Protecting Your Relaxed Black Hair While Working Out

Many Black women who relax or process their hair avoid going to the gym or working out because they do not want to get too much moisture in their hair to ruin the style. While it makes sense that you would not want to ruin a $80-$100 hairdressing appointment, avoiding health and exercise for hair appearance is an unnecessary and sometimes detrimental sacrifice. Why pack on the pounds just for a good hairstyle? But do not worry any longer! There are things and strategies you can do, and in this article I explain why they work.

1) Work out in front of a fan or in a room with an air-conditioning unit.

Sweating while exercising is a healthy response. Paul Monslave explains it best: "Your body is like a machine. It heats up during extreme functions. The more the muscles contract, the more heat is produced. To prevent exhaustion and overheating, your body sweats to keep itself cool." To know what will make you "sweat your perm out", you should understand what conditions make you sweat more and in what way. According to Monslave, there are four ways our body "maintains its core temperature within normal limits."

Firstly, through radiation. "Heat radiates from our body through the skin if the environmental temperature is cooler." In other words ladies, if you work out in a hot environment, you will sweat through radiation.

Secondly, there is conduction. It is the transfer of heat to something else by direct contact, such as when you're in a swimming pool or simply wiping yourself off with a damp towel.

Thirdly, convection. It is heat transfer through moving air. That's what happens when you're in front of a fan, or when a cool breeze falls upon your face.

Fourthly, your body keeps cool through evaporation. This happens when "water from your blood absorbs your body heat; this then rises above the skin through your sweat glands and evaporates. This process creates another cooling effect upon our body."

Therefore, when you work out in an air-conditioned room, or even when you train in a high-altitude location where the air is colder, you will sweat less. This is because the "the primary method of heat transfer is through radiation. You are more likely to sweat more in warmer locations." So turn on that fan and air condition ladies! Don't be afraid to dip your head right in front of that fan at the hairline when you feel yourself starting to sweat too much. It may look silly, but your prerogative is to lose weight and stay healthy whilst protecting your hair.

2) Sweat can damage your hair. Block sweat from that hairline.

You would think that covering up your hairline with a headband or a scarf would generate more sweat and cause less breathability. In many cases it does, but there are fabrics out there that will help diminish sweat or absorb it. There are wide cotton headbands you can wear that will absorb the sweat from the forehead before it makes contact with your scalp. Remember that sweat contains salt, and salt is drying and can damage your already sensitive and brittle hair already made so after relaxing. (Note: If you do not know how relaxing treatments damage the natural curly Black hair follicle, please see my article "An In-depth Look at How to Grow Relaxed Black Hair".) Some people find that wearing a scarf during workouts helps them prevent moisture from the head getting into the hair. Everyone sweats differently and some more than others, so while this will work for some, some find that wearing a scarf during a workout will lead to the production of excess moisture under the scarf and into the hair and around the hairline. If you have excess sweating problems, see a doctor to help you with that.

3) Pin hair up.

Wearing hair up is an obvious do, but wearing it in a ponytail may cause frizzing when the ponytail slaps or even touches your sweaty back or neck. The front of your hair may be fine, but the back will become frizzier than you know it. Put ponytails in a secured bun, and remember that drawing your hair too tightly will cause blood flow restriction, which is never a good thing. (Note: If you do not how blood flow affects hair growth, please see my article "An In-Depth Look at How to Grow Relaxed Black Hair.")

4) Walk, but not on a treadmill.

Walking on a treadmill generates more sweat for me than walking in nature or around a room. When I'm looking to get a great workout and sweat, my hair and hairline becomes drenched on a treadmill. Although you are technically moving on a treadmill, you are really only moving your legs. You are stationary in one spot of the room. Walking around and letting air pass by you will help you remain cooler through convection. Do not overlook this tip. This is one great secret I use to make sure that my hair stays "going-out ready."

5) Newsflash! Most swim caps do not work.

Someone lied to you. Swim caps were not made to keep your hair dry. "What!?" you say, but it is true. A swim cap's real purpose is to keep hair out of the face and to make your body more aero/hydrodynamic in the water. If you do not wish to get your hair wet, then don't go in the water, or at least not further than your chest. It may be disheartening to hear, but it's that simple. Wearing a scarf under a swim cap is no more effective either. Some lucky few may find success with a swim cap, and if you have it, stick with it. You are one of the very few.

5) Baby powder remedy

The thought of putting anything in your hair to absorb oil or sweat is a little frightening because relaxed black hair is already more susceptible to dryness and breakage. However, if you take generally good care of your hair, and do not go crazy with the baby powder, you may be able to put a little baby powder in your hair to soak up any sweat or excess oil that may have developed during your work out. It is a well known fact that baby powder can assist some people with sweating issues. Many women use baby powder when they do not want to wash their hair and make it appear drier. Baby powder may work for you, but do not overdo it. You want a dry head, not a white head.

6) The best tip you can find!

The best tip that I could offer you is better time management and scheduling. Don't click away from the page now! Read on. You should only do a heavy, sweat your butt off workout when you know you can wash your hair or get it hairdresser-done afterwards. This may be a Saturday morning and you may want to take off right to the hairdresser after you are done at the gym. When you have just gotten your hair done, consider exercises that will burn calories but not make you sweat to death. Walking is a great way to burn a few calories. Like I said, walking stationary on a treadmill will generate more perspiration. If you are walking outside, your movement and the movement of the air against your skin will ward off sweat more effectively. Whenever going outside to train, you will want to cover up your hair loosely with a scarf to prevent sun damage. Movement in general will burn more calories. Only when you know you can get your hair done afterwards is when you should venture into a "sweat your perm out" routine or go swimming.

If you want to work out five times a week, consider this routine in cool environments:

Saturday morning- Work out heavy at gym or in home
Saturday afternoon or Saturday morning- Get hair done
Monday- Light walking for 30 minutes to an hour
Tuesday- Light dancing classes
Wednesday- Light aerobics for 30 minutes
Thursday- Light weight training

You do not have to sacrifice health for hair. No longer should you do it. If you follow these tips and understand some of these concepts, then you may be on your to happier, healthier, more sweat-free hair.

Source:

Paul Monslave. "Is Sweating a Good Indicator of Exercise Intensity?" http://myshapemyway.com/articles/437. My shape, My way website.