Is Taking a Sauna Good or Bad for the Hair?

There are many conditions which will affect the hair. These include the environment, the weather, and common styling techniques. But what about the effects of taking a sauna? Is it possible the steam room could damage the hair? Is there a difference between a sauna and a steam room?

Steam has multiple advantages but under certain conditions and for specific types of hair. The level and length of exposure are best in moderation.  Porous hair will do well in the steam room as it absorbs the moisture and pretty quickly, too. With that said, it will release it just as fast.

Just as steam helps with skin problems, it will do the same for the scalp. The effect of steam on hair will help to prevent dryness and excessive sebum production, not to mention flaking. The benefits don’t stop there. It also flushes out toxins and stimulates blood flow.

How Does Deep Conditioning Hair in the Sauna Help?

The best feature of the steam room is that it will open the skin’s pores. At the same time, it will induce sebum flow and cleanse the glands and ducts in the skin. What should be remembered is that the scalp is merely skin that hair grows out of.

Now, anyone can see the obvious benefits from using the sauna or steam room, but it has its downside as well. Steam can harm the hair, but it depends on how much steam the hair is exposed to and for how long. Therefore, prolonged stays in the sauna will do more harm than good.

Steaming is one way to get a good deep conditioning treatment. It’s effortless to apply the technique. The steam will open up the hair follicles and motivate the conditioner to go deep, penetrating the roots and scalp. The deep conditioning treatment will also nourish the strands.

Will a Sauna Provide Dry Scalp Relief?

Do you have a problem with dry scalp? Giving the scalp a steam treatment will provide the hair and scalp moisture. Take a 20-minute steam bath or sit in the sauna for about 15 minutes to enjoy the rewards of a deeply conditioned program. Add a conditioning mask to prevent breakage.

Much like a hair dryer, a dry sauna provokes moisture, and this is why people sweat in them. Kill two birds with one stone. Soothe tired, achy muscles and give the hair a lift. Be sure to rinse off with lukewarm water when done.

It will “lock in” the added moisture and leave the hair feeling and looking brand new. With this said, know going in the sauna without hair protection is not advisable. Keep reading to find out how to protect the hair when visiting a sauna.

How to Protect Your Hair in the Sauna

Again, the sauna can have adverse effects on the hair and scalp. The hair can become frizzy when exposed to too much steam. However, using a smoothing serum will protect the hair. If hair serum is not available, try spraying an oil sheen on the hair. The serum should contain silicone to give the best results.

• Just apply an amount the size of a dime to the palm of one hand
• Rub the hands together, so serum is evenly distributed
• Rub all over the hair so scalp, roots, and strands are covered
• Comb through the strands to ensure coverage
• Making sure the entire head is protected
• Wrap with a damp towel or shower cap

The cap or towel should reduce the exposure of excess moisture in the hair as well as the serum or oil spray. If after applying the oil sheen or serum and the hair is too oily, don’t put it on the roots of the hair anymore.

• Tip: Wrap the hair with a felt cap to prevent heat damage.

Dry Sauna and Hair Loss

The Scandinavians have been employing the sauna for over two thousand years now. Typically, the sauna was used to treat chronic pain, according to Finlandia Sauna, the experts in saunas. They also tell us a dry sauna is not like a wet sauna.

They differ because moisture doesn’t spread in the air if hot stones are used. Other things like an infrared light or radiator spread the heat and moisture into the air. When a person is exposed to moist heat, the hair becomes frizzy.

This is not a permanent condition but still, having protection is best. On the bright side, a 20-minute session is helpful in making the hair grow. The steam builds up skin cells. Therefore, the hair grows faster and thicker. Try these tips to regrow hair while in the sauna.

Apply a moisturizer or conditioner to the hair once out of the sauna, but leave it in for roughly 7-10 minutes. Rinse out with cold water. What are the results? You get manageable hair that’s soft to touch and free from the frizziness.

Have these items on hand before using the sauna or steam room:

• Hair serum
• Moisturizers
• Shower cap or felt cap

Important: People who are under a doctor’s care should seek advice before going into the steam room or sauna. Patients with heart problems and other major medical problems shouldn’t utilize the sauna or steam room.

Should I Use a Sauna or Steam Room?

For a long time now, people have used the steam room or sauna. Centuries have gone by, and they are still in use, mainly for beauty and health purposes. Each promotes a holistic style of living and an alternative to improve emotional well-being.

However, the main difference between the two is the air quality or the humidity. Steam rooms occupy moist heat and saunas give off dry heat.

• Fact: The humidity is somewhere between 5% and 30% in the sauna. Steam room temperatures are set to run at 100% humidity.

What are the Benefits of Steam for Hair and Skin?

Steam increases blood circulation and the blood flow to the roots or scalp. It opens pores that are clogged and provides a deep cleaning. Besides that, it provides hydration to the skin and hair. This helps the locks to grow longer and stronger.

Steam allows moisturizers and conditioners to penetrate deeper than an ordinary treatment. It treats the hair cuticles, scalp, roots, and strands, plus control sebum or oil production.

Skin Detoxification

If trying methods to detox the skin, the steam room provides maximum support. It helps to eliminate toxins and waste from the body that build up during stressful times. Poor digestion, unhealthy eating habits are also reasons for toxic buildup in the body.

The steam room incites a state of hypothermia which is comparable to a high fever. When the body reaches a specific temperature, it produces fever-like conditions. Under these conditions, bacteria and viruses cannot live in the body.

Surprisingly, there are 2.6 million sweat glands in the body. Of those, the body can flush out up to 30% of waste, and that’s a lot. That is why sweating is essential, and so are the therapeutic benefits of a steam room. Sweating is natural and it’s needed to help maintain good health.

By sweating away waste, the body’s immune system becomes stronger. In that, we can process foods efficiently, feel more energetic, get relief from fibromyalgia symptoms, autism, ADHD and more.

Dr. Rachel West of Integrative Family Medicine confirms additional help with colitis, auto-immune disease, and immune deficiency states. With this in mind, we recommend steam therapy as a way to cleanse the body naturally.

Improved Blood Circulation

To increase blood flow, experts suggest infrared rays found in a sauna. The infrared rays heat up the muscles in addition to regular exercise. The surprising results are a rise to 13 quarts as opposed to 5-7 quarts of blood flowing through the body. That’s a tremendous increase.

Essentially, the benefits of a sauna reflect that of a moderate cardio workout.  Regular use of an infrared sauna will improve blood circulation significantly. It continues to work long after the workout session has expired.  Not only that, but recovery times are shorter.

The heat from an infrared sauna reduces pain, inflammation and aids the healing process. After strenuous activities, this is a relief and an important step in an alternative, healthy lifestyle.

What Are the Advantages of Coconut Oil in the Sauna?

There are hundreds of products claiming to the best, but few live up to their promises. However, sometimes, you don’t need a “new and improved” product, the original version works just as well. But what we don’t need are parabens, sulfates, and artificial ingredients.

Coconut oil is natural and pure. Therefore it should be considered as a helpful addition to the sauna. When it comes to treating the hair for a day at the sauna and preventing dry scalp, coconut oil works as a shield. It’s simple to use, and the results are amazing.

How to Use Coconut Oil in the Sauna

• Start by rinsing the hair well
• Using a tablespoon of coconut oil, rub into the palms
• Once the oil melts, apply to strands and scalp
• Leave in for duration of session
• Shampoo or rinse oil out after sauna
• Blow dry or air dry and style

The aroma of the coconut should relax the mind, and the body and the hair should shine and feel silky soft.

Does taking a sauna damage your hair and scalp? Yes, it can, but it depends on the amount of time anyone spends in the sauna and if the hair is protected or not. Moderation is the key to almost anything anyone does in life. Along with the understanding that proper use is utmost importance to do it correctly. Wrapping the hair along with conditioning it beforehand is critical to a healthy head of hair.

In addition to hair care, saunas and steam rooms provide aid to the skin, respiratory issues, soothe sore muscles, muscle recovery, immune system help and increases blow flood.