Today after I finished my morning exercise, I felt the sweat sliding on my scalp, and that got me thinking if working out daily is doing anything to improve the health of my hair. As a woman with African hair who has been struggling with retaining length and who tried everything from homemade leave-in conditioners and healthy drinks to protective hairstyles and Chebe powder, I was interested to know if working out will help.
So, I went on doing my research, looking into studies, and collecting data to find a solid answer. And here is what I found.
Understanding 4C Hair Growth
Before we jump right into what exercise does to your hair, let's first understand the things that govern the growth of our hair. Hair growth is a process compromised of four phases (1):
Anagen: which is the phase in which hair is growing.
Catagen: the phase on which the hair follicle shrinks. This phase is a 10-day transition between anagen and telogen.
Telogen: this represents a resting period; during that period, the hair strands remain in the follicle but do not grow longer.
Exogen: shedding of the hair strand.
Now one of the reasons (not the only one) we as people of African origin tend to have difficulty growing our hair beyond a certain length is that African hair (not only 4C) grows at a much slower rate compared to that of Caucasians. Not only that but also the telogen phase is higher in Africans (2).
Does that mean that we have no hope? Absolutely not! It is true that African hair grows at a slower rate, but it does grow nonetheless. This issue, however, is how to retain that length.
The true hindrance to having long hair is the difficulty to retain length. Because African hair tends to be fragile by its nature and dry, we often suffer from hair breakage and split ends that make retaining length hard. Thankfully, though, those problems can be compacted with proper hair care suitable for African hair.
How Regular Exercise Improves 4C Hair Growth
A recent study has found that exercise can improve hair growth in some patients with alopecia, while others are not affected (3). Looking around, what I came to find is that indeed exercise might promote hair growth. Let us analyze how exercise might affect your hair growth.
1. Increased Blood Flow
Moderate exercise will get your heart pumping hard. This means that more blood is bound to reach different areas on your body, including your scalp. Blood carries nutrients that are necessary for hair health to your hair follicle. So, when blood flow increases, so does the nutrition that your hair follicle is receiving. This could be the reason, or part of the reason, why scalp massage is good for promoting hair growth.
2. Exercises Reduce Stress
Stress and hair loss are connected. Excessive amounts of stress can induce a telogen effluvium, a condition in which a large amount of hair is pushed to an early telogen phase. This leads to your hair being locked in the telogen phase, and hence the length does not increase.
That is not all; stress can also induce trichotillomania. That is when you have an irresistible urge to pull hair from your scalp or other body parts (4).
Now comes the effect of regular exercise. It is well established that exercise can reduce stress levels, and hence it might help with hair growth (5).
3. Exercise Helps You Sleep Better
Poor quality sleep is connected to alopecia, according to a 2020 study on the effects of poor sleep and junk food on hair loss (6). Anyone who has engaged in moderate physical activity might have noticed the effect it left in their sleep pattern. Exercising, especially at night, can improve the quality of your sleep and hence hair growth.
Should You Go For It?
Absolutely. Stick with regular exercise for a few months and observe how your hair is affected. Observe whether your hair is growing, static, or if you are losing more, then decide what you want to do. Of course, keep in mind other variables that can affect your hair growth, such as hair care and diet. Even if exercise does not affect your hair growth significantly, it is going to benefit you in numerous ways.
Other Things You Can Do To Improve The Growth Of 4C Hair
If you are aiming for significant hair growth, then you should not stop in one place. Below, I will share with you the things that helped me grow my African hair to double its length in a year.
1. First, I Trimmed It
My journey started a year ago. With the amount of stress I was going through, I woke up one day and noticed that my hair was half what it was just several months ago. It was breaking like crazy. So, I decided enough is enough. The first thing I did was trim split ends. Many people will tell you that you do not need to, but I recommend you do it because if you don't, the split might move higher and the portion that eventually breaks will be longer.
2. Protective Braids
The second thing I did immediately after trimming was do a protective braid hairstyle. There are a lot of protective hairstyles out there, and not all of them will do the job; you need to find one that will work best for you. For me, that was box braids. Unlike twists, box braids held my hair firmly together and reduced frizziness. And, unlike cornrows that caused my hair to dry, I was able to retain moisture with box braids.
3. Homemade Leave-in Conditioners
After looking up and realizing that the problem with African hair is that it is fragile and dry, I rode on the train of homemade leave-in conditioners. For a few months, I applied hibiscus and cloves water (sometimes rosemary and black seeds) every single day.
4. LOC Method
I would apply my homemade conditioner, a moisturizing hair cream (one that has more water content than oil), and then an oil or butter. I did this every two to three days in the first months. After applying the treatment, I would cover my hair with a plastic bag for one to two hours.
5. Karkar Oil
Karkar oil is not a brand name; it is a type of hair oil or butter that is mainly used by Sudanese women. Because Karkar oil has benefited me since I was a child, I asked my mother to make it for me again. I used it as the butter in the LOC method. (For more information about the benefits of Karkar oil and how to prepare it at home, read my blog here.).
6. Less Washing, Less Shampooing
At first, I reduced my hair washing sessions to one every two weeks. After that, I reduced it to once per month using shampoo. Meaning I can wash my hair, but I never use the shampoo more than once a month.
Things I have Not Tried But Might Help
If you want to do more, there are a few other things that might help with hair growth, such as:
Scalp massage: daily scalp massage is recommended by others as a method to promote hair growth, and as I was cruising through the studies, I found some that support those claims.
Healthy food and drinks: drinking and eating things that would promote hair growth is something that I have been trying to adopt, and it might help.
Wear a bonnet: to protect your hair from friction during sleep, you can wear a silk bonnet.
Hot oil treatment: Another thing that might promote hair growth is hot oil treatment now and then.
Protein masks: protein masks such as eggs and yogurt masks can strengthen your hair strands.
The Bottomline
To sum it up, exercise might help improve your African hair growth, but there are other factors to take into consideration. In the end, retaining length is about a lot of things and is approached in more than one way.
FAQ
Q1. Does regular exercise directly impact 4C hair growth?
While exercise improves blood flow and reduces stress, which can support hair health, its direct impact on 4C hair growth varies. Other factors, like hair care routines and genetics, play significant roles.
Q2. Why does 4C hair struggle to retain length, and can exercise help with this?
4C hair tends to be fragile and prone to breakage due to its structure and dryness. Exercise can improve overall hair health by promoting circulation, but proper hair care routines are essential for retaining length.
Q3. Can sweat from exercising damage my 4C hair?
Sweat itself doesn’t damage hair, but if not rinsed out, the salt in sweat can cause dryness. After exercising, gently cleanse or rinse your scalp to maintain healthy hair and scalp conditions.
Q4. How can I protect my 4C hair while exercising?
Wearing a protective style or using a satin-lined cap can help minimize friction and sweat buildup during workouts. This helps prevent breakage while still allowing you to stay active.
Q5. What role does stress play in hair loss, and how does exercise help?
Stress can lead to hair loss by pushing hair into the shedding phase prematurely. Exercise reduces stress levels, which may help prevent stress-induced hair loss, especially in people with 4C hair.
Q6. Should I change my hair care routine if I start exercising regularly?
If you exercise regularly, consider adjusting your hair care routine to include more moisturizing treatments to counteract any sweat-related dryness. You may also need to cleanse your scalp more frequently.
Q7. Can exercising too much negatively affect hair growth?
Excessive exercise or over-training can lead to increased stress levels, which might negatively impact hair growth. It's important to maintain a balanced exercise routine for optimal hair health.
Q8. What other lifestyle factors, in addition to exercise, contribute to 4C hair growth?
A balanced diet, adequate hydration, proper sleep, and good hair care practices all contribute to healthy hair growth. Exercise is just one part of an overall healthy lifestyle that supports hair health.
Q9. Are there specific hair care practices that should be paired with exercise to maximize 4C hair growth?
Yes, pairing exercise with moisturizing treatments, protective hairstyles, and the LOC method can help retain length and keep 4C hair healthy. Regular scalp massages and trimming split ends are also beneficial.
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