At what length were you able to start scalp-only washes?

[my2cats1]

The last time I had long hair, I used to do scalp-only washes by wraping a loose ponytail or bun in a shower cap. It woked great for me. I'm currently neck length, so I'm a long time away from being able to do it again, but it makes me wonder: what is the shortest you were able to successfully do scalp-only washes?

[lapushka]

I wash upside down. I'm TBL. I still can't do them in the sink without getting it all wet, might as well wash it all, then, right?

I only weekly wash anyway, so I tend to *need* a full wash after that week.

[peachyleshy]

I'm just now doing it again and I'm almost to waist. I think a few years ago I had done it at BSL. I braid my hair (in and English Braid) then put it in a shower cap, securing it at the top of the braid. This has worked out pretty well for me - the braid doesn't get wet at least (getting my scalp clean enough has been the challenge.) So I think at least if you were shoulder length and could braid, bun, or ponytail a substantial amount of hair it would work.

[meteor]

BSL+/waist for me (but I did get it a bit wet) - I just covered my braid with plastic wrap and held it above my head or only washed the hairline. It's true that the shorter the hair was, the harder it was for me to do a scalp-only wash successfully, but the value of scalp-only washes went up dramatically specifically when my hair got much longer, because it meant that much larger area of my hair stayed dry (so less time spent, less exposure to detergents and mineral deposits in water, less wet manipulation and smaller chance of hygral fatigue). At much shorter lengths, scalp-only washes might be too much effort for the effect achieved, but it might be a good skill to develop for later anyway.

I love scalp-only washes now, they are a GREAT time saver for me.

[animetor7]

At hip length I can successfully do scalp washes by bunning my hair with claw clips tugging the scalp hair so that it's loose about my face a bit and then covering the bun with plastic ans securing the plastic with a hair band. I then shower as normal, just being careful to rinse away from the plastic bag, i.e. tipping my head forward in the shower to rinse the front of my head rather than backward so the water doesn't run underneath the bag. I think it also helps to dilute my shampoo so that it spreads better. I dilute my shampoo anyway so I don't know specifically if this helps with scalp washes or just in general, but it seems to help the shampoo spread more easily through my hair requiring less product use and less rinsing when I'm done. I love scalp only washes so that I can stretch my full washes longer fairly easily despite having an oily scalp. It also greatly reduces drying time needed to have a clean scalp which is great!!! I second practicing as soon as you have some braid or bun-able length to get the practice at a skill which is very useful at longer lengths.

[CrowningGlory]

For me it was BSL. I use a rolled up sock (with toe removed) under my bun before covering with a shower cap to keep my hair dry. Works 90% of the time. There is always that one time it doesn't work and my hair gets all wet and I don't have time to deal with it. Sigh.

Like animetor7 I dilute my shampoo and this possibly does help. I've also found that over time I've been able to add less and less shampoo to the mix.

I don't know where I'd be without scalp washes. I've come to dread doing full washes (all that wet hair sticking to me and then drying all big and fluffy - ugh) and would forego them altogether if my hair would let me.

[Kae612]

Wow, I'm at about hip and I still haven't managed it. I'll have to try again though. I find it hard enough to get to my scalp when I can part my hair in sections, when I CWC.

[MidnightMoon]

I've never been successful at it :/ I even tried making a loose braid, but I feel like my scalp isn't clean after, and then I have knots or feel like I'm being rough to it.
And then I'm concerned shampoo got to some areas I didn't get wet or I couldn't wash it off entirely and now it's going to be on my hair for days "damaging it".

[my2cats1]

I wonder if dividing hair into 3 loose braids or buns (instead of one) might help at shorter lengths? of course, then the bag or shower cap woukd have to be wrapped tighter. hmmm...

[Kae612]

Wow, I'm at about hip and I still haven't managed it. I'll have to try again though. I find it hard enough to get to my scalp when I can part my hair in sections, when I CWC.

And I did it! I kept a loose sleep braid that had lots of give, and while it was I guess more than just my scalp getting wet - maybe the top 1/3rd of my hair - it worked! The water did drip down the length once I took it down even though I blotted it with a towel, but I think it's still not as wet as a full wash. And hip on me is still not that long because I'm only 5'2"