Gym Hair Help? Dry, damaged, sweaty, hair, what to do, what to do...

I have hair problems, thin, wavy, very long (almost to hips), dry and damaged hair.

I am also very far from rich, so expensive salon products are absolutely not an option.

I often hear that you should not wash your hair everyday, it dries it out, especially true if you have damaged hair.

The thing is, I work out every day, and I work out hard! I don't just break a little sweat, I'm totally soaked after a workout, almost like I just jumped out of the shower, my hair is soaked in sweat, so I have to wash it everyday.

On days where I workout in the morning, and do hot yoga in the evening, it will get washed twice in the same day.

I tried a kind of "hair refresher" spray that was suppose to refresh your hair without having to wash it, but my hair is fine and thin so once it gets all sweaty, it just gets completely flat, greasy on top, and totally dried out and frizzy on the ends if I don't wash it, but all the washing is probably only drying it out more, and making it ever harder to manage.

It's a vicious hair cycle!

I won't stop wrking out because of my hair, but can't I have both great hair and a healthy lifestyle?

I want my cake, and I wanna eat it too!!!!

Any suggestions?

Wed. Apr 22, 2:40pm

I'd start with cutting off the damaged hair. With hair down to your hips you could probably cut off a good portion of the damaged hair and still have a long style. Damaged hair is damaged.

Why not just let your hair go after the second p.m. workout, since it's going to get all sweaty again the next day? Air dry when you can. On weekends, invest in a cute hat :)

Unfortunately, you can't have your cake and eat it, too! You can't run your hair through the wringer and not expect damage. :)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 3:06 PM

As a woman who wants to have long, flowing hair it pains me to bring this up but maybe your hair style doesn't fit your lifestyle?

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 3:06 PM

i was/ still am a swimmer, and i have thick curly hair, that is past my shoulders, i use Infusium 23, its not expensive and it helps out with the dryness. also it would def. help to cut off a couple of inches to get the dead ends off, you will see a difference, maybe even cutting 4-5 inches. I know i love my hair long, and would hate to cut it, but i had to when i swam b/c it just dries up and gets damaged. but try infusium 23.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 3:22 PM

When you wash your hair, only put shampoo on the top part right around your scalp. It'll rinse through the rest when you rinse it out, but it won't dry it as much. Then condition the full length of your hair and leave the conditioner on for at least a few minutes (while you wash the rest of your body, shave, etc.) You can even put the hair covered in conditioner into a shower cap, and then let the hot water warm it up - like an at-home hot oil treatment, almost.

After the shower, use a leave-in conditioner (in addition to the conditioner you use in the shower) and avoid the hairdryer and any heat products as much as possible.

The products don't have to be expensive; just buy whatever's on sale. It's good for your hair to switch up the brands every so often anyway; helps to avoid build-up.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 3:24 PM

conditioner!! i know they say your hair is dead and you can't undo what you've done to it which is pretty much true, but you CAN add things to it to help keep it manageable. i have thick straight hair and i've been dying it since high school (i'm 22) and i remember the days when the texture was so unbearable i had to just chop it off. i started using conditioner everyday and i have GORGEOUS hair now. i don't even use anything expensive, just suave and v05.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 6:29 PM

Chop off enough inches to donate to Locks of Love and have the hairstylist show you how to style it.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 7:20 PM

OP here,

Thanks everyone for the advice...

Any ideas on how to get away without shampooing every single day, but not having greased up sweaty gym hair in between shampoos?

I know, I know, I need a haircut, but even if I cut it I will continue to damage it with all this washing (I condition after every wash also).

It is not dyed, just very delicate!

Thanks again and hope everyone is having a good day.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 7:42 PM

I don't know that the daily washing does as much damage as the daily blow drying and styling (assuming you're doing one or both.) Can you wash/condit. and just wear - let it air dry?

What do you do during the day? Are you needing to look polished and put together on a daily basis for work? On days that I don't have to go into the office, I let my hair dry after a workout and then I use a hair powder to freshen up. Not the spray/aerosol kind, but actual powder (look on Sephora.com) that you squeeze out of a bottle. It takes some practice to get it to come out in a fine mist, but it works much better than the aerosol hair powders out there. You spray it into your hair, kind of shake it through and there you go.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 8:10 PM

Hello,

OP again.

I don't blow dry, or style (except for maybe crunching a small handful of mouse through my hair). I just let it air dry.

I'm actually pretty low maintenance, but my hair is long and I want to keep it long and healthy. Lots of "hair specialist" say daily washing is very bad for your hair, it will dry it out.

I really sweat way to much to just leave it as it is after a workout. I don't really need to look polished, but I don't really want to look totally scruffy most of the time either.

I have never heard of this hair powder stuff before, but if it can soak up some of the sweat and allow me to just shampoo every second day that would be great. I'll give it a try!

Thanks again everyone.

Thursday, April 23, 2009, 1:58 PM

The hair powder is worth a try (you won't look scruffy), and maybe a few times a week simply rinse your hair vs. shampoo and conditioning every day. And, again, my exeperience has been that the aersol versions and they just don't work as well.

I've been using it on my long hair for years and it has been my hair style/care saviour!!

(Still trim off those damaged ends, though, for truly fabulous hair! :))

Good luck!!

Link

Thursday, April 23, 2009, 2:27 PM

I would suggest that you cut your hair to remove the dry and damaged parts. I wash my hair twice a day and I've never had problems with over-drying or damaging my hair. I keep my hair trimmed, use a good shampoo and leave the conditioner in my hair for about 5 minutes. Make sure that you're water isn't too hot as that causes drying also.

Thursday, April 23, 2009, 4:10 PM

Corn Starch

I realize that this is different but it works.

You can used corn starch as shampoo granted this will work better if your hair is lighter in colour as cornstarch is white and may show in black hair.

I had a friends that was in an accident and was bed ridden for months. she couldnt bath or shower or wash her hair so she used corn starch and would rub into the roots of her hair every day to get rid of the oily ness. It work.. google it lots of people do it. YOU STILL HAVE TO USED REAL SHAMPOO EVERY FEW DAY or is builds up but it will soak up excess grease.
As for the already damaged hair.... no matter what anyone tells you once hair is damaged it done. cut it off there is no point in keeping it... you will look wose with a head of of damage long hair then a sleek sexy shiny bob cut.

Cut is off and start fresh use corn starch and take care of it properly if your going to grow it back out :)

Thursday, April 23, 2009, 7:34 PM

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