Summer Hair Care for Runners

I like to think of it as an interest but others might call it an obsession but lately I've found myself watching hair videos on YouTube. 

Lots of them. 

My interest is primarily in braiding as my hair is finally long enough to begin to do some of the more intricate styles. Waterfalls, lace, rope, French, Dutch, fishtails – I've tried them all. 

I've wondered, though, if all the twisting and re-twisting affects my hair so when I went in for highlights the other week, I brought up the topic with my hair stylist. Amy, who owns the cutest little shop just north of downtown, assuaged my fears and said the braiding was unlikely to break my hair so long as I was twisting it dry.

However, she did have once concern: how I treated my hair during the summer, especially as a runner. The season of bouncy pony tails and sweat-soaked runs can do a number on our hair, she says. 

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Hair is at its most fragile when its wet. While the idea of pulling out an elastic from a sopping-wet messy bun seems divine after a long run, be careful. Hair can break if you aren't gentle. You can wait for it to dry or use no-damage hair elastics. I prefer to keep my hair neatly braided (surprise, surprise), which means that I don't have to pull the elastic through as much hair.

• Just like it can your skin, the sun can damage your hair. Not only can it discolor your strands but it can cause them to be brittle and dry. It also leads to split or broken ends and thinning. There are hair products available with SPF but Amy advises wearing a hat or buff to keep your mane covered. 

As if I needed a reason to bust out the Nuun trucker hat!

• Wash with caution. Most hair experts advise that it's not smart to wash your hair every day. However, when my hair is dripping in sweat, there's nothing more that I want to do than lather up in a refreshing shower. My stylist Amy suggests that rinsing the hair can work wonders without stripping the hair. One word of advice, though: Make sure the water isn't scalding as hot water can affect the hair. When I asked about dry shampoo, she said that from her perspective, dry shampoo is an occasional product and not a replacement for washing your hair. An alternative could be a sulfate-free shampoo, which has a more mild detergent than traditional 'poos and is less likely to damage the hair.

• Time for conditioning. With all of the washing and sun exposure, it doesn't hurt to be proactive about your hair. A good hair mask used a couple times a week in place of condition can add moisture back into your strands. I, personally, have been doing this for several months, and it helps me keep my hair smooth and soft. I'm using a Macadamia Natural Oil Masque that a friend gave me about twice a week. Amy, who uses natural and eco-conscious products, does advise that many of these products aren't necessarily "clean" and to be sure to read the labels when selecting a product.

What are your tips for keeping your hair healthy?

Hanging by a strand

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming for a public service announcement.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is with the utmost sense of doom that I must warn you not to purchase a group deal for hair service. It might be tempting to save money on a cut and style but you will pay. You will pay big time in other ways.

My hair was looking fierce and, decidedly, not in a good way. My last cut had been an "Oh my God, if something is not done right now I will do it myself" situation that prompted me to get a trim at Great Clips. Always wary of someone new, I didn't let the stylist do more than cut off the edges and blend some long layers. My decision was fine if I had intended to dig up $50 in the couch cushion to go to my stylist in a few weeks but alas, I did not and my hair quickly became heavy and shapeless.

I had picked up a Living Social deal for a wash, cut and style at a new-ish shop near me, and I decided to give it a go last night. Take off the weight.

Armed with photos, I told the owner/sole stylist that I wanted to keep as much length as possible - you know to pull it back while running - but add in some layers and a bang. The bangs were risky but they grow quickly and can always be pinned back, a co-worker had reminded me when mulling over my decision.

Everything seemed fine. She put on a cape, washed my hair and took me back to the seat, where she glanced at the photos and set 'em aside. Then it happened. The moment where I knew things would go awry. She parted my hair down the middle, never asking me if it's where I part my hair (it's not) and began talking about how she just chopped her hair but wasn't sure how it ended up four different shades, varying from black to blue.

Don't get me wrong - I enjoy a lovely chat with a stylist and I appreciate colored hair. It was me, after all, who colored her hair green with a Crayola marker for funsies in the hallway of my all-girls Catholic high school. But it was the non-stop talking and her apparent distraction that bothered me.

"It won't kill you to hush it for a minute and pay attention to how you are adding those face framing layers."

I thought it. Didn't say it. I remained cordial, even as she bashed the school district where Mark works and smirked when she found out she was younger than me. I told her she did an awesome job as she ROUNDED the bangs under with a straightener and still left a tip when she started sweeping before I even got out of the chair.

I waited for the car ride home and a phone call to my BFF before I got angry. Angry that my hair resembled a job I had done on my own in 1992.

All I needed was a quarter-inch curling iron and a can of AquaNet to tease up those bangs, and I would have been golden to walk around Forest Fair Mall and buy barrettes at Claire's.

Thankfully, 5 minutes in my bathroom with a decent flat iron and my own mediocre skills revealed that the stylist did have some cutting skills even if she wasn't able to style my hair.

Note: It really bugs me when someone who goes to school for hair can't do my hair better than me. It's like going to a restaurant and the chef can't make a steak better than you but he makes a delicious salad.

I've had worse, worse that required me to get my hair cut again immediately - something I don't have to do. The bangs will grow and sweep better. The hair can be pulled back. However, I was once again reminded that you get what you pay for. And I paid $7 for a Living Social deal.

Tell me: How much do you pay for a cut? It seems like the going rate here is $35+, which I can't fathom, but I'm sure it's cheap to those outside the Midwest.