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Since I've started browsing this board I've seen a lot of people say "you should shampoo 1-2 a week" (not the exact words of course..).Well my question is...is shampoo even needed at all,since it does a lot of damage to hair???thanks in advance.
Well, humans didn't start using shampoo until the late 1800s or something, so I'm sure hair is fine without shampoo. The reason hair gets greasy so quickly is because shampoo strips it of its oils, and to compensate the scalp creates extra oil to protect the hair. I suppose if you stop washing, it would be pretty oily and dirty looking for a few weeks, but I think eventually the oil would ease up and nobody would really be able to tell at all, except it probably wouldn't smell as good.
I was considering trying it this summer, but I don't know if I can stick it out for as long as I'd need to. Heh.
No, i haven't heard that shampooing damages hair. If you do it properly and gently, .ie the correct way, you shouldn't cause any harm or damage to your scalp or hair follicies.
You will find that as your hair gets longer, the frequency of required shampooing will reduce. This is because the sebum can travel up the hair shaft, rather than 'sleeping' on the scalp.
All shampoo does is clean the hair, much like a detergent.
You only need to do it when your hair gets very greasy, oily or dirty.
I am not sure about the long term effects of not shampooing, but i have heard that it yields negative results.
yes,I know...but isn't conditioner enough to cleanse the hair?
You could potentially clean your hair with just water and that might be peachy for you, but the safest route to take is to use some kind of cleaner on your scalp (that sounds odd, lol). It doesn't have to be shampoo per se, but a shampoo-like product. Clarifying products, such as apple cider vinegar, can do the job almost as well as a store shampoo.
The problem with just using conditioners is that conditioners cause buildup in your hair over time, regardless of which ones you use. You can theoretically massage the buildup out of your hair and rinse it out with water, but this isn't as safe a bet as using a "cleaner" to totally remove it.
As most of you know, this is the method I've been going with for the past month or so, and I've so far had nothing but positive effects. Maybe I'm doing something different? I don't really know. However, I'm happy with the results, my girlfriend is happy with the results (even though she doesn't know my routine), and I've never gotten any complaints from others. My scalp doesn't often itch, my hair is soft and feeling revitalized for its previously unnatural dry state (thanks Acutane), and I don't have any icky build-up or smells.
I truly believe that shampoo isn't absolutly necessary for clean and healthy hair; but conditions may vary with work, living environment, and etc that may require something stronger than natural methods. What a world we live in where natural isn't always the best. :D
W/O Advocate signing out. :P
Oh, I'd also like to add that (as an experiment) I've cut back my vinegar rinses to every other week.
I doubt conditioner does much to "cleanse" the hair but I know a few people who have gone the no-shampoo route and it's certainly possible to do, but it's also certainly not for everyone. How successful it will be for you depends on many factors including your scalp condition and function (like how much sebum you produce) and your hair type - dry, curly hair will often be more suited to a non-shampoo regime than greasy straight hair for instance, although with dedication there's nothing to stop you trying it out regardless. Everyone I know that's tried it has gone through a minging phase when the hair looks lank and miserable and can even be smelly (from 4 to 6 weeks into the "withdrawal" process) but that passes eventually and the hair settles into a new normal phase. What is important is to "wash" the hair often, daily even, with water only. If you do use conditioner I'd say be careful about applying it only to the ends or to the ends and mid length, avoiding the scalp at all costs or else I imagine you could end up with build up and irritation due to the fact that you would no longer be shampooing out the product. Some people use a little lemon juice or vinegar in a basin of water to counter the grease if things get too much but frequent water-washing alone can work for the dedicated few! (I tried it once but I don't like soaking my long straight hair every day, and then having the problem of drying it again, so I didn't get past the two week stage which is too early to decide whether it's going to be a satisfactory method in the long term.)
I've been on the no-shampoo method for 5 months now, and that intial "mingling" phase was far shorter for me, only about 2 weeks long. Then again, I suppose it varies from head to head, as do many hair things. The one dominant theme for continuing users of this method, though, is dry hair, which usually translates into curly hair; I believe the most famous application of this hair routine is the one called CurlyGirl.
And many of the people I've spoken to about this method use conditioner from at least the middle of a strand down, with some starting from nearly the root. I use conditioner from nearly my roots down and use some on my scalp to (supposedly) help massage up flakes and other residue. The basic idea was to massage the buildup off your scalp, and the conditioner allegedly aids with this, but I can't say for sure it does. On the other hand, I haven't had any negative effects from using the conditioner on my scalp; the new hair growth indeed looks as good as the old.
Also, a number of women on this method seem not to wet their hair daily. I do, but hey, whatever works. The act of washing away buildup makes at least some hair wetting essential.
Sorry to keep contradicting you like that. :P
NO it dont damage hair as such it all depends on who answers your question on how often you they shampoo there hair I shampoo mine twice a week sometimes three times a week it depends on the individual like I know Ed G shampoo his everyday ! Everybody is different on how they treat their hair like what Shampoo or conditioner they use on their hair.
You yourself after find which is best with you and stick with it on how often you shampoo & Condition your hair also which to use on your hair we can only advise you on how often you shampoo !
Axel
Well, I think shampooing at least once a week would be a good thing for your hair. Not sure about the conditioner, though, since I don't even use it and my hair goes off just fine without it. Just gently massage your hair as you put the shampoo on and treat your hair as if it's a pet or something.
It is somewhat true that people started using the shampoo at about 1800s, but the thing is that over the last century air became more polluted with various things that could grease your hair and build up on it, especially in urban areas.
Still, if you live somewhere in a village where fresh air is not a privilege, I don't think shampooing would be too necessary (free to correct me if I'm wrong, anyone), but in urban areas... yes.
I would say that something is needed...........but NOT a bar of soap! Otherwise the skin on your scalp will never be clean as would your hands etc. There used to be a guy on here that had hair to his waist, and he used "Baby Shampoo." But, it did the trick and is not harsh.
Other than that, I would take all the advice and comments by 80's_Metals post below.
