Hair putting me off exercise - should I shave it off?

[NatalieShortman]

I wasn't really sure where to put this question (AIBU, style and Beauty) but thought I'd try here first. Bear with me, this might be a bit of a saga...

I have incredibly thick hair around shoulder length. I have had several hair dressers tell me it is the thickest hair they have ever seen - and hairdressers see a lot of people's hair, so hopefully this gets across how thick it is. Whenever I exercise I have to wash it as it becomes very sweaty and my scalp gets itchy if I try to just use dry shampoo. I have a temperamental scalp anyway which can get flaky very easily.

My hair is also an annoying texture (2c/3a) which gets frizzy easily. With proper styling it doesn't look too bad but that takes an hour plus to style and blow dry it with a diffuser, or about an hour to roughly dry and then straighten, or nearly an hour with my Revlon one step thingy, or at least 12 hours to air dry. My hair is "low porosity" which is why it dries so slowly. I often don't have time for loads of styling, or it just ends up doing its unruly thing anyway despite my efforts, so I end up just putting it up in a ponytail or bun and it looks a bit crap.

I used to get my hair chemically straightened pre-baby which made it dry a lot quicker (I think it damaged it and made it higher porosity), but the method I was using involved lots of chemicals that I can't use whilst breastfeeding which I'm planning to continue for at least another year, and the system I was using can't be used on dyed hair anyway (I have recently had to start dyeing to cover my greys) so I think that's not going to work anymore. It was expensive and used formaldehyde too, so I just don't think it's an option long-term.

So long story short at the moment I only properly exercise twice a week when I'm due to wash my hair anyway. On non-wash days I just go for a walk. I'd like to kick the exercise up a notch and do some more intense exercise most days but I don't have time for all this hair nonsense, so I'm thinking about shaving it all off.

I've never had short hair but am pretty sure it won't suit me, or at least not unless I lose a lot more weight. I've lost 2.5 stones since having my baby, but I'm still very overweight with a BMI of 29.9 - ie bordering on obese, and I don't think my face would look right with a pixie. Maybe if I was very slim and gamine it might look alright, but not yet. I know some women who are overweight can pull it off, but I don't think I can. I have had hairdressers tell me I should keep my hair at least chin-length and I think they are right.

I am thinking of buying some synthetic wigs for work meetings/family time. I wouldn't need to actually wear them that much because I spend most of my day working from home on my own, video meetings are relatively rare and we'll be mostly home-based even when the office reopens. So although I have seen people say wigs can get hot/itchy, I don't think this should be too much of a problem as I can be bald most of the time. Also, I get so hot in my real thick dark hair I don't know if it would actually be any worse... I would probably just get synthetic wigs, as I think there are ethical issues with the human ones, and have seen some that look quite realistic/don't seem too expensive. I have one that seems good, although haven't worn it for a significant period as I'm struggling to fit my hair under it!

DH is on-board. He wants me to be happy and I think he misses my slim pre-baby waist to be honest, and my hair looks so crap at the moment it's not that much of a sacrifice.

Is this a silly idea? Has anyone else made a drastic hairstyle change for exercise?

I’ve name changed for this as it’d likely identify me with other posts.

I’ve bum length thick dreadlocks.

I’m a competitive endurance athlete - I train 6 times a week for several hours. A lot is indoors at the mo. I sweat buckets.

I wash my hair once every few months which is the point my scalp starts to smell. My scalp never itches. You don’t have to wash your hair after you exercise - I’m proof of that. Obviously I shower after and my personal hygiene is spot on, but this notion that you have to wash your hair so you’d rather shave it off blows my brains!

What colour is your hair? If it's light, you may be able to get away with talc instead of dry shampoo.

I love having short hair, both for exercise and maintenance, and wouldn't go back. Its a heck of a change though I warn you!

I feel your pain!
I have thick hair that I need to carefully dry for it to look "ok"
Since lockdown I've gotten used to sweaty ponytails and dry shampoo. Not really thinking about what I'm going to do when I need to be "work smart" again on a regular basis.

How about trying an under cut - shave just the bottom section from behind your ears? That means you can still put your hair up to exercise and you'll have less of it to dry/manage, less of it to get sweaty etc.

You can always go full shave later - but I'd maybe try some online photo apps to see what you'll look like with a crop?

I used to wash my hair every time I got a bit sweaty, but it was damaging it and taking ages, so I got used to using dry shampoo and not worrying so much. But I don't have the itchy scalp issue.

Google Rosamund Pike and undercut hairstyles for pictures (can't work out how to add them on here - need more coffee!)

I feel your pain OP. I have very similar hair to you.

Could you braid it so that it can be tied up out of the way whilst exercising - with a headband to soak up most of the sweat? Then you could have different styles with the braids the rest of the time?

I wonder how frequently you would have to shave your head if you have fast growing/thick hair? Could also be a lot of maintenance?

Can you add some non sweaty exercise? Like yoga?
What happens if you don’t wash it when it’s sweaty? Can you get away with this once a week?

You can sweat in yoga...

Definitely get an undercut.

But also as I started doing exercise every day and still just washing my hair every other day, I just... got used to the fact that it was sweaty, I didn’t wash it, it dried (like if it was wet) and... it was fine!

Bit of dry shampoo if the top looked greasy but it didn’t really, I think I just needed to get out of the idea that I “had” to wash it if it got sweaty.

Would you consider an undercut? I did and it's was such a relief to have nearly half as much hair on my head but still have long hair that you can't even tell has an undercut unless I choose to wear it up higher than the shaved section.

Could be something to at least try before getting rid of it all.

Every single person I know that has dreadlocks say they don't smell. Errrr....they do!! I still have when I think about taking in a breath when I was upset and in the arms of a boyfriend who had dreadlocks. It was rank.

All dead hair, cells, bodily fluids, pollution from outside build up in there. It's disgusting

Hmmm I guess your options

Braid it when exercising
Have you tried the bed head dry shampoo? This is better than batiste I think

Get it thinner or shaved under type style

Can you train your hair out of frequent hair washes? I have thick hair down to my waist but I only wash it when it loses shampoo smell which is about every 5 days. It's not an exact science!

Also... If you manage diet and do things like pilates... It's not as sweaty as a zumba or spinning class though still very hard work

I don't understand how you think a short hairstyle wouldn't suit you but shaving it will? Even if you wear a wig for calls (which seems silly, either own your new look or don't bother) you will be natural the rest of the time.
I think you get a wide headband for your hair and don't bother washing it if it's that much of a hassle. I have very think wavy hair too and it took me until I was 40 before I got the right hair style (choppy chin length layers).
People generally really identify with their hair and you may regret such an extreme solution as shaving.

I absolutely get the urge just to have the hair stress gone, no itchy sweaty hair after exercise, no hours spent washing, styling, etc. But most people who have drastic hair cuts regret them. It's too sudden and too harsh, I would have it cut, thinned, maybe an undercut, and start to feel lighter and more free without the drastic change shaving would be. Just take it slowly, and if you still want to get it shaved then go for it!

Try dry shampoo before you exercise, it absorbs the sweat as it's produced

Another vote for partial shaving eg undercut.

Dd has thick curly hair which is much more manageable since she shaved the sides a bit like this... you can't see the shaved bits when it's down, or she can tie it up to look punk-y

Thanks for all the responses - they have been really helpful. I'm not a fan of the way undercuts look generally tbh - too edgy for me. Rosamund Pike pulls it off but I suspect she'd look good whatever she did. I also am not sure it would solve my issue as I think my hair is still going to be a pain even if I remove some of it. I went for a run yesterday at around 3pm, showered, let it air dry and it's still slightly damp this morning. It's such a pain!

I might give it a try though as I can always hide the way it looks with a low pony/bun or by using a wide fabric headband whilst wearing it up in a high hairstyle I suppose? Then if I don't like it I can always go the full shave or grow it back.

Thanks again everyone. This is why I love Mumsnet

I love undercuts. I always think they look cool! And they help hair to fall into a lovely shape when it’s down.

Good luck, OP! Prepare yourself though, for the cold. You’ll be shocked how cold your head gets when any part of it is shaved.

My hair is different in texture to yours OP but it is very very thick. It's shoulder length and I got my hairdresser to do an undercut - just the bit from the back of my neck upwards, you can't see it when my hair is down.

The difference it made is huge, I no longer get sweaty hair on the back of my head from moderate exercise, so I don't need to wash my hair so often - twice a week max and that's with exercising five or six days a week.

It's so much easier to style - I have much less hair now, it hangs better in shorter styles so I don't get that awful triangle head from a bob any more.

Honestly, give it a try - I thought I was asking for something a bit weird but from the way my hairdresser talked about it, loads of women get them and it's a totally normal thing. You don't have to go the full Rosamund Pike - I wouldn't suit that either.

Can you shower before bed and sleep with damp hair (braid or wrap it before sleep and use a silk pillowcase)? Would it be dry enough the next day? If so, exercise in the evenings?

@bingbongbooboo

I’ve name changed for this as it’d likely identify me with other posts.

I’ve bum length thick dreadlocks.

I’m a competitive endurance athlete - I train 6 times a week for several hours. A lot is indoors at the mo. I sweat buckets.

I wash my hair once every few months which is the point my scalp starts to smell. My scalp never itches. You don’t have to wash your hair after you exercise - I’m proof of that. Obviously I shower after and my personal hygiene is spot on, but this notion that you have to wash your hair so you’d rather shave it off blows my brains!

When you shower does your hair get wet, so it gets rinsed, or do you literally leave all the sweat etc. in there for months until you wash it? I presume for the OP the issue isn't the actual washing, but wetting, drying and styling.

Try the AVEDA dry shampoo, it’s the only one that doesn’t make my scalp itch. Put it on before exercise