I need a new routine!

[BlueGold]

My current routine has been CO washing 2x a week with a tea rinse after followed by a leave in and coconut oil. Also, I deep condition once a week and use cassia once a month. I've been doing this for about 6 months. My hair has been thinning from CO washing and I really don't want to go back to using shampoo. What can I do to change up my routine to stop the hair thinning?

[snakes&stuff]

My hair actually got thicker after I started cowashing. Does the conditioner you use have silicones? Maybe you're having an issue with silicone buildup. I've heard some people say that buildup could cause hair loss or breakage.

[ejking2]

If you're sure CO washing is making your hair fall out, I wouldn't recommend staying with it. I'd guess your follicles are getting clogged. You could try herb washes or using sulfate-free shampoo and diluting it a lot.

[sarahthegemini]

Why not try cwc?

[Lyv]

My hair was shedding like crazy when I was co washing. I switched to CWC but it left my scalp a little dry so now I've started putting conditioner over all of hair and scalp (like a co wash) and then using shampoo on my scalp over the conditioner and it has fixed both issues for me.

[meteor]

Whatever truly causes your hair thinning should be ditched from the routine.

Very often, CO routine over time leaves hair heavy, dark and sleeked down or greasy looking, so it may appear that your hair is thinning, while it's actually OK. But if do you notice more shedding and your ponytail shrinking, then you can try going back to shampoos or shampoo bars or herbal washes (e.g. aritha, shikakai). How about using a very gentle SLS/SLES-free shampoo, something like Shea Moisture Retention Shampoo? You just need something soft and not stripping your hair of natural oils.

Also, which conditioners did you try for CO? Not all conditioners work well with the CO method.

[MeowScat]

The times that I CO washed, I shed a lot of hair, like many people do. I switched to sulfate free shampoo and I hardly shed anymore. I only use a little and just on the scalp and first few inches of scalp hair.

[Crumpet]

Some people also dilute their cone and fate free shampoo. I know some people put it in a mister with water and spray their scalp. You could try that for a while.

[snakes&stuff]

I've been thinking about it, and maybe you just need to clarify more often. If you really love cowashing and don't want to change. I need to clarify with shampoo every 6-8 weeks. I think you should consider a sulfate free shampoo (or with sulfates if your conditioner has cones) every so often when your hair starts acting funny.

[BlueGold]

My hair really loves the moisture it's getting from CO but my scalp's not happy. I think I'll try to clarify more and stay with CO a few more months. If that doesn't work I'll go to CWC. Thanks everyone(:

[HintOfMint]

Walk AWAY from the CO. Seriously, if it's gotten to the point where you're not just noticing an increase of shedding but the actual thinning of your hair, RUN, DO NOT WALK away from CO. I'm only this emphatic because I had some awful shedding when I tried CO and it stopped the moment I went back to shampoo.

You can try sulfate-free shampoos, or just regular old sulfates again, with some oil on the length to blunt the drying effect from the sulfates. I can't recommend CWC because the shampoo and conditioner used at the same time creates a difficult to remove buildup that doesn't happen when shampoo is used and rinsed out before using conditioner.