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Many times you might have fretted about the frizzy, sweaty and unmanageable hair after a workout. A regular workout is good for your health, but not so good for your hair. Nobody likes to have a greasy scalp and sticky hair after a workout. But the question that worries you daily after a workout is ‘What should I do to my hair, after workout’? You can definitely not wash your hair every day, even if you are indulging in a heavy workout. In order to avoid hair care issues such as hair fall, dry hair, dandruff, split-ends, it is important that you follow a regular post-workout haircare routine. In this article, we will be sharing how to take care of your hair post-workout. Keep reading till the end for some expert-recommended tips on how to deal with hair issues that usually crop up due to sweaty scalp and greasy hair.
Post-Workout Haircare
There are a few important aspects you need to keep in mind during your post-workout hair care regime. Following a regular post-workout haircare routine ensures that you have soft, smooth and bouncy tresses even after a heavy workout session.
1. Put A Mask On
Always prep your hair before heading for the gym. The best way is to apply a hair treatment mask from root to tip and tie your hair into a bun or braid your hair before you hit the gym. The heat which is produced during the workout makes it easier for the hair mask to penetrate deeper into the hair shaft. Post-workout you can rinse off the hair treatment mask and air dry your hair.
2. Don’t Wash Your Hair Everyday
After a heavy workout, your scalp becomes greasy and it is obvious to make you feel like washing your hair with shampoo to get rid of the stickiness. The common mistake that many of us make is washing our hair every day. Experts recommend washing your hair 2-3 times a week, irrespective of how much you sweat. In between your hair wash days you can use a dry shampoo to get rid of the greasy and sticky scalp. But remember that using dry shampoo too often can lead to product build on your scalp, leading to hair fall issues.
3. Use A Sulfate-Free Shampoo
Most of the shampoos contain sulfates which are strong detergent with a cleansing property that strips the natural oil from your hair. Make sure that you use a sulfate-free shampoo to prevent your hair from losing moisturization and becoming frizzy.
Also Read : Are Sulphates Good or Bad
4. Use A Deep Conditioner
Regular shampooing can make your hair dry and frizzy, so it is always good to use a deep conditioner after washing your hair. Using a deep conditioner helps to restore the lost moisture back into your strands.
5. Co-Wash Instead Of Using Shampoo
Washing your hair with a shampoo every day can strip the natural oil from your strands making your hair look dry, brittle and frizzy. Co-washing your hair is a better idea as it won’t strip your hair of its natural moisture. It helps you to get rid of the sticky and sweaty feeling after a heavy workout, plus co-washing adds freshness to your hair. It helps restore the moisture in your strands and helps detangle your hair.
6. Steam Your Hair
Once done with co-washing, apply good leave-in hair serum on your strands and steam your hair by wrapping your hair in a hot bath towel. Steaming your hair aids in better absorption of the serum, leaving your strands well hydrated, smooth and shiny.
7. Try To Keep Your Scalp Dry
Exercise can make you sweat profusely but try to keep your hair dry. You can do this by covering up your strands with sweat-wicking material. A sweat resistant headband will also serve the purpose. Tie your hair back during exercise as it prevents your hair from becoming messy, and brittle. Using a head wrap or a scarf also helps to absorb sweat and prevent your scalp from becoming oily. These haircare accessories absorb sweat and safeguard your hair from becoming frizzy, dry and brittle.
8. Don’t Overwash
Don’t get into the habit of washing your hair after every workout as washing can cause your hair to become dull, dry and brittle. You can rinse your hair in plain water and then apply a conditioner for that squeaky clean and fresh feeling.
Also Read : How much shampoo is too much shampoo? How often should we wash our hair
9. Bun It Up Or Braid It
Tie your hair into a quick bun or braid it to prevent your hair from tangling while you work out. This helps to make your combing session hassle-free after a workout.
Quick Tips For Post Workout Haircare
Our hair expert has shared some quick and handy tips for your post-workout haircare regime. Scroll down to have a quick look at some easy post-gym haircare hacks.
1. Refrain From Using Elastic Hair Ties On Wet Hair
Don’t tie your wet hair using elastic hair ties as they can damage your hair leading to hair breakage and hair thinning. The reason being - wet hair is fragile and more prone to breakage. The tight elastic hairband which is tugged at the ends can actually break your hair, leading to hair damage.
2. Don’t Tie Your Hair Too Tightly
Don’t tie your hair too tightly as it can also cause hair breakage and lead to traction alopecia, and over a period of time gives an impression of a receding hairline.
3. Avoid Hot Water Showers
Hot water can strip the natural moisture from your hair making it look dull and dry. Always rinse your hair in cold water as it helps to close the cuticles and locks the moisture inside your hair shaft.
4. Use A Hair Serum To Detangle Your Hair
Hair serum is a must-have product in your post-workout hair care kit. After a shower, your hair may get tangled and a leave-in conditioner or a hair serum helps to detangle your hair keeping it soft and smooth, improving the elasticity of your hair. It also reduces hair fall and hair breakage while you comb your hair.
Also Read : Things Everyone Should Know About Hair Growth Serum
5. Keep An Extra Hair Accessory Handy
After a heavy workout, your clothes may get sweaty, after taking a shower you don’t wear the same clothes again. The same rule applies to hair accessories also, after a workout you can change your hair accessories like your headband, headwrap or scarf whichever you have used during your workout as it can transfer or trap the bacteria in the sweat to your strands.
6. Brush Your Hair After Workout
Use a boar bristle brush for brushing your hair after a workout so that you can evenly distribute the natural oil from the roots to the tips. It is an excellent way to hydrate your dry strands. Moreover, brushing also stimulates hair follicles, increasing blood circulation.
These post-gym hacks will help to tackle all your hair issues such as the sweaty scalp, dry, dull, frizzy and unmanageable hair post-workout.
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