Showering/washing hair after gym

foiensoi
foiensoi Posts: 49 Member
edited November 30 in Fitness and Exercise
For those of you who train several times a week, how do you manage the hair washing after the gym? If I'm not training I usually wash my hair every second day, and when I hit the gym a few days in a row I hate washing it every day. I always wash it after cardio, but wondering are there people out there who just shower without washing their hair after a workout, or how do you mix all the gymming:showering/hair washing? Kinda vague, but interested to hear about others routines!
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Replies

  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
    For me, it depends on how much sweat gets in my hair. I use really thick headbands to keep the hair away from forehead/sweat. On days I don't wash my hair I also use a dry shampoo to help with any residue/grease. Hope that helps!
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,744 Member
    I have very fine hair that I color, so I have to be careful to protect it and not shampoo it too much. I shampoo it on Tues., Thur., and Sunday and use a dry shampoo on the other days. Experiment with a few dry shampoos. I've found some of the less expensive brands work better than the pricey ones.

    Note: if you do use dry shampoo, you CANNOT use it on wet, sweaty hair or you'll end up with a mess! Wait until your hair dries completely and then apply the dry shampoo. Needless to say, I learned this the hard way. Guess I should read directions sometimes.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    edited March 2016
    I, too, hate washing my hair too much - it's fine so I don't want to shampoo or blowdry it too much in case it damages it, plus it irritates my scalp. I try to tie my hair up so it's away from my forehead, ears and neck, and then if I'm doing light cardio or resistance training, I can USUALLY get away with either using dry shampoo once any minor sweat has dried out, or just washing my fringe. For swimming, I just tie it up, rinse and condition it, and let it dry naturally.

    If I'm running, it's gonna need a proper wash.

    I sometimes rearrange workouts with this in mind. So I'll do kettlebells or lifting one evening, and run first thing the following morning. The day after would be a rest day, so my hair only needs the one wash after the run.
  • foiensoi
    foiensoi Posts: 49 Member
    Thanks for your replies ladies! Should have said I'm not much of a fan of dry shampoo, I have very dark curly hair so it's hard to brush out and always looks grey! Just looking for what others do and it sounds good, on the days when I don't sweat too much like upper body days I won't feel bad for not washing. Thanks everyone!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    I only shampoo my hair on Thursdays and Sundays. The rest of the week I wet it and condition it in the shower. I have thick, straight hair. It works for me.
  • ald783
    ald783 Posts: 688 Member
    I shower every day but only wash my hair once every 3 days, no matter when I work out. My hair is pretty dry and thick so it gets really fried with too much washing/drying. Even when my hair gets sweaty, it's fine after it dries - it doesn't smell and I can just flat iron it and it looks normal again.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,744 Member
    @foiensoi, they DO have colored dry shampoo now so that you don't have to deal with the white, chalky residue. And I rarely brush my dry shampoo out. I just use my hands as if I was wet shampooing it. As long as you don't use too much it seems to work.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    I workout 6 days a week. I do one of the following:
    -dry shampoo
    -rinse my hair then brush and style as normal
    -rinse, condition, rinse, brush and style.
    -dry shampoo then style my hair up (pony tail, braid, etc.)
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    I think every sweat gland in my body is in my head. That combined with super short hair means I wash my hair after any cardio longer than 30 minutes. I recently read one of those "Alarming signs of low Vitamin D" articles on yahoo and it said head sweating was a sign of low vitamin D. It's probably woo, but now I'm taking the calcium supplement with the vitamin D in it since I already knew I was low calcium.
  • becky10rp
    becky10rp Posts: 573 Member
    I color my hair - and I work out 6 days a week. I only wash my hair about 3 - 4 times a week as my hair is very fine. On the days I don't wash my hair, I use a shower cap - put your hair up in a high ponytail (if it's long) - use a headband to make sure all of your hair is back - wash your body, don't wash your hair. Your hair will 'thank you' for this! As others have mentioned - on the days I don't wash my hair, I use dry shampoo - works like a charm!
  • TalliFay
    TalliFay Posts: 7 Member
    My hair gets really dry too with all the washing, especially when swimming, which really dries it out. I use dry shampoo when I can, make sure your hair is dry, massage it in, then brush it out and your hair shouldn't look too grey! You can buy dry shampoo specially for brunettes though too.
  • JLG1986
    JLG1986 Posts: 212 Member
    When I weight lift, I don't sweat much, so I don't wash my hair those days (lift 3x a week, cardio 2-3x a week). I only do a full hair wash 1-2 times a week, although I let my flyaways get a bit damp in the shower. I have very long, dry curly hair.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    I wash my hair everyday. I shed the same amount weekly no matter how many times I wash my hair.
  • chelsea7162
    chelsea7162 Posts: 97 Member
    I try to train every day or at least every second day when I'm not sick. On days I don't break much of a sweat or my hair stays rather dry I'll just rinse my hair in the shower and focus on cleaning my body. If I'm sweating lots I'll use shampoo and conditioner, or sometimes just lots of water and conditioner. I have fairly thick coloured hair that doesn't get greasy so I only wash out sweat. I try not to wash constantly because my hair is brightly coloured and I don't have excessive hair leakage.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Batiste brand has dry shampoo for brunettes. That doesn't really help with the whole "do not brush curly hair" thing though.

    I have dark curly hair but it is short enough that I need to get it wet nearly every day in order to get it to look okay. If you don't want to wet it that often, try just rinsing your hair and then leaving a bit of conditioner in it when it dries.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    I just throw some of whatever soap is in the gym showers up in there.

    ;) #maleprivilege
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    foiensoi wrote: »
    For those of you who train several times a week, how do you manage the hair washing after the gym? If I'm not training I usually wash my hair every second day, and when I hit the gym a few days in a row I hate washing it every day. I always wash it after cardio, but wondering are there people out there who just shower without washing their hair after a workout, or how do you mix all the gymming:showering/hair washing? Kinda vague, but interested to hear about others routines!

    Every day. Right after. Otherwise I break out terribly and look like I'm 16 all over again.
  • JayRuby84
    JayRuby84 Posts: 557 Member
    I wash/ condition my hair almost every day. Sometimes let an extra day slip in there.
  • acorsaut89
    acorsaut89 Posts: 1,147 Member
    I wash my hair every day anyways. Naturally I have very curly hair so when I work out and I sweat a lot (which is pretty much every time) my hair will get kinda gross so I just wash my hair every day. I also use product in it, so after I put it up into a pony tail it just won't look or settle right without washing and re-styling. Unfortunately :( I wish I could wash it every other day.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I wash and condition my hair after every workout of 30 minutes or more. For under 20 minutes, I don't (sometimes I will dry shampoo afterwards if I'm going to work or out). This means I'm washing my hair about seven times a week, but I sweat a lot and I think everyone around me appreciates how often I wash it.
  • katiebean
    katiebean Posts: 110 Member
    I usually just take a shower and dry my hair with a hairdryer at the gym... Most of the time I do yoga or resistance training though, I only get really sweaty once or twice a week. If I'm exercising at home, I wash it if I needed to wash it that day anyway, otherwise I just do the same....

    Is that really gross? Haha.
  • Brithicks
    Brithicks Posts: 148 Member
    I wash my hair 1-2 x per week. On super sweaty workout days I put my hair up high in a bun or tight in a french braid. Keep it up in a sower cap when I showed my body. Then let it dry still up. Put it down, add some dry shampoo (I use batiste for brunettes) rub it a bit with my fingers and go.
  • ellaJaeger
    ellaJaeger Posts: 11 Member
    I wash my hair every other day since it gets greasy from all that sweat. I shower at the gym then throw it up in a braid chignon. I've mastered several styles so it goes quick. Have to look presentable at work. At the end of the day before bed, I take the braid out and it leaves my hair wavy. It's nice and low maintenance.
  • Rini_s
    Rini_s Posts: 68 Member
    I never shampoo at the gym after a workout. I use a headband, and I sometimes dry the sweat with the gym's hair dryer if it's uncomfortably wet. I shampoo every other day at home, and neither me nor my husband notices a bad smell or anything. Will sometimes use dry shampoo after drying my hair at the gym.
  • drsb300
    drsb300 Posts: 7 Member
    I make a tea of black English Breakfast (caffeine) and fresh rosemary (has to be really fresh). Steep it and put it in the fridge. Then use a spray bottle to spritz my hair and scalp with it after my workouts, which are intense. It is a natural antiseptic and follicle stimulating treatment, so your hair and scalp stay clean. It smells fresh and clean and your hair grows. I am African American with curly hair, so I wear wash and go styles, so this is EXCELLENT for any hair type. One big cup of this "hair cleansing tea" lasts me all week. I found the idea on YouTube and I highly recommend it!
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    I wash my hair 2-3 times a week. Try just washing your bangs or the crown of your head in the bathtub. This way the hair people can see is fresh, but you don't need to wash the whole thing.

    Dry shampoo comes in many colors- Try Bumble & Bumble.

    I also change my style depending on how fresh it is. Down the first maybe second day, half up after that, then into a ponytail.
  • MiniNyoom
    MiniNyoom Posts: 12 Member
    drsb300 wrote: »
    I make a tea of black English Breakfast (caffeine) and fresh rosemary (has to be really fresh). Steep it and put it in the fridge. Then use a spray bottle to spritz my hair and scalp with it after my workouts, which are intense. It is a natural antiseptic and follicle stimulating treatment, so your hair and scalp stay clean. It smells fresh and clean and your hair grows. I am African American with curly hair, so I wear wash and go styles, so this is EXCELLENT for any hair type. One big cup of this "hair cleansing tea" lasts me all week. I found the idea on YouTube and I highly recommend it!

    I've got to try this! I don't do any styling to my hair so this sounds perfect
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Shave your head. Problem solved.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    I hate dry shampoo as well because it makes me look like I have grey roots.
    I've pretty much made my workout and work schedule fit my hair washing schedule.
    I make sure the days I don't do cardio are the days after I wash my hair.
    Here's a brief overview-
    Monday:cardio - wash my hair
    Tuesday : heavy lifting - don't wash my hair
    Wednesday: 2 hour boot camp where I'm drench in sweat - wash hair
    Thursday : rest - no wash hair
    Friday - cardio and weights - wash hair
    Saturday - upper body lifting - don't wash my hair
    Sunday - lower body lifting - don't was my hair
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
    I sweat too much and my hair is oily, so I wash every day. I need to check out that vitamin D claim about the head sweating...I know it's been low
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