Exercise and Your Healthy Hair Journey!

It's no secret that exercise has important benefits for the entire body. But did you know it could have good benefits for your hair as well.

One of the primary reasons for the stoppage of hair growth is because of the fact that there is something blocking the progress of hair growth. One of the major contributing factors to this has to do with our blood flow. Lack of blood flow to the scalp causes the stoppage of hair growth and increased shedding of the hair.

If the scalp does not have proper blood circulation, the hair follicle where the hair grows begins to shrink. Shrunken hair follicles lead to hair loss. Exercise keeps the heart pumping, which is responsible for the bodies blood circulation. Good blood circulation leads to the release of vital nutrients that the hair follicles need for the growth of new hair. By exercising, the blocked hair follicles are revived and become unclogged, and as a result are once again capable of producing new healthy hair.

Engaging in physical activity may mean extra time and care for your hair. Here are some hair care tips to follow when engaging in regular exercise:

• You can prevent sweat damage to your hair during exercise by controlling moisture and salt build-up. Salty build-up causes your hair to break, shed, become dull, or become dry. When you sweat, the body is detoxifying the body of waste, which includes salt. The salts and proteins in sweat can break down as they dry becoming acidic and can result in drying out the hair and sometimes irritating the scalp. To prevent this wash your hair with a mild, Ph-balanced shampoo at least once each week to remove salty build-up. You need to make sure you are cleansing the hair and neutralizing the Ph of the sweat being left on the hair and scalp.

• Keep your relaxer looking fresh by avoiding manipulation to hair while it is damp with sweat.

• Work out in front of a fan or in a room with an air-conditioning unit. The body sweats to cool itself off and prevent exhaustion and overheating. So, the cooler you are, the less you will sweat.

• If you don’t like using shampoo to often, why not try co-washing. Co-washing is just simply washing with conditioner only. It gets your scalp clean without leaving your hair dry. The formulas of conditioners are usually alkaline enough to strip away the daily accumulation or production of sweat and oils, and it will help to keep your coarse hair soft and manageable. With this in mind, make sure that your chosen conditioner is moisturising and not protein based. (Or you can use diluted shampoo)

• When swimming coat your hair with light oil. Follow with a shampoo and condition as soon as you get out of the pool.

• Try to move about rather than staying in one spot (e.g. running outside instead of on a treadmill). Moving around and letting air pass by you will help you remain cooler.

• When using a headband to absorb sweat, use a smooth satin material. Try to avoid cotton as it can be quite damaging to your hair. However, if using a headband to absorb sweat on your forehead before it gets to the hair, cotton is a good choice.

• Avoid over processing. This means limiting your use of heat appliances, including blow dryers and straighteners.

• Use a wide tooth comb to style your hair.

Also, consider the following when choosing a hair style to wear when working out:

• Pull your hair away from your face and neck when you exercise.

• Never pull hair too tightly as the will cause blood flow restriction.

• Ponytail - A good way to help maintain a straight style and protect your hair is with a tight ponytail. Use a soft bristled brush to smooth your hair and bundle it up tightly at the middle back portion of your head. However, of your hair is long enough to still touch your neck or back, put it in a bun to avoid frizzy ends.

• Bun – This is great for relaxed hair.

• Wrap your hair with a scarf.

• Roller Set – This is done by taking large section of the hair, combing each section into one large curl, twisting the curl down onto the scalp and securing the curl with a bobby pin or equivalent.

• Braids – Braids come in various styles and provide great low-manipulation and protection of your hair.  More importantly, don’t let your hair be pulled too tightly during braiding. This can very damaging to your hairline causing it to receding.

• Twists – Another great low-manipulation style. However, this style may not last long if you sweat a lot.

• Locs – Easy to wrap and go. However, do try to keep as dry as possible to avoid mildewing.

• Bantu knots – Very simple as all it involves is twisting your hair until spirals into a ball the looks like a knot. It’s worn close to the scalp.

• To flatten your edges use natural hair butter. These can be thick and often offer a healthier alternative to gels and pomades. Tie with a smooth (satin) scarf for at least 15 minutes and your hairline will be smooth.

• Short hair is easy to wash, dry, style and wear.

• Natural hairstyles hold up to frequent shampoos.

• Make use of hair accessories to help change your look.

So avoid the ‘Mane Excuse’. Don’t let the thought of sweating out a fresh style stop you from exercising. Healthy lifestyles are important if you wish to have healthy hair.