Do you really have to wash after every workout?

[swalker31]

Hi All,
So I'm meeting with a personal training now and she asked me if I could commit to four days a week of workout for our 1st month. So do I really have to co-wash after every work out? Or can I stick with my twice a week regimen?

 

[naturalgurl]

It's what you're comfortable with and the "stink" factor. If it smells, wash if not it can make it one more day. Sweat is a natural thing and not a chemical so I don't think it would hurt your hair to skip one or two days of washing, just my opinion. Also, how much sweat too, but it really goes back to the stink factor...

 

[MissMusic]

Not necessary, I spray my scalp with Aveda Damage Control Spray after every workout. Its like getting a very light cleanse, no sweaty hair smell after that. I jog 5k 5 days a week and practice yoga 7 of those days, so trust me.

 

[anon123]

When I was working out 4 times a week I washed every other work out. That's as much as I could go before it was smelly or itchy.

 

[Cassandra1975]

You could probably still do 2x per week. When I work out, I sweat like a pig and it looks like someone has poured a cup of water over my head. It depends on what I'm going to do with my hair the next day. I prefer to co-wash, but I have a feeling that as my hair gets longer, I won't want to be bothered.

When I had it like my siggy pic, I was not co-washing after every work out. It would have been too frizzy.

 

[prospurr4]

I don't...and I've been working out consistently for years, 2-4 days a week. I sweat moderately during my workouts, but there's not a "stink factor" to contend with, like Naturalgurl mentioned.And the sweat doesn't seem to be hurting my hair, so I just wash once a week.

 

[shtow]

I work out 5 days a week for 75 minutes and I wash once a week. Im not very sweaty and my hair never stinks. Im relaxed and wear my hair straight. After I work out, if I have somewhere to go like school or work, I sit under the Pibbs for 3-5 mins and my hair looks great afterward, esp if its in pincurls!!!

 

[longhairdreamzz]

If I work out, I usually try to wash at least a day or two after.

 

[princessdi]

I would say you don't have to wash (meaning shampoo), but rinsing after every wash would be a good idea. I lost a lot of hair from not doing that one summer. I think the sweat dried out my hair and it began to severly break. Rinse.

 

[TexturedTresses]

i used to work out a lot before my haircare journey and only washed my hair once a week. it never stunk. it was hard to hold a style though. i didn't notice any adverse effects, but i never paid much attention to my hair and would not have known if anything bad was going on. i have a friend who works out a lot and washes her hair once a week, i've never smelled her hair, but she thinks that the sweating thinned out her hair because it dried out. her hair looks beautiful and healthy to me.

eta: i sweat a lot btw, she said she sweats a lot too.

 

[Cassandra1975]

I would say you don't have to wash (meaning shampoo), but rinsing after every wash would be a good idea. I lost a lot of hair from not doing that one summer. I think the sweat dried out my hair and it began to severly break. Rinse.

When I had my relaxer/short cut and I was working out 3x a week, I did rinse after every workout. I think my hairdresser told me that I at least needed to rinse the salt out. I would rinse, then put in leave in conditioner and wrap it, and go to bed (I worked out in the afternoons/evenings).

I can do that now, it just means I will have to do more with my hair in the evenings.

 

[Chameleonchick]

Yeah I work out every day and I do sweat but it doesn't stink. Lately I have only needed to wash once a week I may do a cowash in between if I feel like it.

 

[mahogany_horizons]

I WORK OUT 5 days a week, for at least 30 minutes to an hour a day. i jog at a brisk pace for 30 minutes, uphill, ON THE TREADMIL.

I sweat very hard doing this, and get heart rates in the 190's to 200 area, to paint a picture.

So I normally wear my hair in a bun throughout the week. As far as my hair mainteance goes, in terms of washing, I wash my hair twice a week, with shampoo, lathering twice. Any later than that, and as someone else mentioned, my hair starts to sweat. My scalp would be sour, and becuase I have sensitve scalp, and serriboric dermatitus, my scalp would be itchy.

SOOO THUSS, I wash every 3 to 4 days...once with baby shampoo, the other time with medicated shampoo for my dandruff. Hope this helps.

I think it depends on whether you have a problem scalp, scalp that will start to smell quickly, or not...some of the ladies don't have this problem, and they can go longer than me

 

[Divine Inspiration]

I think twice/week is fine with a 4 day/week workout regimen. I workout 3-4 days/week and I poo/DC 1x/week with no problems. Just be sure to keep your NG moisturized by DCing regularly and/or using a moisturizer before the workout.

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

When I was working out 5 times a week I just had my same regimen of cowashing on wednesday and washing on saturday. I don't sweat much though. It's up to you and what your body tells you to do.

 

[imstush]

In the warmer months I co-wash after ever work out. Now that it's cold the most I can do is every other day.

 

[fivetimestwo]

I would say you don't have to wash (meaning shampoo), but rinsing after every wash would be a good idea. I lost a lot of hair from not doing that one summer. I think the sweat dried out my hair and it began to severly break. Rinse.

ITA I had been wondering why I hadn't been seeing any retention and it took me until about 2 months ago to figure out that perhaps it was the sweat left in my hair post-workout. I have since started cowashing after every workout (yes, that means at least 5x week) and my hair is thanking me for it. I sweat mostly in my scalp, so it may be beneficial for me, but it may not be for someone who doesn't sweat much.

 

[Curlee_lurker]

I don't exercise anymore. But when I was going 5-6x a week I had to wash daily. I'm oily and my hair needs to be washed frequently under normal circumstances. In my normal sedentary lifestyle by day 2 I'm itchy and after day 3 I'm smelly. I'm not a sweater in the least bit, but I'd be in my spin class scratching and looking a mess and trying to look cute scratching on the elliptical. My scalp craves water.

 

[DaDragonPrincess]

No, if thats the case then I need to wash my hair everyday,lol. But its whatever works for you, I voted "Stick To My Regular Regimen".

 

[laCriolla]

Light Elements Revitalizing Mist by Aveda works wonders for me after I work out.

I spray my hair at the roots, comb through a bit, wrap it up- silk scarf it while I shower and get dressed, and it refreshes my hair. (the wrapping keeps it from getting curly when i'm wearing my hair straight)

it also works as a mid-week refresher. use it the same way, applied before bed. when you wake up its pretty close to washing without washing. I wouldn't use it to go longer than a week without washing, though.

 

[Ms Lala]

It depends on whether or not you sweat much in your scalp. I don't so I only wash weekly even when I am working out regularly. Plus my wash day takes about 5 hours, now way I'm doing that more than once a week.

 

[DaDragonPrincess]

Light Elements Revitalizing Mist by Aveda works wonders for me after I work out.

I spray my hair at the roots, comb through a bit, wrap it up- silk scarf it while I shower and get dressed, and it refreshes my hair. (the wrapping keeps it from getting curly when i'm wearing my hair straight)

it also works as a mid-week refresher. use it the same way, applied before bed. when you wake up its pretty close to washing without washing. I wouldn't use it to go longer than a week without washing, though.

Oh wow,thanks, is it good? I'm gone to try this after YOGA ,haha

 

[Lenee925]

I co-wash at least everytime

 

[The Girl]

WOOPS reading is fundamental, lol. I thought you mean your body then AFTER I voted I saw you meant hair...um no I don't think you have to wash after every workout unless your hair smells bad.

 

[Ivy Santolina]

I would say you don't have to wash (meaning shampoo), but rinsing after every wash would be a good idea. I lost a lot of hair from not doing that one summer. I think the sweat dried out my hair and it began to severly break. Rinse.

I co-sign on the rinsing after every workout recommendation. Rinsing the salt from your scalp will prevent your follicles from getting clogged. I would quickly rinse my hair after every workout or every other workout. It depended on activity. After an intense aerobic workout I would rinse, but after a light workout or yoga rinsing wasn't necessary.

 

[moonglowdiva]

I really believe it depends on how much you sweat. I am not a sweater so I just stick to my reggie in the winter but in the summer I will add a cowash to the reggie. I workout 3 x per week. I always take the classes with burns lots of calories and I also wear a bandana to absorb

 

[SmartyPants]

I stick to my normal regimen... but... but... but.... my normal regimen is co-wash on Mondays and Wednesdays and poo-wash on Saturdays so I am washing 3x's a week anyway.

 

[Lanea87]

I work out 3x/wk and I only wash once.

 

[LaidBak]

I keep my relaxed hair up off my neck when I work out. I put it up in a loose ponytail (or 2) so my scalp can breath but my ends stay dry. That way any scalp sweat evaporates almost immediately and my ends don't touch my sweaty neck (yuck!). Basically, IMO, if you can keep your hair dry during the workout than there is no need to wash or rinse it afterward.

 

[locabouthair]

I exercised 3x in one weeks and I didnt wash my hair more than once a week. I dont sweat like that, when I exercise. They says it's good to wash out the sweat from the hair because the salt in it can dry the hair out. But if you dont sweat much like myself, I dont think it's necessary.