Sweating can be great for your scalp as it helps your body eliminate impurities. In fact, some amounts of sweating may even help stop hair loss. But excessive sweating can cause hair loss.
Confused yet? It’s simple yet complex all at the same time.
When we exercise and our bodies sweat, the reaction is natural and causes a lot of healthy things. It increases the blood flow to our skin, giving it the nutrients and water it needs to be healthy. Our pores open up to let the sweat out – washing away dirt, dead cells, and bacteria. In fact, exercise and sweating are an important part of achieving healthy hair growth.
But not all sweating is the same and not all sweating has the same effect on your hair.
Is Sweating Good for Hair?
Yes, sometimes.
Fitness guru K’aya Zella explains it this way: “After a heavy workout, your body will sweat a lot, and this helps unclog the hair follicles. What this means is that there will be more space for new hair to grow.” But she adds that the cleansing power of sweat can be bad for your hair if you have too much lactic acid build up.
Lactic acid builds up in muscles as you exercise, causing that burn that some people associate with a good work out. Unfortunately, when that lactic acid is released from the muscles and appears in our sweat, it can be hard on hair growth – potentially even damaging the follicles.
Excessive sweating (unlike normal post-exercise sweating) can be a problem.
Does Sweating Cause Hair Loss?
For women of a certain age, and people with certain health conditions (like hypoglycemia and panic disorders), sweating may become excessive. Night sweats, cold sweats and hot flashes are all symptoms of medical conditions and may be a sign that your sweating is NOT good for your hair.
In part, this can be because of the hormones that are being released when this excessive sweating occurs. For example, menopausal women may have an imbalance of estrogen and testosterone which can cause hair loss. Whether the hair loss is directly related to the sweating or is related to the hormones is difficult to tell, but the excessive sweating may be your first sign that something is wrong.
Excessive sweating can also leave the skin dehydrated, leaving your hair more prone to breakage and damage. In short, some sweat is good for you but too much (as with too much of almost anything) is not.
Should I Wash my Hair if I Sweat?
No. Celebrity hair stylists told The Cut that washing after every gym session can exacerbate the potential damage to your hair. “Sweaty hair is no one’s favorite look, except maybe on the runway, but washing it isn’t always the best solution.”
Instead, rinsing your hair and then applying a moisturizer or conditioner may be a good idea to prevent over-drying. “Excess amounts of sweat can weaken the hair strand and shorten the life span of your hair. This is why it is important to lock in moisture, refrain from drying out your hair even more by over-shampooing, and use moisturizing products to keep your strands hydrated,” they said.
Even if you aren’t shampooing after every gym session, chances are you are washing your hair too often. The best schedule will depend on your ethnicity, hair type and activity level but the Cleveland Clinic says most people should be washing their only once or twice a week, and Black people should wash their hair once or twice a month.
Precision Hair Restoration Can Help With All of Your Hair Loss Concerns
Our doctors understand that everything about hair care can seem confusing and predicated on someone trying to sell you the best shampoo, conditioner, or other hair product. We can help you determine if your exercise routine is harmful or helpful and work with you on treatments and lifestyle advice to help you stop unwanted hair loss. Contact us today to get started.
