Scalp Care Comes First
You probably weren’t expecting scalp care to be on this list, but taking care of the skin and follicles should be a top priority.
The skin is the largest organ of the body and building up a great sweat is your body’s primary means of getting rid of waste. If you’re building up a sweat under your arms, it is likely that your head is also perspiring under the hair.
Here are two tips to take care of your scalp:
Wash More Frequently. Many naturals advocate washing only once per week and doing co-washing. However, that may not work if you’re athletic or active. It’s crucial to clean your scalp to rid of grime, sweat, dead skin, and toxins after exercising. Not doing so will leave you vulnerable to bacterial and fungal infections.
Plus, not washing may give you an itchy scalp. Scratching can hurt your hair follicles and impede hair growth. Try adding an additional wash day during the week, or at least doing an apple cider vinegar rinse midweek to ward off predators. You could also try washing every five days instead of seven.
Keep Your Scalp Dry. Try to avoid having a constantly wet scalp. Fungi thrives in moist, dark, and dirty areas. It also loves keratin. Fungus like malassezia can feed off your scalp and roots, and seriously hurt hair growth.
If you can’t squeeze in another wash day, aim to at least dry your scalp after you exercise. If you’ve worn a hat or scarf to the workout, take it off afterwards. Then, lift your hair and let the air hit your scalp. You could also try standing in front of the gym fan for two minutes after class to dry your scalp quicker.