Your skin loves the sauna. Your hair is often less keen. If you sauna regularly and you've noticed your hair getting dry, frizzy or brittle, the heat is a likely culprit, and it's easy to fix.
What sauna heat does to hair
A traditional sauna can reach 80–100°C at head height, and the air is dry. Hair is made of keratin and holds some moisture. Repeated exposure to very hot, dry air pulls that moisture out. The result, over time, can be dryness, frizz, split ends and fading colour.
The effect is bigger if your hair is:
- long (more surface, and the ends are oldest and driest),
- colour-treated or bleached,
- naturally dry or curly,
- already exposed to a lot of sun, chlorine or salt water.
An occasional sauna isn't going to ruin your hair. It's the several-times-a-week habit where protection pays off.
1. Cover it with a wool sauna hat
This is the big one. A thick felted wool hat insulates your head from the hottest air in the room, which protects your hair and keeps your head more comfortable. It's the reason sauna hats exist in the first place.
For long hair, a deep, bell-shaped hat that comes down over the ears covers the most. A brimmed bucket hat works well for shorter hair. See the style guide for the differences.
2. Tie long hair up and tuck it in
A loose bun or braid tucked under the hat keeps the ends out of the heat. Avoid metal clips, which get hot, and very tight elastics, which can cause breakage on hair that's already stressed.
3. Moisturize before, not just after
Many regulars dampen their hair, or comb through a little conditioner or a light leave-in, before covering it with their hat. Damp, conditioned hair under a hat is far less likely to dry out than dry hair in open air. Skip heavy oils if you're in a shared sauna: they can mark the wood.
4. Rinse with cool water after
Rinse your hair with cool or lukewarm water after your session to get rid of sweat, then condition. If your cool-down is a lake, river or the ocean, a fresh-water rinse afterwards is worth it.
5. Go easy on the other heat
If you've just been in the sauna, give your hair a break from the blow dryer or straightener. Stacking heat on heat is when damage really adds up.
What about beards?
Beards dry out in the sauna too. A little beard oil or balm after your session helps. And yes, some people do wet their beard before going in.
Quick routine for regulars
- Dampen hair and add a little conditioner.
- Tie long hair up loosely.
- Put on a wool sauna hat that covers it.
- Rinse with cool water and condition after.
Simple, cheap, and your hair will thank you all winter.
Questions
Is the sauna bad for your hair?
Regular exposure to very hot, dry air can dry out hair and make it more brittle, especially if it's long, coloured or already dry. Covering it with a wool sauna hat and keeping it moisturized helps a lot.
Should I wet my hair before the sauna?
Many people wet their hair or apply a little conditioner before covering it with a sauna hat. Damp hair under a hat is less likely to dry out than dry, exposed hair.
Does a sauna hat protect your hair?
Yes. A thick wool or felt sauna hat shields your hair from the hottest air in the room, which is the main cause of sauna-related dryness.
What should I do with long hair in the sauna?
Tie it up in a loose bun or braid and tuck it under a deep sauna hat, like a bell-shaped hat, so it isn't exposed to the hot air.
Ready to try a sauna hat?
Sauna Hats Canada ships wool and merino sauna hats Canada-wide from Squamish, BC.
More reading: Sauna Temperatures Explained · A Short History of the Sauna Hat · All articles