Why your new fitness regime could be playing havoc with your hair – and how to fix the problem
MAKE SURE YOUR HAIR IS HEALTHY, Last January I embarked on a rigorous exercise and diet regime where I lost a considerable amount of weight. After around six months I started to notice considerable hair loss and my hair’s texture has changed radically. I’m reluctant to change my new lifestyle as I’m enjoying my new-found energy and love the fitness regimes and camaraderie, But I’m becoming more conscious of my thinning hair and am worried that the hair loss will get worse. Are there any supplements or products that will help or can you give me some advice?
Explores the Meeting Ground Between Science and Hair Care
AS the old saying goes every action has a reaction. Every January I listen to clients who have embarked on fitness regimes and extreme diets. Usually by the next time I’ve seen them they have either turned themselves into lean mean fighting machines or — in most cases — fallen off the wagon.
We are all human and true dedication to anything that means absolute sacrifice and restriction of pleasure requires not only the strongest willpower but professional guidance and coaching.
Unfortunately most people embarking on the ‘new year, new me’ routine are likely to do it without giving it any real longterm thought beyond the year’s most depressing month. I mean, let’s be honest, if ever there was a month that would demotivate you, it’s January. Personally I’ve always believed that spring, say late March or early April is a better time to start an exercise plan — everything is new, growing and full of hope and light.
BUT hey, what do I know? Except this: any major change to your lifestyle, be it exercise, a career change, a house move, pregnancy and maybe most importantly, a change to your diet, could have a massive impact on your hair’s health, condition and longevity.
The most simple way to understand this is to look at how having a baby affects hair. Many expectant mothers experience almost unrecognisable transformations in their hair’s appearance before giving birth — beautiful lustre, thicker, fuller and easier to manage — only for it to drastically change to lifeless, limp and dull-looking hair and in the worst scenarios, traumatic hair loss after the baby is born.
Thankfully this is rarely longterm and normal hair texture and quantity returns eventually. But it does tell us how changes in our lives and bodies can affect our hair.
The science around the impact of exercise on hair is pretty vague but on a very basic level, it’s easy to see how a change in how we handle, manage and treat our hair can have some damaging effects.
If you are stretching your hair more regularly for example — every time you pull your hair into a tight ponytail or scrape it into a ballet bun — can result in some breakage, especially on fine or curly hair but also on prelightened or bleached hair. If you are doing this daily, this constant stretching will stress the hair to the point of snapping. A loose grip with a covered band and a baseball cap may reduce the potential damage but an awareness of how strong your hair actually is would be the best starting point.
What type of handling does your hair react badly to? How fragile is it and does it break easily? And maybe the most important question, does your hair quality change radically when stressed or unwell? We know that stress has a major say in our hair’s health. Sometimes intensive new fitness programmes can shock the body into a state of stress and though the feel-good endorphins are making you feel like you can conquer the world, the constant pushing yourself to extremes can have the adverse effect on your hair.
Hair is often neglected when the focus is on other things — less time spent on the care of your hair in terms of treatments, maybe less suitable products and quick gym blast drying with low quality hairdryers then dragged into a tight pony tail once or twice a week will result in at the very least dry and dehydrated hair and even breakage.
But the actual physical change of how you are using your internal energy is now focused on your physical well being, meaning that hair, nails and skin may be suffering.
ASIMPLE maintenance plan can be put in place to counteract the impact of the new lifestyle but that’s not the full story — the big issue will be nutrition and diet.
Our diet — good bad or otherwise — plays a massive part in the health of our hair. It is not uncommon for radical hair changes in association with major weight loss or gains. In simple terms, it’s very likely that your daily food consumption and whatever nutritional elements make up your food will have a huge impact on hair deterioration and loss. The medical term for this is telogen effluvium, and thankfully in most cases, it is a temporary condition but it should not go ignored.
In most cases, people pursuing a disciplined dietary lifestyle are most likely suffering from a deficiency in iron and zinc. Other nutrients that may affect hair growth include fatty acids, selenium, and vitamin D. So although your hair loss is not likely to last beyond six to nine months, we don’t have to accept the price of weak or sad hair in pursuit of better health and fitness.
Preparation in advance of any change in habit or routine could actually improve your hair so whilst getting that physique you dream of, you could also have the best hair of your life.
Let’s start with gym hair — be kind to your hair when working out, avoid elastic bands, tight scrunchies or tight fitting hats or caps. Instead, tie your hair back loosely or wear a cap that holds the hair in place but allows your scalp to breathe, especially if you are running. Use wide toothed combs and detangling brushes as opposed to your usual styling brushes — there are some great brushes available for this exact purpose. Our favourite is Denman Tangle Tamer and in actual fact the classic Denman D3 can also be used.
If you are training regularly, a gentle shampoo should be used if you are washing your hair often something like Alfaparf Semi De Lino Calming Shampoo which is a great frequent wash cleanser. and Alfaparf Hydrating Co-wash is a perfect cleanser for wavy or coarse, curly hair. As a treat, use the Alfaparf Nutritive Mask to rehydrate fatigued hair after a heavy week of gym work and exercise.
Also it might be advisable to use moisturising sprays and leave-in treatments whenever possible. instead of styling sprays or hairsprays to control hair during workout periods. Your stylist may be able to advise you more specifically on what suits your hair best.
And finally, some food for thought. Look at your nutrition and do some regular monitoring of what you are taking into your body. This may make the difference in you not only enjoying your new fitter life but also experimenting with ingredients that make you and your hair feel better.
Of course you will be eating better but choosing food sources rich in iron and zinc will be an essential part of the plan — spinach, broccoli, nuts, seeds, chicken, shellfish , turkey, quinoa, and some dairy should give you enough variety and options to ensure great hair health — but maybe not all in one sitting!
