new thread
It's certainly been a while since I've started a thread on this board. Here goes...
There was a thread started here a looooooong time ago in which the author described his attempts to forego using shampoo, and only wash his hair with water. I haven't washed my hair with shampoo in about five or six days. While it's a bit flat and shiny, it doesn't smell and it's not as frizzy as it was when I was washing it every two to three days.
My question are thus:
1. I've heard that your body's pH regulates after 10-14 days of not using shampoo, and that your scalp stops producing as much oil; within a certain amount of time, your hair will "return from the abyss" and be fine. Is this true?
2. I have straight, moderately-oily hair: it's not too bad, but if I don't do anything to it AT ALL for about three days, it's a wreck. Should I rinse it thoroughly every morning with water? Is there a better washing/rinsing plan out there for guys who aren't willing to use shampoo every time they wash?
3. If my mission proves successful, how often will I have to use shampoo? Ever?
I don't think we can make generalizations about "your body". Everybody's different. I've never tried to go that long, so I couldn't tell you. My scalp would be way too itchy after just 3 days, but that's my scalp. Your scalp could be completely different.
If you want to try this, I'd only be wary of one thing, and that's the possibility that your hair will lock up and you will be stuck with un-wanted dredlocks.
Well, I would think that if your mission were successful you'd hever have to shampoo. I'm assuming that you define success as not ending up with a "Polish plait".
I know there's an "all natural" faction on this board, and it's a philosophy that's got a certain appeal; but it's just not practical for a lot of people. If it bothers you that using shampoo isn't natural, consider this: Human beings have brains. It's natural for us to use them. We used our brains to invent shampoo because matted hair and irritated scalps are unsightly and potentially unhealthy.
Wow! as I was typing this I just heard the most bizarre thing--a Dixie horn in the middle of DC. Some redneck must be itching to get shot.
Anyway, it's your hair and scalp. If you want to experiment a little, that's OK... but be careful or you could end up with sonmething you didn't bargain for.
"Some redneck must be itching to get shot"
hahahaha
I did post awhile ago about not using shampoo or anything in my hair. I did it for a couple of months before I came to realize that I don’t' produce enough oils to maintain healthy long hair. I have gone back to conditioner, so I would not recommend cutting that out of the mix. But to answer your question about rinsing I say yes, every morning. I still shampoo once or twice in a three week period before I do intensive conditioning. I do use some product in my hair so I use all natural castile soap(which I dilute and use everyday after a workout) to get out any thing unnatural out of my hair, although i would use it anyways to clean my scalp.
I hope that answers your questions.... in some unorganized kinda way =P
I remember a conversation from years ago on this very topic... It was between 2 women, --- one (the younger girl) was my friend; the other (a woman in her early 80s), was a resident at the nursing home that we both worked at. This was1974 or '75. Both women had gorgeous hair. My friend's hair was rather short, while the elderly resident had very long hair worn up in a bun. Upon overhearing my friend tell another co-worker that she washed her hair every day, the older woman was so shocked that she spoke up about it, saying something like this:
"Every day?", she said, "I can't even imagine washing my hair everyday! I wash mine only about once or twice a year!!!"
At that point, eveyone at my table turned around, shocked to hear of such exteme neglect. But then the lady added, "But I do brush my hair every day, --- 100 strokes, in fact... just as my mother had taught me to do!"
Considering the fact that this woman had very shiny, smooth, thick hair (even at her age), my guess is that this routine obviously worked well for her.
As far as for myself goes...
I wash my hair with shampoo on average about twice a week. When I do, I just follow the usual, "wash, rinse, repeat" method, --- including a vigourous lathering with my finger tips (but not using my nails), followed by a thorough rinse and generaous amount of conditioner, especially on the ends. I often also add a beneficial oil of some kind into the lower portion of my hair (Kukui nut, Jojoba, or Almond oil), which seems to help prevent split ends for me.
Day #2 after a shampoo day, I usually dry-brush my hair only.
Day #3 is when I do a conditioner-only rinse in the shower. Or, once in awhile, I rinse with water only...
If I go as long as to Day #4, I'll either do a thorough dry-brushing, OR another water rinse only.
5 days without shampooing is about my personal max.
- Hope that helps!
Ken in San Francisco
I've been re-growing my hair about 18 months now. The problem I had before was washing, which I could never get right.
I'd left my hair unwashed one summer as a child and heard so much about it's natural balance over the years that I decided to try it again.
Seven months later I have the following observations:
1. It really is worth it. My hair has never felt better, and in that respect I have never felt happier - it's like discovering another true part of your innate self.
2. Avoid water - it makes the scalp soggy. A little can help, like misty rain, but no more! I use drops of water on a brush about once a month, if that.
. The first hurdle is achieving a balance of natural geasiness, but that passed soon enough (about five weeks). The real problem is dandruff, or cradle cap.
. Light Brushing about five or six times a day helps loosen the old skin. It helps the natural oils reach the ends, as well as relaxing the mind - I look forward to this more than my tea and coffee (:
The hair will look oily for about five minutes, but this is soon assimilated. I would compare the feel of my hair to a cat's fur, which is hardly what I'd call greasy.
. Don't be disheartened if you wake up and find your hair looking down. I've been tempted to give up the 'experiment' several times, but a good brushing and a bit of time: some hours later find that things have perked up.
I've come to realise that it is just a reflection of my well-being, ie I've not been eating so well// taking my cod liver oil// sleeping// drinking too much beer or whisky.
Attending to those other factors soon has it's effects.
. I can go out several times a week, wake up with hair smelling of cigarette smoke, but this is gone by the afternoon.
. Fresh air and sunshine are useful.
. In the past seven months I've made the mistake of washing my hair four times. Each wash reminded me how dead and dry the hair feels in it's supposedly 'clean' state. It tangles easy, and these are a nuisance to brush out. I never get tangles now.
A lot depends on your current routine and your scalp. (From the Water Only thread on LHC...) If you are shampooing frequently, the otter in the oilslick will probably happen quickly and last a month or more (especially on shorter hair); if you are shampooing infrequently (twice a week or less, or washing with conditioner only), your transition may be quicker and milder. Oily scalp, dry scalp, hard water all can make a major difference.
It's been nearly a year for me water-only, and the last month, what with one thing and another, I've been very lax on the rinsing (maybe once a week) and preening, and my hair is still decent (presentable down), and may scalp is OK. My ideal routine is twice a week with daily preening which gives me consistently good hair all the time.
If you are trying water only, the preening (finger combing, horn/wood combs, scalp massage) is very important, becauce you need to move the oils down the length of the hair.
You aren't going to do any harm to your hair rinsing daily. The key is your scalp...especially if you have thick hair, you want the water to be getting to your scalp...I use a strong hand held spray for that purpose. Detangle and comb (wood/horn) or brush (boar bristle) once it is dry and at least daily.
Never. Although, in my transition, I did use a small amount of very dilute shampoo on my scalp once in a while.