black hair care (relaxed hair)

Good luck!

I am not black but I am Dominican and have typical Dominican hair. I get it relaxed every 3 months but since deciding to work out, I have not relaxed it. I went to my hair stylist for some products that I can leave in with wet hair.

My hair has been a pain in my rear for a long time but my weight was getting out of control and I decided to put it in the back corner for now. If you find any good tips let me know!

Wish I could help, but I'm going back to natural. I would recommend wrapping your hair before you work out.

I went natural back in '09 too. And it is great especially for working out! But my roommate who likes the silky straight hair, wraps hers before she works out. She may occasionally have a few puffy spots but it's nothing like what it was before she started wrapping it. If she is really in a hurry she just throws a ponytail in.

Good luck!!!

I'm also natural (about a year and a half.) When I first started losing weight I was relaxed and weaved up (like you were.)

Unfortunately, this is a very tough decision. I cannot imagine being relaxed and working out like I do now.

The only thing that helps me when my natural hair is pressed (and i want it to stay as straight as possible) is braiding it before work outs and tying it down with a COTTON scarf then waiting until it's dry and taking down the braids. I sweat A LOT. My hair is typically wringing wet when I finish a work out and there's just nothing I can do about it. The crinkly look is cute for a little while but I typically don't wear it like that for more than a week.

Another option is to do your workouts at night and roll your hair while it's wet. It's super gross but it keeps your hair from getting heat damage from you pressing it every day. Remember- NEVER put heat on your hair when it's dirty it's very bad for it. Especially steer clear of hair dryers after a workout!

Your last option is to go natural (even though you don't want to) and try heat training your hair. I know lots of women who have healthy, long, natural hair that is also straight. It takes a lot of dedication but it's possible. Unfortunately, you have some of the same issues of "recurly" hair after a hard, wet workout.

Nonetheless, you have to ask yourself do you want to be HEALTHY or do you want to have FLY HAIR?... or do you want a little of both. Best of luck!

P.S. My favorite forum is blackhairmedia.com

I used to have the same struggles you did when it came to working out with permed hair. Sometimes it was just easier not to work out versus having to style my hair accordingly. What you can try to do is after you work out, put some rollers in it to help it dry a bit quicker (so that the air passes through). This way you don't have to keep using heat which will also damage your hair. Always remember to treat your hair often to prevent breakage. The other alternative, which I chose to pursue was...Going Natural! I know you may not like you curls but its probably the better alternative to damaging your hair. I have found that since going natural the worries of getting my hair wet no longer exist. This allows a little less of an excuse for me lol. But try websites to get an idea of what other hair styles or alternatives are out there. Either way good luck with your journey!!!!!