Dishwashing Soap

[MaraJSkywalker]

I have really greasy hair (I love being a teenager... ); it's so bad that even using clarifying shampoo every day didn't work - it would just keep getting horribly greasy every day and then make my face break out.

So I decided to try using dish washing soap, along with the clarifying shampoo, and conditioner every three or four days.

I was wondering, though: will this damage my hair more than it's worth? I've been doing it for a while, and my hair is no longer greasy, as well as being fairly soft. But will the dish washing soap dry my hair out too much?

[MaraJSkywalker]

Sorry about all the code at the end; I don't know were that came from.

(fixed by moderator)

[RitaCeleste]

Dish soap dries mine out too much. I've only used it as an occasional thing. There was this one time we were poor and out of shampoo and my mom made me use it for a bit. I don't remember actual damage but my hair was so dry it looked terrible. You could try stretching the washes and see if your scalp can be conned into producing less oil. My sister has oily hair even if she doesn't wash it much so I know that doesn't work for everyone. You could try applying the dish soap to the scalp only when you wash so you don't get much in the length.

[embee]

I have used dish detergent (the liquid kind like Palmolive). My dermatologist recommended this years ago.

I would *seriously* dilute the stuff. I mean, *VERY* diluted. I made up a squirt bottle of dilute stuff and then dilute it some more when I used it by squirting some in a tumbler of warm water and pouring that over my head. It is not necessary to get great suds or anything like that. You are not aiming for "squeaky clean", just "cut the grease".

This worked for me for many years, I grew my hair to about waist.

I no longer use it because my hair and skin are no longer oily/greasy, I got old!

[chahuahuas]

Woa. That's pretty harsh. Have you considered going cold turkey for a few weeks without any kind of product on your hair? I know it sounds crazy, but maybe it's worth a try.

The idea is that your scalp gets so in the first place greasy because it's attempting to compensate for the drying affects of daily showers with irritating detergents. I was reading over at the NW/SO thread, and they said that there is an adjustment period for your hair, during which your hair eventually stops producing so much oil. (I don't mean you have to go all the way NW/SO though, maybe you could try WO. Same idea.)

It actually makes sense if you think about it; our bodies aren't made to be washed every day! We didn't wash our hair 10,000 years ago, and we definitely didn't use harsh detergents like SLS. (though maybe the prehistoric cultures could have used animal fats and various oils? Maybe that could be support for going CO, since you would be using only moisturizing ingredients, no detergents)



[Yes, I just this from my post on another thread, I hope noone is offended. ]

[whitestiletto]

I wouldn't recommend using dishsoap. It has the same detergent ingredient (Sodium Laureth Sulfates aka SLS) as many regular shampoos. And the SLS shampoos are the ones many people avoid. It sucks that your hair is greasy, but stripping your scalp is going to cause your scalp to produce EXTRA grease to overcompensate.

If I was in your shoes, I would try conditioner only just to see if it works (wash your hair with a cheapo conditioner, silicone-free ingredients, lathering like its shampoo). Conditioner dissolves grease on the "like dissolves like" principle, whereas shampoo dissolves grease using detergents which strip everything from your scalp and leave it very confused as to where all the grease it made just went. You could try conditioner only every other day, and regular shampoo/conditioner on alternating days and see if you become slightly less greasy after a couple weeks (there may be an adjustment period).

Another thing that helps absorb grease between shampoos is putting powder in your hair. Light colored hair can use baby powder or other scents of similar powders, and people with dark hair can use regular cocoa powder!

Test everything... not at the same time... gradual adjustments are key... to see what works for you.

But I wouldn't recommend dishsoap. It's got the same ingredients as shampoo, it's just far harsher. Strip your scalp of oil using detergents --> scalp produces extra oil to compensate.

[MissAlida]

I think that by using the dishwashing soap, you actually do more harm than good. Clarifying every day is not a good idea either. This is why : by using harsh chemicals, you remove all the oil that your scalp produces in order to protect the hairstrand. Therefore, the scalp "thinks" that your hair needs more oil, so it produces more. The more you try to get rid of the oil, the more there will be. You should try stretching washes. I know it's hard, but you could make it work by wearing your hair in sleek updos, where the grease might look like hair gel. And you could put it up in ponytail, if it's not too long, or buns. After a transition time, it should look better.

[chahuahuas]

Another thing that helps absorb grease between shampoos is putting powder in your hair. Light colored hair can use baby powder or other scents of similar powders, and people with dark hair can use regular cocoa powder!

Good tip on the cocoa powder! I've never heard that one before, I bet it's effective. But be sure you don't use hot cocoa mix! That would turn out stick! (though perhaps yummy...)

Test everything... not at the same time... gradual adjustments are key... to see what works for you.

I agree. Testing it gradually so you don't throw off your hair's balance too harshly and shock it into overcompensating. And methodically is better, so you can accurately figure out what's helping you. I have terrible patience though, so I very much appreciate having LHCers recommend what works for them (and having the CG book to go by helps me as well)

ETA:

I know it's hard, but you could make it work by wearing your hair in sleek updos, where the grease might look like hair gel. And you could put it up in ponytail, if it's not too long, or buns. After a transition time, it should look better.

So true! When my hair is a little greasy, it makes my french twists look more put-together. Elegant up-dos are so great for the awkward times your hair goes through, like the last day before a wash or when transitioning between methods.

[ZeppHead]

Ive used dish soap while I was trying to fade hair color. I used it like once a week, and it did make my hair very soft and I did not notice any damage but it is dish soap, they use that stuff to get the oil off birds during oil spills, so that tells you how stripping it really is. It is very harsh on your hair, especially if you use it long term.

Is just your scalp getting greasy every day or is your hair greasy as well? I think you may be cleansing it too often with strong shampoos, therefore your scalp is producing more sebum and over compensating. Try using a regular shampoo for a few weeks, or laying off the conditioner a bit, are you using any products on your hair? Try laying off them if you are.
I hope you find relief and remember to try different things for a few weeks before concluding they did not work.

[QueenJoey]

I feel your pain! I too have horribly greasy hair that just won't get better. I've noticed though that it gets more oily after a serious wash, maybe because my scalp overcompensates for what I'm taking away. I've learned to just try to stretch my washes, even when my hair is disgusting. I just hold it back so none of the oils get on my skin and make me break out, too. Eventually, my hair isn't as greasy. It's like it realizes that I won't take away it's natural oils as soon, so it doesn't freak out and try to fight back.

O geez, now I know I'm a long hair. I'm talking about my about my hair as if it's a separate person.