-only wash, which would at least keep water and shampoo off your length.

[Beeboo123]

I co-wash everyday because of weather and exercise. I get so sweaty that I look like I just emerged from the shower. If I didn't wash, I would probably get some kind of fungus or something. I haven't shampooed since I switched to co-washing some months ago. I don't get hairfall issues from having conditioner on my skin. My hair definitely looks better and better everyday, and feels so soft too. I really don't believe I'm harming it with everyday washing.

[Upside Down]

I exercise 3-5 times a week. I am not extremely sweaty, at least now in colder weather because the space is poorly heated but still.

I wash once a week and to hell with it.

Curious though, has anyone tried to use dry shampoo powder (aka cornstarch :lol:) and rinse that? Pretty sure that is better than shampooing the scalp. But it means getting the hair wet. Or maybe if it is long enough then you could only rinse the scalp, maybe...

[Spikey]

I have this problem too, I'm a pretty active person and my main sport involves jumping around while wearing a helmet and a whole bunch of gear, so my hair gets really sweaty. It might sound disgusting, but honestly, I just let it dry. It frizzes out like crazy but I can fix that with a good long finger comb. However, my hair sweat is usually odorless (at least I think it is shudder:). I've also been washing my hair once a week for my entire life so my scalp would probably freak if I washed my hair every time I got sweaty! Like people are saying though, it's different for everybody.

[Deborah]

I exercise almost every day and if my scalp sweats I just let it dry. Sweat is not oily and does not smell. It does not need to be rinsed or washed at all.

[fhairyqueen]

I just assumed everybody washed straight after sweaty exercise but honestly I’m too exhausted to do my hair after exercising. I’m glad that a lot of you do let it just dry as I have had to do that lately
I was worried leaving it to just dry the sweat might be bad for my hair but I’d rather be a bit gross than destroy my hair
As long as I’m not smelling it shouldn’t bother anyone too much
I haven’t noticed it smell yet

[prairie lark]

First off, good for you:)the benefits to you, and your hair, are going to way outweigh the bothers!

For the gym. I put my hair up in two braids at the back, one above the other, and just let my head dry on it's own. When I take the braids down and comb, I take a few minutes for a good scalp massage and usually find head and hair are happy/not in need of a wash.
If I do need to wash, I just do -- yep to diluted shampoo. I've done that my whole life. The amounts the label will say to use are only such to sell maximum quantities of shampoo ;')

[fhairyqueen]

Ohhh that makes sense that they would recommend the right amount so that you use it up quick enough for them to make their money !
I will try diluting my shampoo
I actually use a HUGE amount of shampoo when I wash my hair . It’s accidental I always squeezed too much ontop of my head as I apply it when leaning over the bath . I should change the way I do this I think


First off, good for you:)the benefits to you, and your hair, are going to way outweigh the bothers!

For the gym. I put my hair up in two braids at the back, one above the other, and just let my head dry on it's own. When I take the braids down and comb, I take a few minutes for a good scalp massage and usually find head and hair are happy/not in need of a wash.
If I do need to wash, I just do -- yep to diluted shampoo. I've done that my whole life. The amounts the label will say to use are only such to sell maximum quantities of shampoo ;')

[trolleypup]

I actually use a HUGE amount of shampoo when I wash my hair . It’s accidental I always squeezed too much ontop of my head as I apply it when leaning over the bath . I should change the way I do this I think
Well diluted in a squirt bottle. If it has a nozzle tip you can even squirt it through your hair onto your scalp. I dilute mine til it is watery, then use enough to give the cleaning action I need.

[torosaurus]

I run every morning and I also do kickboxing 1-2 times a week, and I tend to get realllllyyy sweaty when I work out. So I usually feel a lot better if I shower soon after.

If I feel especially gross, I wash my scalp with shampoo, but only the scalp. I'm very careful to use a very small amount-- you really need way less shampoo than you think you do! Afterward, I condition. However, don't be afraid to try switching it around and figuring out what works for you. Sometimes all I need is to rinse my hair, especially if I'm just going to bun my hair afterward. Sometimes I use apple cider vinegar as a rinse because I feel like it is decent at cancelling out the smell of my sweaty hair.

Also, don't be afraid to utilize that dirty hair! I like to do my weekly oilings/deep treatments on oily hair. That way, when I shampoo and condition the oil out I'm taking out two birds with one stone.

Really, just figure out what works best with your hair and body. If you need to wash everyday, if you only need to wash once a week, just do it. It's all about finding what works best for you.

[Blue Mermaid]

During the week (When I'm excercising almost every day) I wash my hair every other day. On the weekends (when Im at home/at work) I dont wash my hair at all usually waiting until after Monday's workout. I can't go more than a few days without washing due to Seborrheic Dermatitis.