Trichologist reveals you should actually wash your hair every day if you exercise – you can do ‘more damage’ if you skip
DON’T think there are any shortcuts when it comes to maintaining healthy strands after going to the gym.
A hair and scalp expert has shared the reasons why you should always wash and rinse after sweating up a storm.
Eva Proudman, a trichologist at Absolute Collagen, has tips for how to care for your hair after exercising, as well as what hacks to avoid.
She explained how not all workouts are created equal.
“If you are doing a lower-impact session, such as yoga or pilates, then you might not notice,” she said.
“But each time you work out, you are building up more oils and sweat across your body, particularly your scalp,” she added.
While she explained that natural oils are “good for your skin,” the excess sweat caused by working out can “build up” on your hair strands.
Looking greasing isn’t even the worst of your potential hair worries.
“These oils can trap dirt and impurities from elsewhere causing more damage to your hair,” she said.
“If you want to avoid the greasy post-workout look, the best thing you can do is wash your hair regularly – every day or every other day – with a shampoo with active ingredients to help with the overproduction of sebum, or natural oil,” she added.
Proudman recommends using a “quality” shampoo that will strengthen and support your strands rather than being too harsh.
Natural shampoos such as Absolute Collagen’s Complex Hair Thickening Shampoo which sells for around $19, is described as featuring a formula that is meant to tackle fine and thin hair.
Made with a “unique collagen complex,” the shampoo is designed to strengthen and nourish your strands.
According to their clinical tests, the product works extra fast to repair damage.
Within just eight weeks, they say you should see a 20% boost in thickness.
She simply wants you to have the feeling of fresh hair even after your typical workout routine.
Because you shouldn’t have to sacrifice clean hair for cardio.
Buy it now
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Absolute Collagen Complex Hair Thickening Shampoo, $19, Absolute Collagen
She also advises against following viral social media hacks including blow drying.
“Too much direct heat onto the hair can cause breakage, so heated tools should be used sparingly and with a heat protectant spray,” she said.
And don’t even think about picking up the dry shampoo to combat damage.
While she doesn’t foresee a problem with replacing regular shampoo with a dry alternative for one day, using it any longer can cause build-up on the scalp.
When combined with the excess oils and sweat from a workout, you might just have one “very irritated head.”
Hair growth oils, sprays, and supplements
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- Tomum 5% Minoxidil Hair Growth Spray, $23: Fans say it made their hair “noticeably thicker.”
- Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Light Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil, $9.37: This affordable rosemary oil has gone viral on TikTok.
- The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density, $15: Beauty fans at Ulta insist their results aren’t “just fuzz, baby hairs, or wishful thinking.”
- Supa Thick Scalp Serum with Rosemary by The Nue Co., $45: Reviewers say it makes “a drastic and obvious improvement” and is “worth the hype.”
- Viviscal Hair Growth Supplements, $37.99: Amazon reviewers call these collagen pills a “miracle.”
- Head & Shoulders Scalp X 2% Minoxidil, $33.99: “This is the only product that will allow my hair to grow,” said a happy shopper.