Workouts are tough, otherwise, they won’t really do much for the body. However, the many benefits that it comes with are all worth the effort. It can make you healthier and stronger. The way it will help transform your appearance is a great plus, too.
However, engaging in heavy physical activities can also be tough on women’s hair. Most of the ladies will want their hair out of their faces as they sweat it all out. If they do things with their hair down, they’ll just get distracted and won’t be able to perform properly.
Wearing Your Hair Up
Ideally, keeping your hair out of your face is a better idea than having it down and sticking to the back of your neck, shoulders, and arms. However, putting your tresses up in a tight updo is actually bound to be more damaging to it.
Why? For starters, to really keep your hair in place, it’s highly likely that you’ll tighten your ponytail or bun very well. This way, no matter how much you move, your locks won’t fall down and you won’t have to re-do it every couple of minutes.
Even with strong hair, tying your hair up very tightly on a regular basis can lead to breakage. This is one of the worst kinds of hair damage as there’s really no other way to recover other than grow your strands out. You can’t just replenish the strands with nutrients to rejuvenate them in this case.
So how do you avoid this problem? There are two general tricks:
Switch to elastic bands that are gentler on your hair.
Due to the softness of their materials, neoprene and fabric hair ties won’t pull at your locks and cause them to break. Some experts also recommend using those plastic swirly bands that look like the telephone wires of old. They’re made of plastic so they won’t absorb sweat and they’re easy to clean. They also won’t make flat dents on your tresses even when you wear them tight. In fact, you might not even be able to wear them tight as they’re just designed that way.
Change up your ‘do.
To avoid creating dents on your locks, it’s best to change up your hairstyle when you workout. For example, you wore a ponytail today, tomorrow try braiding your hair, then, do a bun on the next day. This way, your locks won’t get strained at the exact same points every time you’re going to hit the gym.
Too Much Washing
Workouts can also dry out your hair if you don’t know the right tricks to keep it in great shape. Most folks who work out will want to wash their tresses after getting sweaty, so if you hit the gym often, that means you wash your tresses quite a lot as well. This can result in your natural oils getting stripped, especially if you use regular shampoo to clean your hair and scalp.
So how do you avoid drying out your hair? Here are the things you can do:
Wash your hair with the gentlest shampoo only.
If you can’t stand not washing your locks, it’s best to actually wash your hair instead of just rinsing it with water. Doing so will just spread the saltiness of your sweat on your tresses which will dry them out. It will also oxidize the dye on your hair if your locks are colored.
Should you do this, make sure to also opt for shampoos that are very gentle. Make sure that it’s free of harsh ingredients like sulfates, alcohol, parabens, silicones, and fragrance so it won’t irritate your scalp and hair and strip your hair of its natural oils. Make sure to use a good, lightweight conditioner as well to keep your strands hydrated.
Keep your locks dirty instead.
There’s nothing wrong with keeping your tresses a bit unwashed even after a workout as the natural oils help add volume and make your hair easier to style. If you don’t want it to get gross, avoid touching your scalp and spritz on some dry shampoo before your workout. This hair product will absorb some of the sweat and oil on your hair as you exercise, keeping your tresses from getting gross.
Wear a moisture-wicking headband.
To keep your scalp clean in between washes without skipping the gym, wear a moisture-wicking headband. It will absorb the sweat from your head and scalp for you so your hair doesn’t have to get too salty and wet from it.
Be gentle with your wet hair.
At the end of your every workout, it’s really all about being gentle with your wet locks if you don’t want to damage it. Don’t rub, pull, or tug at your locks if it’s still wet. Be careful with how you handle your tresses right after a workout as your hair is very vulnerable at this point. With ample care, you can be sure to avoid hurting your locks while trying to get your body in better shape.
To learn more about how to better care for your hair without giving up your active lifestyle, ask your hairstylist the next time you visit a Sally Hershberger location. The professionals there will be able to give you great tips on looking after your tresses.