Damp hair at work

cskalaj
cskalaj Posts: 94 Member
edited November 12 in Chit-Chat
So...I know this isn't completely fitness related, but something has been brought to my attention that I had never considered before, and I wanted to take sort of a poll to see what other people think.

We have a gym in the basement of my work building that we are allowed to use if we just sign a waiver. Being that I work for a non-profit and can't afford an outside gym membership, I am frugal, and I have to work a second job in the evenings to make ends meet (thereby using up most all of my free time), I have been working out during my hour-long lunch break...doing 30 minutes of whatever and then taking a quick shower before coming back to work. I sweat...a lot...so I have to do a full shower after I'm finished with a workout. It takes about half an hour for my hair to appear completely dry, during which time I rarely have to work with anyone from other divisions.

This week, I got into a bit of a disagreement with a girl here at work who took it upon herself to tell me that my coming back to the office with "wet hair" (it's damp, but combed and parted neatly) was unprofessional. This girl is not my supervisor and I have been doing this routine on and off for 2 years, but really consistently (all but once a week) for the past three months and not once has anyone else ever mentioned it to me. I've spoken with my immediate supervisor who told me she doesn't have a problem with it and she said that her supervisor hasn't mentioned it to her, either...but I've heard her supervisor make very pointed comments about the appearance of others over the years, so I know that she notices things even if she hasn't said anything to my supervisor. Anyway...what is everyone's opinion? Is damp, but neatly combed and styled hair unprofessional? Do I need to stop working out during my lunch for the sake of my job?
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Replies

  • carolann_22
    carolann_22 Posts: 364 Member
    I think she needs to STFU. Honestly. I wouldn't give it a second thought.
  • LittleMissNerdy
    LittleMissNerdy Posts: 792 Member
    We have someone here who hits the pool before work and comes in with her hair damp, but combed and looking fine. I say if your supervisor is fine with it, don't worry about what someone else says. You've been doing it long enough that if it was truly an issue, someone would've said something by now.
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,063 Member
    Do you work with members of the public or is this an office?
    I don't think anything of wet hair - I often go to class with it wet. But my sister always yells at me and says it looks like I'm too lazy to blow dry it. Your co-worker might be like my sister. If you work with the public, I say try to blow dry the top of it. But if you're in an office and it dries quick, I don't see a problem.
  • cskalaj
    cskalaj Posts: 94 Member
    Do you work with members of the public or is this an office?
    I don't think anything of wet hair - I often go to class with it wet. But my sister always yells at me and says it looks like I'm too lazy to blow dry it. Your co-worker might be like my sister. If you work with the public, I say try to blow dry the top of it. But if you're in an office and it dries quick, I don't see a problem.

    It is in an office, but like I said, I rarely see anyone during the half an hour to an hour after I get back from lunch. In fact, the hours that I've been told I absolutely must be at my desk are from 9-11 AM for cash receipt. After that, people just drop things off and walk away for the most part.
  • LittleMissNerdy
    LittleMissNerdy Posts: 792 Member
    Then I wouldn't worry about it! Maybe she's just jealous you're taking the time to work out.
  • SophieB74656
    SophieB74656 Posts: 81 Member
    if your immediate boss doesn't have a problem with it, then it should be fine

    but for me, if I had to choose between my job and working out at lunch I definately choose the job
  • princeza9
    princeza9 Posts: 337 Member
    If your supervisor is fine with it, that's what matters. Until your supervisor or a higher up says something, I see no reason to change what you do.
  • CrzyAte
    CrzyAte Posts: 55
    I think she needs to STFU. Honestly. I wouldn't give it a second thought.


    This
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
    Well, I NEVER blow dry my hair. I used to live right next door to where I worked and would often go in with wet hair. My hair usually dried by the time I had to start waiting on customers. However, my supervisor did say something and also said that it was unprofessional. I didn't agree since the customers never saw my hair that way, but it is what it is! I started to blow dry my hair. Now I don't, but it's a 15 minute drive to work and it's usually dried by time I get there. If your supervisors don't have a problem with it, I wouldn't worry about it!
  • p0pr0cksnc0ke
    p0pr0cksnc0ke Posts: 1,283 Member
    I come to work with my hair in a messy bun/ponytail straight out of the shower. And I would say I actually brush my hair maybe 2-3 days a week.
    I have two kids... they are lucky I have time to shower. If they had a problem with that, they can gladly come over to my house and give me some "me" time because I could use it.
  • xHelloQuincyx
    xHelloQuincyx Posts: 884 Member
    why not just blow dry it and get some heat protection spray...


    my personal opinion, i woulda told that lady that its not up to her to say anything about how i look, ever.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I have naturally curly hair. I wash it, pick it out, put in mousse and air dry it every day. It takes a while to dry, so when I get to to work, it's still damp.

    I've held five professional jobs as an adult and done this with each and every one of them. Not once has anyone had an issue with it.

    Unless your boss or hers says something, keep doing what you're doing.
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,689 Member
    Like others, I wouldn't worry about it. My personal guideline is that if it is neat, and clean, you're fine--especially if you typically don't see anyone during that time. If it does become an issue, just blowdry the top, as others have suggested.

    I have a professional job, and I go to work pretty much every day with wet hair. No one cares what I look like or if my hair is wet, especially if I'm in my office all by myself.
  • SONIA820
    SONIA820 Posts: 208 Member
    I think that she is a rude, nosy person. Keep doing what you are doing, they would not have installed the gym WITH the showers for no one to use them! LOL! :)
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    I do it all the time. In this case, unless you are spoken to by a supervisor, it doesn't matter what a co-worker thinks.

    Probably just jealous because you are looking good. :)
  • austepants
    austepants Posts: 356 Member
    I say don't worry about it! As long as your supervisor is fine with it. At least you are taking a shower and not going back to work all sweaty and smelly lol! Some people just need to get a grip and stay out of other peoples personal business!! I workout on my break from work and I don't have the chance to shower before I go back to work. 2 other people work out on their breaks too and our boss is fine with it. Keep it up you are doing something healthy for you and shame on that other person for saying anything!!
  • beckylawrence70
    beckylawrence70 Posts: 752 Member
    As long as it's maybe in a ponytail or neatly put up, I see no problem with it, now if it was all stringy dripping wet, probably not.
  • thedreamhazer
    thedreamhazer Posts: 1,156 Member
    Things that are more unprofessional than wet hair:

    1 - Smelling bad.
    2 - Frizzy crazy what-the-hell happened hair because I used a blow dryer.

    I dry as well as a can, make sure it looks nice, and let it air dry. I think it's much worese to be sweaty/stinky or (in my case) to have crazy *kitten* did-she-even-try hair.

    Do your best and ignore the hate. If it comes up from your supervisor as a problem, bring a blow dryer and a pony tie.
  • noemike
    noemike Posts: 61
    ignore her you have to do what works for you and makes you happy!! Some people are so unhappy with their own lives that they have to pick on other people to make them feel better about their own lives. You make you happy:tongue:
  • halloweeny_bride27
    halloweeny_bride27 Posts: 22 Member
    I do not brow dry my hair because it's bad for it. I come to work with wet hair almost every day but I wear it up in buns or braided. So maybe it's harder to tell it is wet...It's none of her business. How rude.
  • andivaclavicek
    andivaclavicek Posts: 150
    That is just ridiculous. You're making time in your day to exercise and take care of yourself. And also being courteous and PROFESSIONAL enough to come back to the office squeaky clean. Ignore the stupidity.
  • muwchck
    muwchck Posts: 261 Member
    I think this person is nuts. There is nothing wrong with having damp hair at work, as long as it's still neat. I have really thick hair and often end up at work with damp hair, even if I shower a couple of hours before leaving. I don't blow dry my hair because it would be all poofy. Your supervisor has no problem with it, and as someone else said, you've been doing it long enough that if it were an issue someone would have already said something. Don't worry about it, and keep up the work outs when you have time for them.
  • austepants
    austepants Posts: 356 Member
    I come to work with my hair in a messy bun/ponytail straight out of the shower. And I would say I actually brush my hair maybe 2-3 days a week.
    I have two kids... they are lucky I have time to shower. If they had a problem with that, they can gladly come over to my house and give me some "me" time because I could use it.

    LOL this is phenomenal! I am a mother of two kids I know exactly where you are coming from.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    If your sup doesn't have a problem, then it's none of her business.

    But I'd want to mess with her and show up with my hair all wrapped up in a towel-turban.
  • loves86
    loves86 Posts: 88 Member
    I wouldn't worry about it, we have a gym at my work and I usually always have damp hair when i come back to my desk. No one has ever said anything to me about it (most of them see me walk off to the gym with my gym bag anyway) and I work in a professional environment.
  • sylvuz323
    sylvuz323 Posts: 468 Member
    I wouldn't trip over it especially if your own supervisor doesn't have a problem with it. I work with physicians and a Adventist institution so they'd much prefer that I keep my tattoos covered oh and no cleavage.

    It's not very professional looking, pulling it back into a pony tail might help but really it sounds like your co-worker has issues.
  • palmerig88
    palmerig88 Posts: 623 Member
    She is jealous of you
  • kicklikeaGIRL
    kicklikeaGIRL Posts: 867 Member
    First, I definitely think that this girl should mind her own business. If your supervisor is ok with it, then so be it.

    Second, I am the same way. I sweat A LOT when I workout, no matter what I do. At my last job I worked on my lunch break as well, so I tried some different techniques to help me stay presentable. What I did to help me still look the same as when I arrived at work...was... I took a shower (shower cap on) and I always kept a blow dryer in my gym bag (like a cheap portable one) and blow dried the sweat out of my hair afterwards. It's not necessarily good for your hair to be washing it with shampoo everyday (dry scalp)....which is why I wasn't washing it after my workouts.

    Anyways, that's what I do!!
  • ahni77
    ahni77 Posts: 75
    if your immediate manager is fine with it then tell your co-worker to mind his/her own business. If it's neatly combed then I don't see what their problem is. I work out during my lunch hour ( I SWEAT TONS) and when I DO wash my hair, I pull it back in ponytail than wrap it in a bun.
  • cbmcphillips
    cbmcphillips Posts: 801 Member
    nothing a little gel and a pony tail won't cure
    by the way, you're too pretty to worry about this - do what's right for you
    especially since your supervisor doesn't have any issues
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