Exercise is critical for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and if you’re working out six to seven times a week, then you’re sweating a lot. This can mess up your fresh re-twist and leave your dread smelly and full of sweat.
The last thing you’ll want to do is wash your hair, especially if you did this two days ago. You don’t want to over wash your hair, as this puts plenty of stress on your dreads. Here are some tips that will help you maintain fresh dreads after a workout.
Use A headband
Before you go to the gym, put on a large stretchy headband. Now, you can use any kind, as long as it’s large enough to cover your hairline in the front and back.
Our favorite is the Qing Headband; not only do they available in a ton of colors, but they are also affordable. The Qing Headband pulls sweat away from the face and the back of the neck which is important since it stops sweat from getting into your dreads.
If you are using a homemade wrap, make sure they are breathable and stretchy. Stay away from cotton and wool. This will only cause lint buildup. Grab a hairband and place your hair in a ponytail/dreads bun to secure your dreads further. It doesn’t have to be tight or irritating.
Apply Peppermint Scalp cleanser
Next, apply peppermint or any dry shampoo mixture. Peppermint is a natural antiseptic that breaks down the sweat in your dreads. Gently massage the oil into your scalp and locs after every workout. You can keep your peppermint in a spray bottle in your gym bag, making it easily accessible.
Try Interlocking
If your dread unravels quickly, try interlocking them. Rather than palm rolling, where you twist the new growth at the root of the loc. Interlocking is a sturdy locking technique where the loc is pulled through the new growth and is repeated until it tightens the loc down to the scalp.
Adjust your Retwist
Try retwisting your hair every two months, and sometimes after wash, you don’t have to retwist your entire hair; however, just the first three rows. To avoid stressing your hairline and retwisting too often, use a hairband to prevent frizz after a workout.
Dr. Locs Preclense
This product is designed for dreads after workout care. It’s another cleanse to keep your locs smelling and feeling fresh after the gym. Dr. Locs Pre-cleanse has ingredients such as sea salt, apple cider vinegar, which are natural anti-fungal and antibacterial that work against sweat and mold.
If your hair is super dense after the gym and after you’ve done an oil or Dr. Locs pre-cleanse on your scalp. You can take your blow-dryer on its cool setting to dry your scalp and dreads quickly and comfortably.
Read More: How long does it take for dreads to lock up?
My name is Penny Thomas, I love blogging, and the founder of HTW dreads. I had dreadlocks for the past tens years. However, I cut my hair off to grow them with natural oils and no wax. Apart from my hair, I love reading and swimming.