Prevent hair sweat after a workout?
Women are saying goodbye to sweaty, greasy hair after long runs, tough spin classes and hot yoga thanks to “Blowtox.”
This new fad uses Botox injections to deaden the nerves along the hairline, which triggers sweat glands to stop secreting sweat. This popular beauty trend lets women stay physically active without sweating, which in turn preserves their blowout hairstyles.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved Botox for treating wrinkles and excessive underarm sweating, but it has not been approved for treating sweating along the hairline.
While flawless hair after a workout may be a dream come true for many women, some physicians are hesitant about the procedure.
“Sweating is good for the skin as it is involved in cooling mechanisms,” says Dr. Rania Agha, a dermatologist at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Ill. “For instance, patients who are physically fit initiate sweating sooner and conserve important electrolytes more efficiently. When sweat is released, pores open and release secretions that have accumulated in them, therefore unclogging your pores.”
While some women are using Blowtox for cosmetic reasons, excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis is a real medical condition caused by overactive sweat glands in the armpit, palms, soles of the feet, forehead and scalp. In some cases, it can be a symptom of an illness such as thyroid or other endocrine gland abnormalities, neurologic disorders, drug or toxin ingestion, tumors, and infections.
“Hyperhidrosis can be elicited by stress or other emotions,” says Dr. Agha. “It causes social embarrassment, and some people avoid shaking or holding hands with others, therefore causing social withdrawal.”
Dr. Agha says hyperhidrosis is treatable. However, for those looking for perfect hair after a workout, a shower might be the best option.
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health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.
This is stupid. Excessive sweating is one thing. Not wanting to disturb your hair is another. My gym has blow dryers in the locker room. I can’t imagine that most don’t. So shower, wash your hair, and blow dry it.
(Re: security purposes – what if I were lousy at math?)
People will do anything to their bodies for the sake of convenience.
It isn’t all about vanity in some cases. I can see this being a larger issue with women who have naturally curly hair that may take too long to wash and style (try 2-3 hours +). Some are pressured into straight hairstyles that revert after sweating or hair washing. In many arenas such as in the work place, natural hair styles may still be socially unaccepted, or frowned upon. These women are pressured into wearing straight hair styles which revert in humidity or after sweating and washing. They may be pressured into wearing wigs that don’t appear natural or wearing uncomfortable weaves. Botox may seem like the best option, obviating the hair delimma, neglecting physical health for the sake of a hair style.
When society ceases stratification regarding hair texture, or devaluing others with different hair textures, perhaps women won’t be pushed in to Botoxing so to to hold on to their jobs while keeping a fitness routine. Or maybe they still will, as there are always those who value beauty at all costs and others who tend hold on old ways of thinking.