Even if your gym routine has fallen by the wayside because of Christmas shopping and parties, it’s probably going to be among your resolutions for the new year. But does a gym bunny lifestyle rule hair extensions out? The good news is that no it doesn’t, and you can still get a sweat on when you have hair extensions as long as you follow these rules.
Try and minimise the hair’s exposure to sweat
Sweat is salty and it’s quite acidic so it can dry out hair extensions and make them rough and coarse. Try to keep your hair away from your forehead and neck by wearing it in a ponytail or a bun. If you’re really serious about avoiding sweat, try wearing a headband which will reduce the contact your hair has with the skin.
Wear your hair up, but not too tight
Tying the hair too tight can damage the bonds and pull the extensions out. Tight ponytails are bad for your natural hair too as the stress from traction can cause hair loss.
Be careful with saunas and steam rooms
You can still use them, but wear a swimming cap or shower cap to protect the hair and bonds from the heat and humidity. Extremes of temperature can melt adhesive and weaken the bonds so your extensions are more likely to start falling out.
You can swim, but there are rules
Many women who have hair extensions fitted think that they won’t be able to swim ever again but that’s not true. While it’s true that chlorine can dry out the extensions and affect adhesives, you can wear a swimming cap or apply a conditioner and tie the hair up to ward off some of the negative effects. Wash and condition your hair with a sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner straight after swimming. This applies after you have a sweaty workout too.
A note on gym hairstyles for hair extensions
It is important to keep your hair up and out of the way, so some great ideas for gym hair extension hairstyles are high ponytails or buns, French braids, plaited buns, and ballerina buns. Messy buns are a no no because they can cause matting and tangling. Remember too that with some hair extension fitting methods, the bonds will be visible if you tie your hair up in certain ways so it might be a case of trial and error, and seeing what works for you.