NY Times Surgeon General Article on Hair & Exercise

[CherrySilver]

This article appeared the other day in the NY Times the other day regarding the issue of putting our hair over our health. I read it with great interest because it occurred to me that it may apply to members of our community as well.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/25/surgeon-general-calls-for-health-over-hair/?hpw&gwh=798A34B4C1D5615C0A487C71FEB44EFF

Although the article was originally written about concerns of women color with ruining salon styled hair, the larger question looms as she so eloquently puts it:

“Oftentimes you get women saying, ‘I can’t exercise today because I don’t want to sweat my hair back or get my hair wet,’ ” she said in an interview. “When you’re starting to exercise, you look for reasons not to, and sometimes the hair is one of those reasons.”

Okay ladies (and gents), let’s be honest, how many of us have given up or curtailed exercise or other activities because we’re afraid we’re going to “sweat, damage or otherwise mess up” our hair?

[islandboo]

LOL, I have many excuses for not exercising like I should but my hair has never been one of them.

[NouvelleNymphe2]

i agree with islandboo. i also know that exercise stimulates growth, so that would actually encourage me to work out. :)

[Yozhik]

Great article! Thanks for linking to it. :flower:

I found it quite informative, and, for myself at least, true. :o

I've been wanting to get into better shape for the last two years, but I also started growing out my hair two years ago, and it's a real pain now that my hair is longer to get it all sweaty (especially when I stretch my washes from 1-2 times a week). I know of course I could do it, or do a WO rinse, but unless I use some cleansing agent on my scalp, it doesn't really feel clean to me. :(

I appreciate the wake-up call, though, and I will be more aware now that I'm using my hair as an excuse when it shouldn't be -- after all, better health means healthier hair growing out of your head in the long term.

[CurlyCap]

LOL.

I love when my hair gets all sweaty. It's like Infusium 23 on steriods. My curls look AMAZING.

The problem? I stink. Stinky stinky stink.

Ah well.

[CherrySilver]

I appreciate the wake-up call, though, and I will be more aware now that I'm using my hair as an excuse when it shouldn't be -- after all, better health means healthier hair growing out of your head in the long term.

I know, there was a point in my life, too, where I didn't exercise as much because I was afraid of washing my hair too often. I thought about it as I experienced one of those "traumatic birthdays" when it becomes even more imperative that we do something to preserve our health. What was it going to be: the health or the hair. Sorry hair, you lost. I had really given up or curtailed some activities and thought it was pretty stupid and superficial to be so worried about my hair. Guess what? It's in my sig....

[virgo75]

LOL, I have many excuses for not exercising like I should but my hair has never been one of them.

2nd this.



i agree with islandboo. i also know that exercise stimulates growth, so that would actually encourage me to work out. :)

And this.

I wash my hair daily so having to wash it after exercise isn't an issue. The 2 factors that keep me making excuses are 1)time- I am a routine person and have yet to find a time slot that works for me daily. 2)laziness.

[Charybdis]

I love when my hair gets all sweaty. It's like Infusium 23 on steroids. My curls look AMAZING.

This! I'm more wurly than curly, but the salt and moisture of sweat definitely emphasizes the curl.

I do have to make sure my scalp dries thoroughly afterwards, though, or my seborrheic dermatitis will flare. No putting up sweaty hair for me! Alternatively, a WO rinse gets the sweat out if it's not wash day or my scalp is itchy.

Sweat really and truly isn't dirty. (The sweat glands on your head are eccrine glands, and the sweat they produce doesn't smell and isn't very interesting to the bacteria that live on your skin. You also have apocrine sweat glands around your armpits and genitals, and the sweat they produce is more tasty to bacteria, which is why body odor tends to be concentrated in those areas.) If your scalp smells when you sweat, what you're smelling is the byproducts from bacterial breakdown of sebum, which are more noticeable when your scalp is damp. This effect is definitely much worse if you are having a seborrheic dermatitis flare -- the only times I've ever noticed a smell from my scalp has been when I've had a bad SD flare.

What I thought was interesting about the original article is that it provides yet another reason why heat straightening and chemical relaxers aren't a good idea. Preach it, Regina! :cool:

[AnqeIicDemise]

I find other excuses to avoid the gym. My hair is never one of them.

- I left my clothes at home
- My ____ hurts
- I'm tired
- I haven't seen the DH in a while..

Yup. Those are my excuses. Never my hair.

[AnqeIicDemise]

ps: its a hair growth stimulant? Really? I think I finally found the reason to actually, you know, go to the gym. XD

[ingvild]

Hmm. I exercise no matter when I've washed my hair! But then again, I never wash my hair because I've exercised, as it doesn't seem to affect my hair much..

Actually, I use washing my hair as encouraging :p "I should go for a run today, as I'm going to wash my hair anyway..."

[alyanna]

Oh I totally get this, but maybe it affects curlies and wurlies more that straighties?

But I usually time my hair washings around my exercise or vice versa. But since I wash every 3 or 4 days, and sometimes I want to work out more frequently, this can become a problem. If I don't wash my hair after exercising, then that's definitely an updo day. On the other hand, if I've just washed my hair in the morning, there's no way I'm going to the gym that day.

[ravenreed]

The only thing my hair is stopping me from doing exercise-wise is swimming. I dance, I walk. I don't mind getting sweaty. I am not sure how my hair will cope with chlorine in the pool, so I haven't tried it.

[Mesmerise]

Well, I have realised there are worse things than washing hair too frequently!! My hair has never shown substantial damage from washing, so honestly it doesn't bother me needing to wash it more frequently. I do try to stretch washes a bit, but don't like a manky feeling scalp!

I also remind myself that exercise helps stimulate hair growth :D and THAT outweighs any sweaty hair annoyances!

[oktobergoud]

I'm actually the other way around! If I workout I just think 'aah this is going to be good for my health and body and thus for my hair!'. I don't care if the hair gets sweaty, most of the time it dries my hair out a bit and gives it more waves (which means a co-wash would be enough which is less bad than shampoo which is also better for my hair :P)

So no, the hair is not an excuse for me :) My soar legs are though :P

[Sunny_side_up]

during the working week i feel i can be very active( not a gym goer) at work and commuting... can get mucky at work and travelling about London, but enjoy the thought of going home to the shower.
When it comes to the weekend i can be a bit too sedentary, (ever since getting the car don't walk to the high st any more) though yesterday went out for a long walk and was caught in a heavy rain shower,
my hair was only washed the night before, didn't care at all :D:cool: Felt so good to be out and about being active rather than being stuck indoors with my poor circulation being even more sluggish, therefore i rejoice in any form of activity:p its the effects within that count for me.

[pepperminttea]

I admit, this is a big factor for me. I go swimming once or twice a week. I would like to go more, maybe 3-5 times a week, but there's only so much "chlorine damage control" I can do, and washing my hair more often than that makes my scalp go a bit mad. :( As for other exercise, that doesn't involve chlorine... well I admit I don't do enough of that out of laziness. The hair's just a good excuse. :p

[missoj]

Sometimes, if I just done my hair and put a lot of effort into it, yes, but most of the time my main excuse for not working out is being plain lazy.

[Audrey Horne]

My body and its health are just as important for me as my hair, so I have to combine it. I don't see another way!

[BlazingHeart]

If I miss exercising, it's not because of my hair! A minor injury is more likely the culprit, and even then I do my back, hip, and shoulder exercises unless they're injured because for me to skip them is asking for another injury.

I do have to be a little careful about timing workouts, though, as I am in a field where it would be completely unacceptable for my hair to look the slightest bit messy, which is a real nuisance.

~Blaze

[elbow chic]

I used to, because I was trying to cut down washing and it has long been ingrained that post-workout, you must wash the sweat out of your hair.

But lately I've been doing yardwork and then taking a bath instead of a shower afterward. My sweaty hair dries looking and smelling no worse than it was to start with. Let it dry, comb it out, and it looks fine.

[jaine]

Lately I exercise first thing in the morning, before my shower ... no worries here!
Rain, snow, sweat, mud, humidity ... bring it

[boomtownrat]

The reason I don't exercise as much as I should is that I am lazy. I wash my hair daily anyway.

[nicolezoie]

I was a competitive swimmer for 12 years, Varsity all 4 years in high school, and dealt with the damage that chlorine caused my hair. I know what to do to keep it protected, yes, but even still, with as much hair as I have now, I have a hard time keeping it contained OUTSIDE the pool let alone IN the pool (or the ocean, whatever). I did give up swimming for the most part, but it's not like I won't go in the water at all because of my hair. Just a couple weeks ago I went in the ocean with my family for the first time in several years, and realized how much I missed it. I suppose I could adapt all the tricks I developed for biking for swimming, but I just haven't had the patience or desire really to do it. I just got back on my bike and so far that's enough for me, but I may want to get back in the pool at some point, so I'll have to come up with something.

[ddiana1979]

I've been training for a triathlon, so this has recently become an issue for me. I used to jog every other day, and wash my hair right afterwards, which worked out well, because my scalp is kind of greasy and stretching more than two days doesn't really work unless I plan on being a greasy hermit. Now I'm alternating biking and jogging every day, AND I swim every single day, so I absolutely have to wash my hair everyday. So far, I haven't seen any damage, and my hair has actually grown more than my average (and for some reason is also shinier than normal?). I am concerned that the daily washing might start to take it's toll though. I'm using heavy moisturizing conditioners and oiling the length constantly, but I'm still worried.

[CherrySilver]

Years ago when I was growing my hair out, I was swimming in a chlorinated pool almost every day. After a while I noticed that the bottom 8" was so horrible and sticky that I almost cut it off. Good thing I was reading the boards at this time or I would have. It took some time but eventually it went back to normal. Needless to say, I gave up swimming for the most part.

Today, I've resumed swimming, which I love. What I changed was *how* I swam. All I do is put my hair in a bun on the top of my head and do a modified breaststroke without putting my hair in the water. The first time I did it, it was tough to do more than a few laps. Now, I can go for at least 20 or more laps with no problem. Yep, you really develop strong shoulder, back and neck muscles that way. And, no, you don't end up looking like a muscled out bodybuilder either.

I still swim in the ocean with my hair in a braid occasionally, but just oil it up before I go in. No big deal. Who knows, maybe one of these days I'll find a swimming cap I'm absolutely in love with.

[vrle]

I have used my hair as a excuse to miss swimming sessions with my mum. I regret that in hindsight and I will do my very best to join her from know on.

[Lianna]

I think you might find some people here who actually started to exercise to promote hair growth (more blood flow). I'm an everyday washer, exercise or not.

[sally_neuf]

So I can use my hair not to make exercise? another reason to grow!!

:p nah, that's just kidding, I put it up in a bun when exercising, so you can't see if it's dirty or what!

[Bast]

Actually, I'll often shower before working out, and simply towel off afterwards. But, that's in a climate-controlled gym, when I go outside everything changes a bit. (More bugs, for one, of which a good 50+ usually end up splattered all over me. Perils of biking.)

And yes, hair growth is one of the reasons I work out on a regular basis, but it's quite securely behind "keeping up with my fiance while hiking," "weight loss," and "feels good" on my list of reasons.

[Yozhik]

I know, there was a point in my life, too, where I didn't exercise as much because I was afraid of washing my hair too often. I thought about it as I experienced one of those "traumatic birthdays" when it becomes even more imperative that we do something to preserve our health. What was it going to be: the health or the hair. Sorry hair, you lost. I had really given up or curtailed some activities and thought it was pretty stupid and superficial to be so worried about my hair. Guess what? It's in my sig....

:thumbsup: Great motto! :)

I really need to exercise, and I will start!

[DoubleCrowned]

When I was exercising hard enough every day that my hair got sweaty, it actually needed less washing than usual. I thought my hair looked better than during times I didn't exercise.

[kidari]

My hair really is one of the biggest obstacles for my working out. It's the main reason why I have to wash daily. But you know what? I just got over it. If that means I can't grow it past BSL, if that means I have to shampoo daily, if that means some days I walk around with my hair smelling like sweat... I don't care. I deal with it.

[squiggyflop]

hair is only my reason for not exercising if i do an unusually complicated updo.. my reasons for not exercising usually come from my doctors telling me not to do things, like, you know, strenuous workouts.. if im breaking a sweat exercising it means im usually hurting myself badly enough to be bedridden for days..

[teal]

Exercise has never been avoided due to my hair. I guess I've never had a hairdo worth 'saving' from exercise and the sweat, etc, has never been a problem. The only thing that's even drawn pause is swimming, and that's because my hair is just about impossible to work with when it's got chlorine in it. But I still go in regardless, because I like to swim and so does my family.

[Panth]

It seems to me the issue here is not "oh, no, exercise will ruin my hair" so much as that it is socially unacceptable for black women to have natural hair (which will not change texture much with washing and won't need a hefty sum to put back) and, less so but still true, it is socially unacceptable (in some places) to go to work with wet hair. Also, as one of the comments mentioned, cycling to work (an amazing form of exercise) is not assisted by employers as they may reprimand you for turning up in a creased suit or slightly sweaty - and there are never any locker rooms or showers for you to use to put yourself 'right'.

The issue is not the women staving off exercise for the sake of their hair. The issue is the society that has such a narrow definition of what is 'acceptable' and one that is narrower still when it comes to 'acceptable for work'.

[Charybdis]

It seems to me the issue here is not "oh, no, exercise will ruin my hair" so much as that it is socially unacceptable for black women to have natural hair (which will not change texture much with washing and won't need a hefty sum to put back) and, less so but still true, it is socially unacceptable (in some places) to go to work with wet hair. Also, as one of the comments mentioned, cycling to work (an amazing form of exercise) is not assisted by employers as they may reprimand you for turning up in a creased suit or slightly sweaty - and there are never any locker rooms or showers for you to use to put yourself 'right'.

The issue is not the women staving off exercise for the sake of their hair. The issue is the society that has such a narrow definition of what is 'acceptable' and one that is narrower still when it comes to 'acceptable for work'.

Panth, exactly. I'm not of African descent, so I don't have direct personal experience of the pressure to relax and straighten, but I've heard about it from black friends, and heard upsetting derogatory remarks from other white people about low-maintenance natural styles for black hair (that I think are beautiful). [Aside: It's very upsetting when white people who are racist, and usually oblivious to that fact about themselves, think that you'll give their racist views a sympathetic hearing as though you are automatically part of some "whites only" club.] I know it's expensive, difficult, and sometimes painful for black women to maintain relaxed hair, and I can certainly understand how it can act as a barrier to exercise unless it's kept very short.

And, as someone who sweats heavily during exercise, I've had the non-hair-related experience of not being able to exercise due to the need to look "professional" shortly afterwards. Exercising at lunch is not possible for me. Notions of "professional" appearance are all about signaling social status, which is a pretty messed-up state of affairs. And an appearance which denotes recent physical activity, without taking significant steps to "repair" your appearance afterwards, is considered to denote lower social status. Personally, I do what I have to to keep my appearance "professional" for the norms of the groups I work with, because I want people to focus on my words instead of obsessing on my appearance. But I recognize that discrimination based on appearance is still a real problem in professional life, and gets enforced in ways that reinforce privilege based on race, class, and gender. It happens, but it ain't right.

[Firefly River]

It has been, before. Especially doing laying down exercises where my hair touched the ground. I realize I was being far too unrealistic and worrisome and picky though.

[fridgee]

I have used it as an excuse, rather than a reason, not to exercise when I don't feel like doing it and want to justify being lazy to myself! But reading it might help growth has just renewed my resolve to get back to it!

[skyblue]

I use to belly dance so I wanted longer hair at the time, it was just at SL then and I don't remember feeling I shouldn't practice because my hair would get sweaty lol! I've been wanting to get back into it again now that my hair is longer but I'm having serious laziness issues....:yawn::laugh::laugh:

[CherrySilver]

Seriously, I all but gave up regular exercise a number of years ago because I was so worried about my hair. That was when I first started growing my hair out almost 10 years ago. When I started noticing I was putting on the pounds and my waist wasn't what it used to be, I started getting scared, especially since my metabolism was starting to slow down. Once I stopped worrying about my hair so much, things got a little bit easier. It took a conscious effort, though, on what was more important, my hair or my body.

You'd think that things would be a little more difficult with the frequent washings and exercise, especially since my hair is much longer now. It's all in your attitude, and I can't emphasize that strongly enough. I'm dealing with it differently and not getting defeated by it.

For yoga and floor work, It just do heidi braids (it's easier to detangle than a single braid), and a topknot bun for everything else (swimming, treadmill, weights). The is followed by mostly a CO rinse, detangle in the shower (comb goes thru my hair like butter if detangled first) and drip dry before bunning.

What's important is that I make it a point to get to the gym for some exercise and always feel better after I go. I don't want to be sitting around and having my activities limited by my (stupid) hair. Yes, I love it, but I'm not going to let it rule my life.

[Amber_Maiden]

My hair gets in the way, but it doesn't STOP me from doing anything...

[jacqueline101]

I'm rare I love my brisk walks and I do like moderate exercise. I like the way I feel energized and sweats not issue with me. I'm 130 pounds I'm 5ft 7in so I'm were I need to be just do for my health.

[princessp]

LOL, I have many excuses for not exercising like I should but my hair has never been one of them.

Agreed X2!:p

[CherrySilver]

My hair gets in the way, but it doesn't STOP me from doing anything...

Good thing -- that's the attitude to take! But I dare say it gets a bit more challenging when your hair gets down to your knees!

[Ava666]

Wait! Does this mean I can use my hair as an excuse not to muck stalls? And to not walk the dog? (wait I don't walk her anyways... she just goes out and runs the field...) No? Darn. Nope, never used my hair as an excuse to not do something (other than "Don't get that fake blood anywhere NEAR my hair or I swear I will shoot you." ya, that stuff dyes hair and it's kinda permanent, so ya.) oh and once i said i couldn't do something cause I had to S&D... but that was just a convenient excuse, and i really did have to lol.