Hair Washing Stretch- Seasonal Variation

[captaincrunch]

When I first started reading about stretching hair washing, I thought it was crazy because my hair was disgustingly greasy every other day if I didn't wash it. That was in the summer. Now that the season is changing it seems like I can go about three days. I am wondering what it will be in the winter. How much variation in wash stretching (if any) do you ladies typically have?

[Ferngear]

I know I can go for up to 10 days without washing my hair when the weather is cold, not more than 6 when it's hot. I think that's more due to sweating than anything else... that and our summers are very dry, so I put more oil in my hair and it gets dirtier faster. Average for me is 7 days, but I had to work up to that. I used to wash it every 3-5 days because it would get greasy, but I found that the more I let it alone the more it evened out, stopped being greasy and having dandruff, and so on. Finding a good shampoo and conditioner made a difference, too, as certain ones seem to keep my hair cleaner longer. You really won't know until you try stretching it for a little while (not going weeks without washing, just a month or so washing less frequently).

[lapushka]

It doesn't change with the seasons for me. I typically go 7 days; my hair's washed weekly through 4 seasons.

[Vulpes]

I stretch washes typically 3 to 4 days, sometimes less in the HOT (98 degrees) summer. In colder weather I can stretch for 2 weeks at a time, as long I don't do anything gross like sweating excessively or getting something weird in my hair.

I've noticed that the more I put my hair in protective updos the longer I can go without washing, mostly because I'm not looking at it except for the once/twice a day I brush and braid. Less notice= less washes. Win-win for my hair.

[Anje]

It changes markedly with the seasons for me. I typically go about 4-5 days between washes in the summer, but more than 3 in the winter means grease-city! (I don't know of anyone else who gets oilier in the winter than the summer. Maybe I need to move to Australia?)

[SnottyDotty]

It changes markedly with the seasons for me. I typically go about 4-5 days between washes in the summer, but more than 3 in the winter means grease-city! (I don't know of anyone else who gets oilier in the winter than the summer. Maybe I need to move to Australia?)

I have a similar experience to you. During the summer I need to wash my every 5-7 days (I don't really sweat all that much so I just deal with general oiliness) but during the winter I can last a maximum of 4 days, 5 if I really want to be uncomfortable. For me though I think it's less to do with being oilier in the winter and more to do with the fact that an oily scalp means I feel the cold a LOT more.

[Nadine <3]

My hair is like a different head of hair when the seasons change. In the summer I'm every other day, especially when it's humid. My hair gets SUPER greasy and gross. In the winter (even now that the weather is just starting to cool down) I only wash twice a week. Once the snow starts blowing and we get freezing temperatures I might try once a week.

[Frederikke]

I wash mine once a week. I would like to stretch it for longer but i wanted to wait until mu hair wasn't really that greasy after 7 days and then up to 8 days.
Annoyingly enoguh there doesn't seem to be any change in how fast my hair gets greasy! and no the season hasn't changed that at all.

[DreamSheep]

I definitely wash more often in Summer than Winter, a combination of sweating more in Summer/beaach/pool and not wanting to face a long shower in cold Winter...

[melusine963]

My hair takes a day longer to get oily in winter. It also needs a lot more coconut oil to stay tangle free.

[LauraLongLocks]

If I didn't run 3-4 times a week, I could go longer between washes in winter. I shampoo once a week and co-wash 2-3 times during the week. My scalp and my hair are both happiest with this arrangement. I tried just co-washing without shampooing and ended up stretching quite a bit, but my scalp became pimply. I need to shampoo once a week to keep my scalp happy, no matter the season.

[Imalath]

As long as my scalp isn't breaking out, I can stretch washes much, much longer in winter. In warmer weather I have to wash every other day to keep my scalp happy; occasionally I can stretch it to every third day. In the winter I can easily stretch it to once a week. I don't sweat as much, which keeps my scalp from producing so much oil. Also I keep my hair covered a lot more, and it just doesn't get dirty as quickly.

[Crumpet]

I wash my hair every 3-5 days in summer and every 7 days in the winter. Part of the more frequent summer washes may be due to my heavy running schedule then, which makes it too greasy to stretch longer.

Also, in the winter I need to do deep conditioning treatments -- or, at least I did last year. Maybe with my LHC happier hair I won't need them as much or at all.

[velorutionista]

I wash every 4-5 days in the summer (5 is still a stretch, but if it's a weekend I'll go for it)...in the winter I think I actually wash more often (I think because I wear hats more, so my hair gets smushed against my scalp, and, being fine and not astoundingly thick, soaks the oil up all the way to the top layer).

[Kherome]

Pretty much once a week year round. Winter I might go a little bit less because having the heater on dries out the hair and I like to add moisture in more frequently.

[Taliara]

I would love to know how you ladies got to this stage. I really struggle not to wash my hair daily and it's becoming a big pain in the backside now it's getting longer (not to mention it's not great for it).

[velorutionista]

Taliara, there's a ton of great info in this thread: The Official Stretching Washes Thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=56574) that helped me. Beyond that, time and laziness (it's a lot of work washing and drying every day!)

[Fufu]

I used to wash every single day.

Now every 3 or 4 days. Nothing longer than that if not I will go crazy under the hot and humid weather.

[Taliara]

Taliara, there's a ton of great info in this thread: The Official Stretching Washes Thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=56574) that helped me. Beyond that, time and laziness (it's a lot of work washing and drying every day!)

You're a star, thank you very much :)