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Scarlet_Celt
February 18th, 2015, 03:06 PM
I've recently been trying a new washing technique which has had the added benefit of significantly reducing my wash shed rate. I typically wash every 7 days or so, and this week I didn't shed at all during my wash, so I thought I'd share my findings with you all.

Basically, I split my hair into two even sections and put each section into a 3 strand English braid. The top of each section should be relatively loose, i.e I only really started braiding just beyond my collarbone on each side, and I made the braid tighter the further down I went, but not too tight. I saturated my head with water, and applied shampoo to my scalp at the front of my hairline, the back of my neck, and followed the line of the parting between the two braids. The loose style at the top of the braid meant that I was able to adequately massage the shampoo into my entire scalp without creating tangles, and without getting shampoo into the greater length of my hair (which only needs conditioner). Once I finished massaging the shampoo in to one side, I did the same to the other, and then rinsed the shampoo out by saturating my hair again. The braids did not inhibit my ability to wash my scalp, and actually made the whole process a lot more comfortable as I usually have to deal with my wet hair spreading itself all over my body, and generally getting in the way. Once the shampoo was rinsed I liberally applied conditioner to the braids, and then rinsed out once I was satisfied it was enough time conditioning. At this point I undid the braids and made sure to saturate my hair with water to completely rinse out the conditioner. Finally, I exited the showed and wrapped my hair up in a tshirt to dry a little bit.


My original intention behind this is that it would allow me easier access to my scalp, as my hair is really thick. Also, I hoped that it would reduce tangles. I found both of my desired outcomes were achievable, and that I hardly saw any shedding whatsoever. By the second time of using this technique I saw no shedding whatsoever, I had very minimal tangles, and best of all it actually saved me time washing my hair this way. I can safely say that wash day is now a much less stressful experience, which is not something I thought I'd find myself saying.

I hope this 'technique' works for other people too :)

evameganetron
February 18th, 2015, 03:51 PM
Wow, thank you! I will try this tomorrow! Hair washing day! :D

evameganetron
February 18th, 2015, 03:53 PM
What kind of hair tie did you use to hold your braids, by the way?

swearnsue
February 18th, 2015, 04:40 PM
Thank you for sharing your technique. I can see why there would be less shedding because your hair is "hugged" safely in braids so that a few strands aren't pulled too hard.

My hair is short and fine but I'll remember this for when my hair is long. It's already getting difficult to handle my hair in the shower when it's wet and cold and all over the place sticking to my back.

Good idea, thank you.

MsPharaohMoan
February 18th, 2015, 05:01 PM
I tried doing this with unsecured braids and it ended up coming undone, but it started good! I'll try the real deal next time.

Scarlet_Celt
February 19th, 2015, 11:06 AM
evameganetron I just use no tug fabric hair ties, nothing fancy. As long as it's not too tight, and doesn't catch or damage your hair excessively it should be fine.
swearnsue Yeah, I wish I had thought of it earlier because it just makes sense. How long is your hair? Judging by your profile photo it looks long enough to try it.
MsPharaohMoan Definitely worth trying with secured braids. I promise it will make a difference :)

lapushka
February 19th, 2015, 11:17 AM
Don't all the sheds come out when you untie the braids? :hmm:

MINAKO
February 19th, 2015, 12:15 PM
Don't all the sheds come out when you untie the braids? :hmm:

thats what iwas wondering too, as i think these hairs are ready to go anyways, rather than being pulled out.
but i like the idea of tangle reducing so i will give it a try and see if it helps in terma of shedding for me too. we never knowuntil we try i guess. :)

endlessly
February 19th, 2015, 12:31 PM
I really like the idea of it helping to reduce tangles since washing is the only thing that seems to cause knots in my hair, so I'm definitely going to try to use this method and see if it helps. The only thing I worry about is having the braids get into a tangled mess once wet since my hair seems to love itself a little too much.

Scarlet_Celt
February 19th, 2015, 01:25 PM
lapushka Nope, no sheds at all. Even after I had towel dried my hair and then ran a comb through to make sure there were no tangles before finishing it off with my blowdryer I didn't have any sheds.

ETA:


thats what iwas wondering too, as i think these hairs are ready to go anyways, rather than being pulled out.
but i like the idea of tangle reducing so i will give it a try and see if it helps in terma of shedding for me too. we never knowuntil we try i guess. :)
See my above response to Lapushka. As I had no sheds during or after washing I think it's clear that the shed that people typically experience isn't a given, but rather is due to the manipulation that we typically experience while washing our hair. When you think about it, this actually makes sense, because why should getting your scalp/hair wet be inherently associated with increased shedding? Just a thought, that we accept increased shedding as normal because of the detrimental haircare habits that are typical. It makes sense that less manipulation equals less damage, and I think this applies to shedding as well. Neither of these factors are unavoidable, but we can definitely reduce the extent to which we contribute towards them.



I really like the idea of it helping to reduce tangles since washing is the only thing that seems to cause knots in my hair, so I'm definitely going to try to use this method and see if it helps. The only thing I worry about is having the braids get into a tangled mess once wet since my hair seems to love itself a little too much.

How would your wet hair tangle isn't if it's braided? If you experience that then you might need to braid the lower portions of your hair a bit tighter.

Ps. Edited to add: Swoon over your profile photo's braid waives!

jeanniet
February 19th, 2015, 01:41 PM
At some point those hairs are going to come out, though. Generally what a significantly reduced shed during a wash means is that you're not manipulating enough to remove hairs that are just about to come out (so say "loose" rather than actually shed), but those hairs are still going to shed soon anyway. You can't stop hair from shedding when it's ready, and hair that's not ready to be shed isn't necessarily going to come out with vigorous washing, although you might have breakage that looks like shedding. If you have a normal shed pattern, I'm not sure it matters anyway. Shedding becomes an issue is if it's excessive and prolonged. Otherwise, it's perfectly natural and expected.

Anje
February 19th, 2015, 01:44 PM
I tried something like this earlier this year, with one braid and applying conditioner right to the braided hair. (I think I thinned the conditioner a little so it got in there better.) For me, the goal was to see what would happen if I eliminated the ability to tangle in the shower, rather than to avoid clogging the drain.

It worked pretty well overall, but I eventually got bored with it and worried that I wasn't getting enough conditioning.

Scarlet_Celt
February 19th, 2015, 01:50 PM
At some point those hairs are going to come out, though. Generally what a significantly reduced shed during a wash means is that you're not manipulating enough to remove hairs that are just about to come out (so say "loose" rather than actually shed), but those hairs are still going to shed soon anyway. You can't stop hair from shedding when it's ready, and hair that's not ready to be shed isn't necessarily going to come out with vigorous washing, although you might have breakage that looks like shedding. If you have a normal shed pattern, I'm not sure it matters anyway. Shedding becomes an issue is if it's excessive and prolonged. Otherwise, it's perfectly natural and expected.
Obviously, I'm not under the impression that hairs will otherwise be a permanent feature of my head. However, it just makes sense that those of us concerned with keeping our hair healthy while growing to long lengths would want to reduce premature shedding. Moreover, it doesn't stand to reason that all the hairs you shed would have all shed at once. I understand that our individual hair cycles mean that at some point each hair will inevitably shed, but when this happens is definitely influenced by factors including manipulation. It seems to me that for many LHC people that wash day is probably the most manipulation we experience on a regular basis. I haven't noticed any increase in my day-to-day shedding, and since this experiment has been relatively short-term it's too soon for me to make any grand observations about the impact on my hair at this stage, but it's something I will keep in mind for future reference.


I tried something like this earlier this year, with one braid and applying conditioner right to the braided hair. (I think I thinned the conditioner a little so it got in there better.) For me, the goal was to see what would happen if I eliminated the ability to tangle in the shower, rather than to avoid clogging the drain.

It worked pretty well overall, but I eventually got bored with it and worried that I wasn't getting enough conditioning.
So you only had one braid? How did you manage to wash your entire scalp that way? I suppose it depends on each person's hair, and the conditioner they're using.

If anyone is curious I shampoo'd with Organix coconut shampoo, and conditioned with TRESemme naturals moisture conditioner.

Catatafish
February 19th, 2015, 01:56 PM
I like this idea, I'm looking forward until my hair is long enough to try it.

I'm kind of a weirdo who LOVES combing out my shed hair, so I'm more into the idea of it for reducing tangles.

Anje
February 19th, 2015, 02:35 PM
So you only had one braid? How did you manage to wash your entire scalp that way? I suppose it depends on each person's hair, and the conditioner they're using.

If anyone is curious I shampoo'd with Organix coconut shampoo, and conditioned with TRESemme naturals moisture conditioner.

My hair's less thick than yours is. Probably substantially so -- my ponytails are are little less than 3" in circumference. (A 3" ponytail has an area of about 0.72 in^2. A 4" ponytail has an area of about 1.27 in^2. So a 4" ponytail has about 78% more hair than a 3" ponytail. And so on from there.) That probably made a considerable difference in how easy it was for me to get my scalp clean. Also, I'm pretty sure I had my shampoo diluted, so it was nice and watery and went straight to my scalp.

meteor
February 19th, 2015, 02:37 PM
Scarlet_Celt, this is awesome! :thumbsup: Thank you so much for starting this thread! :flowers: This is something I've been thinking of trying for many months, but kept putting off because it sounded complex and lengthy. I think there are a few LHC-ers who do this (chen comes to mind - hopefully she'll see your thread).
I know this works for many people - and it's a popular method in kinky-curly natural hair communities. And you can see a gazillion videos on YouTube of how to wash hair in micro-braids, etc (e.g. this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zjWTENmSh0) and many others). I think the trick is diluting shampoo and conditioner a lot to make the products runny enough to get everywhere.

Question: how many braids is best (assuming I can only do English braids) and how is it best to split/section the hair into braids in order to get the cleanest wash?

lapushka
February 19th, 2015, 02:46 PM
Question: how many braids is best (assuming I can only do English braids) and how is it best to split/section the hair into braids in order to get the cleanest wash?

I've seen my share of YT vids on 3/4 textures, and the most I've seen is 4 braids per side, the least 1/2.

Scarlet_Celt
February 19th, 2015, 02:52 PM
I like this idea, I'm looking forward until my hair is long enough to try it.

I'm kind of a weirdo who LOVES combing out my shed hair, so I'm more into the idea of it for reducing tangles.

Tangles are enough reason for me, too :)

Jonquil
February 19th, 2015, 02:53 PM
This sounds like it's definitely worth a try. Thanks for sharing! I've noticed that washing my hair with cool water helps to reduce the shed a bit, hopefully this method helps it even more :).

jeanniet
February 19th, 2015, 02:59 PM
Obviously, I'm not under the impression that hairs will otherwise be a permanent feature of my head. However, it just makes sense that those of us concerned with keeping our hair healthy while growing to long lengths would want to reduce premature shedding. Moreover, it doesn't stand to reason that all the hairs you shed would have all shed at once. I understand that our individual hair cycles mean that at some point each hair will inevitably shed, but when this happens is definitely influenced by factors including manipulation. It seems to me that for many LHC people that wash day is probably the most manipulation we experience on a regular basis. I haven't noticed any increase in my day-to-day shedding, and since this experiment has been relatively short-term it's too soon for me to make any grand observations about the impact on my hair at this stage, but it's something I will keep in mind for future reference.

I guess I just don't see the point if you already have iii hair. Normal shedding isn't going to prevent you having healthy hair. I just don't want people to think that manipulation is necessarily going to make their hair fall out, or that shedding in and of itself is bad. I scrub my scalp when I wash, and really the only thing that makes me shed more is using shampoo (other than a seasonal shed). So YMMV.

Scarlet_Celt
February 19th, 2015, 03:02 PM
Scarlet_Celt, this is awesome! :thumbsup: Thank you so much for starting this thread! :flowers: This is something I've been thinking of trying for many months, but kept putting off because it sounded complex and lengthy. I think there are a few LHC-ers who do this (chen comes to mind - hopefully she'll see your thread).
I know this works for many people - and it's a popular method in kinky-curly natural hair communities. And you can see a gazillion videos on YouTube of how to wash hair in micro-braids, etc (e.g. this one (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zjWTENmSh0) and many others). I think the trick is diluting shampoo and conditioner a lot to make the products runny enough to get everywhere.

Question: how many braids is best (assuming I can only do English braids) and how is it best to split/section the hair into braids in order to get the cleanest wash?

It had occurred to me that people with curly or kinky natural hair might wash their hair like this while in twists or braids, so I'm glad that assumption was based in reality! Diluting products seems to be a popular thing to do in general. I'm yet to try it, but will definitely keep it in mind next time I empty a haircare bottle.

Personally, I just went for 2 English braids split right down the middle of my head, because I wanted to get right in to the nape of my hair, and this allowed me the easiest access to the parts of my scalp that actually get somewhat oily, and kept it in manageable sections.

Now that Anje mentions it, it makes sense that if you're hair is less thick that less braids would suffice, and vice versa. All in all, I think two braids would suffice for most people with type 1, 2, and most type 3 hair. Type 4 haircare is way out of my knowledge base, but as you've said, there's plenty of curly/kinky haircare gurus/forums/etc to refer to if anyone is in doubt.


I guess I just don't see the point if you already have iii hair. Normal shedding isn't going to prevent you having healthy hair. I just don't want people to think that manipulation is necessarily going to make their hair fall out, or that shedding in and of itself is bad. I scrub my scalp when I wash, and really the only thing that makes me shed more is using shampoo (other than a seasonal shed). So YMMV.

I thinK YMMV is pretty applicable across the spectrum of haircare topics in general. For me my hair type has nothing to do with it. I just find it counter-intuitive to wash my hair in a way that causes more problems than it solves.

It's worth mentioning that when we talk about 'normal' shedding what exactly are the perimeters you're classifying as normal? Also, as I suggested before, how do you know what we consider normal isn't influenced by counter-productive haircare practices? This is similar to someone claiming that normal people can't grow their hair beyond a certain length, when most people have never tried to grow their hair beyond (insert length), and most people don't take very good care of their hair in the first place.

Surely studies on shedding have not been completely exempt from the typical haircare practices that contribute towards damage that would otherwise be greatly reduced.


This sounds like it's definitely worth a try. Thanks for sharing! I've noticed that washing my hair with cool water helps to reduce the shed a bit, hopefully this method helps it even more :).
Personally I just wash my hair in water that isn't particularly hot or cold, because I find this causes the least irritation to my scalp. I've got a pretty sensitive scalp, and my skin in general does not appreciate any extremes in temperature.


My hair's less thick than yours is. Probably substantially so -- my ponytails are are little less than 3" in circumference. (A 3" ponytail has an area of about 0.72 in^2. A 4" ponytail has an area of about 1.27 in^2. So a 4" ponytail has about 78% more hair than a 3" ponytail. And so on from there.) That probably made a considerable difference in how easy it was for me to get my scalp clean. Also, I'm pretty sure I had my shampoo diluted, so it was nice and watery and went straight to my scalp.

Ooh, nice use of maths there. I am blissfully ignorant of how my hair compares to other peoples for the most part, so I'm glad LHC has a wide variety of people to make these kinds of considerations. Getting my scalp clean is such a nightmare usually, but even if that wasn't a main concern for others, I assume the reduction in tangles would be a pretty decent sway.

Knifegill
February 19th, 2015, 03:34 PM
Maybe related, I hardly shed any hair anymore, washing once a week-ish with cool water and then BBB after day two post-wash, only a few weak hairs end up in the brush, nothing like before.

Scarlet_Celt
February 19th, 2015, 03:36 PM
Maybe related, I hardly shed any hair anymore, washing once a week-ish with cool water and then BBB after day two post-wash, only a few weak hairs end up in the brush, nothing like before.

Yeah, I've seen plenty discussion on the various BBB threads about that, and if it's working for you then great. I like to BBB maybe once a week or so, but mostly for shine and smoothing.

jeanniet
February 19th, 2015, 04:31 PM
I thinK YMMV is pretty applicable across the spectrum of haircare topics in general. For me my hair type has nothing to do with it. I just find it counter-intuitive to wash my hair in a way that causes more problems than it solves.

It's worth mentioning that when we talk about 'normal' shedding what exactly are the perimeters you're classifying as normal? Also, as I suggested before, how do you know what we consider normal isn't influenced by counter-productive haircare practices? This is similar to someone claiming that normal people can't grow their hair beyond a certain length, when most people have never tried to grow their hair beyond (insert length), and most people don't take very good care of their hair in the first place.

Surely studies on shedding have not been completely exempt from the typical haircare practices that contribute towards damage that would otherwise be greatly reduced.

Counter-intuitive is another YMMV issue, which is why I'm bringing all this up, so that people realize what might be problematic for one person isn't always problematic per se. Someone who follows the Curly Girl method, for example, really has to manipulate their hair quite a bit during washes, and yet it doesn't necessarily increase shedding or tangles, or at least it doesn't for me. I don't have tangles at all. But someone with a tangling problem would certainly want to try methods of reducing that.

As far as what constitutes "normal" shedding, I think most people probably have a pretty good idea of what is normal for them over time, if it's fairly consistent and they pay attention. That is, if your shed pattern is the essentially the same over time, regardless of different products and so forth, then you can probably figure that's your normal. And of course there's some degree of difference based on thickness as well. The one constant is that hair does shed. It's supposed to. Sometimes newer members think there's something wrong and worry needlessly, especially if they've never paid attention before.

Hairkay
February 19th, 2015, 04:45 PM
I've recently started washing/rinsing hair in plaits/braids (anything from 4-8-16) and haven't had any shedding then. It's great for my drain, less to clean up. I take out the plaits once a week, detangle and get some shed hairs and redo. The shedding is now less than what I used to get daily but just once a week. I didn't realise before how much my hair protested being manipulated a lot.

spidermom
February 19th, 2015, 04:46 PM
It doesn't make sense to me at all. It's quite difficult and painful to pull hair out by the roots, so if too much manipulation were pulling the hairs out before their time during routine shampooing and conditioning, I am sure we would notice the pain. I think we notice more sheds during routine washing because the conditioning step helps shed hairs to slide free from the mass of un-shed hair. To my mind - and I'm not claiming to be right here - what happened is that the shed hairs stayed massed together with the un-shed hairs.

meteor
February 19th, 2015, 04:56 PM
Counter-intuitive is another YMMV issue, which is why I'm bringing all this up, so that people realize what might be problematic for one person isn't always problematic per se. Someone who follows the Curly Girl method, for example, really has to manipulate their hair quite a bit during washes, and yet it doesn't necessarily increase shedding or tangles, or at least it doesn't for me.

^ Jeanniet, sorry if I missed it in posts upthread, but are there any concerns or any potential risks with washing hair in braids? I'm just asking because I haven't done it and want to know all cautionary info in advance. :flower:

I think we all agree that hair continues shedding regardless as normal. It's normal cycling out of old hair and replacing it with new. What *can* be improved upon during washes is the degree of pulling, tangling and wet manipulation that is damaging. Maybe it's got something to do with length or thickness: at almost classic, if I get my hair tangled (easily happens during washing), I'm in big trouble and need to use a ton of detanglers. And I bet it's a lot worse for people with extra-long hair.
I for one, for sure, shed *a lot* more during my washes than on any other day. I once actually counted: it was something around 300 (!) compared to maybe 20 strands on average non-wash days. So I know there is some room for improvement on my rough washing - but I want to know all the downsides to this method before jumping into this, of course! :)

jeanniet
February 19th, 2015, 05:10 PM
I don't think so, except maybe for very, very thick hair. (I mean like 6 or 7"+). I just don't think we can pinpoint one thing as being more of an issue than another all around. For some, it might be manipulation, for others, ingredients or shampoo vs. conditioner, that sort of thing. I imagine people with SD might shed more if they don't use SLS, for instance, whereas SLS makes me shed more. When my hair was much longer I manipulated it less during washing and shed more, probably because I was using shampoo more often, but I think also because my scalp needs some scrubbing/massaging to stay healthy.

meteor
February 19th, 2015, 05:21 PM
^ Yes, I think my problem is exactly that, jeanniet: I rub scalp very aggressively during washes and also (stupidly!) flip hair back and forth to get closer to different parts of scalp, but then it could definitely be the iii+ thickness that's playing against me there.
I bet I could dramatically reduce shedding by smarter manipulation in the shower. :)
I agree with SD concern: with scalp issues that are exacerbated by oiliness, it's really important to wash (and especially rinse!) very thoroughly.



It doesn't make sense to me at all. It's quite difficult and painful to pull hair out by the roots, so if too much manipulation were pulling the hairs out before their time during routine shampooing and conditioning, I am sure we would notice the pain. I think we notice more sheds during routine washing because the conditioning step helps shed hairs to slide free from the mass of un-shed hair. To my mind - and I'm not claiming to be right here - what happened is that the shed hairs stayed massed together with the un-shed hairs.

I think you are right, spidermom! That could also explain why many people appear to shed more during grooming activities, like combing/brushing/oiling/styling - more manipulation makes shed hair that's stuck in the mane come out easier.

spidermom
February 19th, 2015, 05:34 PM
The concern I would have with washing my hair in braids is sudsy water wicking down the braided part and not getting rinsed out properly.

meteor
February 19th, 2015, 05:50 PM
The concern I would have with washing my hair in braids is sudsy water wicking down the braided part and not getting rinsed out properly.

:agree: I've been thinking about this, too. It makes sense. Hmm...
However, I never run into this problem when I do my partial scalp-only washes... somehow the water does end up running clear and I never notice any shampoo staying on scalp or close to scalp. Maybe using very diluted shampoo helps it wash off easier? I don't know...

chen bao jun
February 19th, 2015, 05:54 PM
I've been washing in braids over a year. It made my thickness increase even more so I must be shedding less, but when I take those braids out, there is a lot of shed hair.

In my case it may be because I don't comb my hair except for fingercombing while wet and full of conditioner, so the sheds of all week are in there.

I do highly recommend washing in braids, in fact I can't recommend it highly enough. I learned it from my mom. she does becasue she is a 4c with very delicate hair. She kept recommending and I kept saying, oh I don't need to go that far, but it has made a tremendous difference and has increased thickness as I said (which I didn't really need, but not complaining).

cathair
February 19th, 2015, 05:55 PM
This doesn't make any sense to me at all. How does manipulating the ends less, help you shed less from your scalp?

Also massaging your scalp increased blood flow which is a good thing :/

My hair is the least tangley it ever is in the shower, since it is slathered in conditioner. I too would be worried about not being able to rinse suds out and not getting enough conditioner on the ends which need it the very most. I would also worry about shed hair being stuck in braids and actually making wet dreadlocks.

Also, seasonally, this is my least sheddy time of year. Like a difference of a few hundred vs about ten hairs a wash at this time of year. I notice you are also from the UK, so I am wondering if that is a factor in your lesser shedding.

If it works for you that's all good though. I won't knock it if it does.

meteor
February 19th, 2015, 06:22 PM
I've been washing in braids over a year. It made my thickness increase even more so I must be shedding less, but when I take those braids out, there is a lot of shed hair.

In my case it may be because I don't comb my hair except for fingercombing while wet and full of conditioner, so the sheds of all week are in there.

I do highly recommend washing in braids, in fact I can't recommend it highly enough. I learned it from my mom. she does becasue she is a 4c with very delicate hair. She kept recommending and I kept saying, oh I don't need to go that far, but it has made a tremendous difference and has increased thickness as I said (which I didn't really need, but not complaining).

Yay! I'm so happy you joined this thread, chen! :D Can you post details of your washing/conditioning process please? :pray: And how many braids do you like to make and how do you like to section hair for your washes? What kinds of ties do you use (if any)?


This doesn't make any sense to me at all. How does manipulating the ends less, help you shed less from your scalp?

Also massaging your scalp increased blood flow which is a good thing :/

My hair is the least tangley it ever is in the shower, since it is slathered in conditioner. I too would be worried about not being able to rinse suds out and not getting enough conditioner on the ends which need it the very most. I would also worry about shed hair being stuck in braids and actually making wet dreadlocks.

I wouldn't worry about dreadlocks since I thoroughly detangle hair after every wash anyway...
About the manipulation... I can easily pull out my hair when it's wet since it gets all enmeshed together from all the scrubbing and flipping hair I do in the shower. I guess it depends on how you already wash hair... You know how we say that it's a bad idea to wash hair like a big ball on top of head, like this (https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQL7dDPeSadymwCTbRUv23qCYEW4cN-kqp5M9kAjk994wByIWOL)? We think it's ill-advised because of all the tangling that it causes and then more hair than necessary comes out during the detangling session. Sectioning hair in shower would minimize this enmeshing and entangling of hair.
Scalp massage is not the same, IMHO, because it's on dry hair that doesn't stick together like what happens in the shower. The blood flow increase would be similar in both cases (massage and wash), though.

Hairkay
February 19th, 2015, 06:27 PM
I water rinse and my scalp get massaged. I haven't really checked for seasons but usually shedding looked the same all year round. I've have to see how the entire year goes to see if that theory fits.

spidermom
February 19th, 2015, 07:10 PM
I don't flip my hair all around when I wash it. I decide whether I'm going to wash standing upright or bending forward, and I stay that way throughout the wash, condition, and rinses. I also don't massage all around, I run my fingers over my scalp to follow the direction the hair is falling, kind of like I'm finger combing. This minimizes tangles a great deal.

Catatafish
February 19th, 2015, 07:12 PM
^ Yes, I think my problem is exactly that, jeanniet: I rub scalp very aggressively during washes and also (stupidly!) flip hair back and forth to get closer to different parts of scalp, but then it could definitely be the iii+ thickness that's playing against me there.
I bet I could dramatically reduce shedding by smarter manipulation in the shower. :)
I agree with SD concern: with scalp issues that are exacerbated by oiliness, it's really important to wash (and especially rinse!) very thoroughly.


I do this too, otherwise I can't reach all parts of my scalp to properly clean it. I was thinking if I put it in 4 loose braids at a right angle to my head, I would be able to flip my head upside down and not have any tangles. I don't like to comb my hair until it is fully dry otherwise it goes crazy, so I could just leave it in the loose plaits until afterwards.

I am worried about not being able to rinse properly though. Did anybody who has tried this have any problems?

yahirwaO.o
February 19th, 2015, 09:03 PM
This doesn't make any sense to me at all. How does manipulating the ends less, help you shed less from your scalp?

Also massaging your scalp increased blood flow which is a good thing :/

My hair is the least tangley it ever is in the shower, since it is slathered in conditioner. I too would be worried about not being able to rinse suds out and not getting enough conditioner on the ends which need it the very most. I would also worry about shed hair being stuck in braids and actually making wet dreadlocks.

Also, seasonally, this is my least sheddy time of year. Like a difference of a few hundred vs about ten hairs a wash at this time of year. I notice you are also from the UK, so I am wondering if that is a factor in your lesser shedding.

If it works for you that's all good though. I won't knock it if it does.

The same thought.... I dont see the real logic behind this, but I have learned that even the most strange things may work for some people, so why not?

Me....I just love the feeling of my whole hair getting rinse and clean!!!!

Scarlet_Celt
February 20th, 2015, 10:48 AM
Counter-intuitive is another YMMV issue, which is why I'm bringing all this up, so that people realize what might be problematic for one person isn't always problematic per se. Someone who follows the Curly Girl method, for example, really has to manipulate their hair quite a bit during washes, and yet it doesn't necessarily increase shedding or tangles, or at least it doesn't for me. I don't have tangles at all. But someone with a tangling problem would certainly want to try methods of reducing that.

As far as what constitutes "normal" shedding, I think most people probably have a pretty good idea of what is normal for them over time, if it's fairly consistent and they pay attention. That is, if your shed pattern is the essentially the same over time, regardless of different products and so forth, then you can probably figure that's your normal. And of course there's some degree of difference based on thickness as well. The one constant is that hair does shed. It's supposed to. Sometimes newer members think there's something wrong and worry needlessly, especially if they've never paid attention before.

Yeah, I totally agree that with what you're saying in terms of YMMV, but I think it's pretty true of everything when it comes to haircare, so is a bit of a moot point.

However, I totally disagree with your thoughts on shedding and what is normal. My point is that what we consider normal is conditioned by the haircare practices we perform, and hence, it may very well be normal for a person to expect *insert number* of sheds in a typical day, but this idea of normal is influenced by those practices. Not to get into the whole nature/nurture debate, but it's arguable that our understanding of what is normal shedding is exacerbated by haircare techniques which most will find counter-intuitive to good haircare*. What I'm saying is, what is normal is relative, and so I don't think it's legitimate to imply that shed rate is a constant, because what proof do you have other than research which is presumably founded on data samples that likely don't represent ideal* haircare. I'm not trying to deny that shedding is natural, but rather avoid causing unnecessary shedding, and hopefully make wash day a little less stressful :)
* When I say 'good haircare' and 'ideal' I mean what is best for each individual, as per YMMV.


It doesn't make sense to me at all. It's quite difficult and painful to pull hair out by the roots, so if too much manipulation were pulling the hairs out before their time during routine shampooing and conditioning, I am sure we would notice the pain. I think we notice more sheds during routine washing because the conditioning step helps shed hairs to slide free from the mass of un-shed hair. To my mind - and I'm not claiming to be right here - what happened is that the shed hairs stayed massed together with the un-shed hairs.

It's worth mentioning that I explain in my original post that after my initial rinse I undo the braids to ensure I fully rinse my hair of any conditioner. Not all hairs are difficult to pull our by the root, especially when wet, hence why people often shed more during a wash in comparison to a thorough brush with a bbb. Our hair is more fragile when wet. I'm sorry, but your assumption is wrong. I know this because my hair strands are so thick and stark in colour that any shedding during or after washing would have been very apparent, as my shed hairs stand out against everything in my home (and life in general much to my dismay :p).


The same thought.... I dont see the real logic behind this, but I have learned that even the most strange things may work for some people, so why not?

Me....I just love the feeling of my whole hair getting rinse and clean!!!!

The beauty of this method for me is it actually allows me to clean my scalp and hair much more thoroughly than I would be able to with conventional washing technique, so you might be pleasantly surprised if you cared to try.


This doesn't make any sense to me at all. How does manipulating the ends less, help you shed less from your scalp?

Also massaging your scalp increased blood flow which is a good thing :/

My hair is the least tangley it ever is in the shower, since it is slathered in conditioner. I too would be worried about not being able to rinse suds out and not getting enough conditioner on the ends which need it the very most. I would also worry about shed hair being stuck in braids and actually making wet dreadlocks.

Also, seasonally, this is my least sheddy time of year. Like a difference of a few hundred vs about ten hairs a wash at this time of year. I notice you are also from the UK, so I am wondering if that is a factor in your lesser shedding.

If it works for you that's all good though. I won't knock it if it does.

It doesn't make sense because you've misunderstood. No offence intended, but if something doesn't make sense then it's usually a good idea to check you've understood the post.
To answer your points:

1. The braids allow less manipulation over the entire scalp (and in turn hair).
2. I explicitly mentioned that this allows me to properly massage the shampoo into my scalp.
3. I don't experience seasonal shed variation at all. The climate where I live is very consistent for the most part. The UK may be a relatively small (read: teeny tiny) island, but there is considerable variation climate wise across the country.
4. I explicitly mentioned that I undo the braids at the end to ensure I wash out all suds, and ensure my hair is adequately conditioned from my liberal application.

Please note that I gave a pretty detailed explanation in my original post, so it kinda defeats the purpose if comments are critical without being constructive. I am more than happy to answer questions, and love having discussions about the limitations, and suggestions for improvement, but when it's clear people haven't actually properly read the post my facial expression is probably akin to this > :rolleyes::doh: < so I apologise if my responses are a bit to the point in any cases.



I've been washing in braids over a year. It made my thickness increase even more so I must be shedding less, but when I take those braids out, there is a lot of shed hair.

In my case it may be because I don't comb my hair except for fingercombing while wet and full of conditioner, so the sheds of all week are in there.

I do highly recommend washing in braids, in fact I can't recommend it highly enough. I learned it from my mom. she does becasue she is a 4c with very delicate hair. She kept recommending and I kept saying, oh I don't need to go that far, but it has made a tremendous difference and has increased thickness as I said (which I didn't really need, but not complaining).
It's great to hear some results from a more long-term experience :) I can't wait to see how my hair fares with this washing technique. If nothing else, it just makes my life so much easier. I used to get so pre-emptively stressed on wash day, because it can be such an ordeal, but now I feel less apprehensive about it than I ever have, even when my hair was really short (pixie cut short).

I think what you said about how you only fingercomb when washing accounts perfectly for sheds, because hairs do have to shed at some point. I typically fingercomb on a daily basis, and get a few sheds a day.

cathair
February 20th, 2015, 11:26 AM
Yay! I'm so happy you joined this thread, chen! :D Can you post details of your washing/conditioning process please? :pray: And how many braids do you like to make and how do you like to section hair for your washes? What kinds of ties do you use (if any)?



I wouldn't worry about dreadlocks since I thoroughly detangle hair after every wash anyway...
About the manipulation... I can easily pull out my hair when it's wet since it gets all enmeshed together from all the scrubbing and flipping hair I do in the shower. I guess it depends on how you already wash hair... You know how we say that it's a bad idea to wash hair like a big ball on top of head, like this (https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQL7dDPeSadymwCTbRUv23qCYEW4cN-kqp5M9kAjk994wByIWOL)? We think it's ill-advised because of all the tangling that it causes and then more hair than necessary comes out during the detangling session. Sectioning hair in shower would minimize this enmeshing and entangling of hair.
Scalp massage is not the same, IMHO, because it's on dry hair that doesn't stick together like what happens in the shower. The blood flow increase would be similar in both cases (massage and wash), though.

I don't detangle after I wash my hair, because all of that is done with conditioner on. It does nee doing again simply because I have stepped out of the shower :shrug:

I don't scrub or flip my hair either. I rub my scalp in small movements, it doesn't make my hair tangley, because I am only deal with the root right next to my scalp.. I do split my hair in half, but I don't need to braid it to do that.

You're both iii and I am on the low end of ii, so maybe it's just something I don't have to deal with having less hair.


It doesn't make sense because you've misunderstood. No offence intended, but if something doesn't make sense then it's usually a good idea to check you've understood the post.
To answer your points:

1. The braids allow less manipulation over the entire scalp (and in turn hair).
2. I explicitly mentioned that this allows me to properly massage the shampoo into my scalp.
3. I don't experience seasonal shed variation at all. The climate where I live is very consistent for the most part. The UK may be a relatively small (read: teeny tiny) island, but there is considerable variation climate wise across the country.
4. I explicitly mentioned that I undo the braids at the end to ensure I wash out all suds, and ensure my hair is adequately conditioned from my liberal application.

Please note that I gave a pretty detailed explanation in my original post, so it kinda defeats the purpose if comments are critical without being constructive. I am more than happy to answer questions, and love having discussions about the limitations, and suggestions for improvement, but when it's clear people haven't actually properly read the post my facial expression is probably akin to this > :rolleyes::doh: < so I apologise if my responses are a bit to the point in any cases.

I feel like you've taken post pretty personally. The was no malice of emotion behind mine. ['No offence' and 'rolling eyes' at me in your] I wasn't trying to attack you, I'm sorry if you don't find my post constructive. I genuinely don't understand what benefit your method has. I have read your description about ten times now and I still don't understand what the benefit is.

It was only a suggestion about seasonal variation, if that doesn't happen for you, that's great. I am aware of the geography of the country I live in.

You're quite right, I don't get it at all. But I think I should just move on.

Scarlet_Celt
February 20th, 2015, 11:31 AM
I feel like you've taken post pretty personally. The was no malice of emotion behind mine. ['No offence' and 'rolling eyes' at me in your] I wasn't trying to attack you, I'm sorry if you don't find my post constructive. I genuinely don't understand what benefit your method has. I have read your description about ten times now and I still don't understand what the benefit is.

It was only a suggestion about seasonal variation, if that doesn't happen for you, that's great. I am aware of the geography of the country I live in.

You're quite right, I don't get it at all. But I think I should just move on.

Yeah, I definitely did take it personally, which is why I acknowledged that in my post. I'm openly saying that I was feeling frustration at having to explain things that I've already explained, and simultaneously making light of my own reaction because I know it isn't necessary for me to feel that way because I know you don't mean it in a malicious way hence my apology.

meteor
February 20th, 2015, 11:58 AM
:grouphug: We can all stick to different ways of washing, of course! :D No harm in that at all! :flowers:


I used to get so pre-emptively stressed on wash day, because it can be such an ordeal

I can really relate to this!
I think that fear of massive tangles post-wash helps me stretch washes further but also makes me not want to grow hair much longer. :( So I'll be happy to try this method.
I know the alternative is washing in sections, and I think it's great, but I need more than 2 sections and how on earth can I keep those sections of loose hair separate the whole time while I'm taking a shower?

I'm wondering: is this "braided wash" method going to work on hair that has pre-poo deep treatment on it, as well? :hmm: I almost always oil my hair before washing...

Upside Down
February 20th, 2015, 01:04 PM
Well, I did this today. Not so much for the shedding, but for easier cleaning, and it is easier to reach all areas of scalp and way faster. Meteor, I pre oiled, too, and after rinsing the shampoo I undid the braids and applied conditioner, it took the oil out just fine.

Thanks for posting!

Scarlet_Celt
February 20th, 2015, 01:20 PM
Well, I did this today. Not so much for the shedding, but for easier cleaning, and it is easier to reach all areas of scalp and way faster. Meteor, I pre oiled, too, and after rinsing the shampoo I undid the braids and applied conditioner, it took the oil out just fine.

Thanks for posting!

You're welcome :) The first time I tried this I still had some shedding, and it has decreased with practise, so there's my two cents. The main thing for me was definitely ease of washing. I can't believe I've spent all these years having such a hard time washing my hair!


:grouphug: We can all stick to different ways of washing, of course! :D No harm in that at all! :flowers:



I can really relate to this!
I think that fear of massive tangles post-wash helps me stretch washes further but also makes me not want to grow hair much longer. :( So I'll be happy to try this method.
I know the alternative is washing in sections, and I think it's great, but I need more than 2 sections and how on earth can I keep those sections of loose hair separate the whole time while I'm taking a shower?

I'm wondering: is this "braided wash" method going to work on hair that has pre-poo deep treatment on it, as well? :hmm: I almost always oil my hair before washing...

I completely concur re: everyone doing their own thing. I'm a big believer in whatever works for you.

I should add that I pre-poo deep condition my hair on a weekly basis, so yes it does work :) Sorry I didn't mention that before. I figured it wasn't necessary since some people would prefer not to pre-poo. If anyone cares to know, I typically use coconut or almond oil, and apply liberally to my hair the day, or evening before washing, and it washes out just fine.

Ps. I totally know what you mean about being unable to keep loose sections separate. I was trying that before switching to my current wash method, and it did not work at all, and I just ended up with horrible tangles, especially with the hair at my nape.

spidermom
February 20th, 2015, 01:31 PM
By all means, enjoy your new wash method.

Scarlet_Celt
February 20th, 2015, 01:34 PM
By all means, enjoy your new wash method.

Thanks, I will do.

meteor
February 20th, 2015, 01:44 PM
Well, I did this today. Not so much for the shedding, but for easier cleaning, and it is easier to reach all areas of scalp and way faster. Meteor, I pre oiled, too, and after rinsing the shampoo I undid the braids and applied conditioner, it took the oil out just fine.

Thank you so very much for sharing! :flowers: Great to know it works with pre-poo!
So you shampoo in braids, then undo the braids and then apply conditioner? And do you also use 2 braids?


I should add that I pre-poo deep condition my hair on a weekly basis, so yes it does work :) Sorry I didn't mention that before. I figured it wasn't necessary since some people would prefer not to pre-poo. If anyone cares to know, I typically use coconut or almond oil, and apply liberally to my hair the day, or evening before washing, and it washes out just fine.

Ps. I totally know what you mean about being unable to keep loose sections separate. I was trying that before switching to my current wash method, and it did not work at all, and I just ended up with horrible tangles, especially with the hair at my nape.

Great! Thanks so much about the pre-poo information! :D I just thought I'd check, to be sure. :)
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one having trouble with unsecured sections in the shower: it's just not that easy to keep them separate in practice, but braiding will definitely help! :)

Scarlet_Celt
February 20th, 2015, 01:52 PM
Thank you so very much for sharing! :flowers: Great to know it works with pre-poo!
So you shampoo in braids, then undo the braids and then apply conditioner? And do you also use 2 braids?



Great! Thanks so much about the pre-poo information! :D I just thought I'd check, to be sure. :)
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one having trouble with unsecured sections in the shower: it's just not that easy to keep them separate in practice, but braiding will definitely help! :)

Just a heads up, I apply my conditioners while the braids are still in, then let it condition, and undo the braids to rinse fully, but I suppose it may work without undoing if you dilute the conditioner, or if you use a much lighter conditioner… The variables are pretty endless, but that's part of the fun. Each person will find new, slightly different ways that will work for them, or in some cases not (and that's okay). Part of the convenience for me is that I tend to wear braids around the house most of the time anyway, so I don't even need to put my hair into a new style to wash it, which is especially nice when I have a oil deep treatment in my hair.

Calypso
February 20th, 2015, 01:55 PM
Sounds like this works great for other people, but I tried it this morning and found that sadly it didn't make much difference for me. :( I imagine it probably depends on hair type. I oiled my hair overnight and so wanted to give it a good wash this morning, but I felt like I was just slathering conditioner on the outside of my braids and really had to squeeze it into the middle, which seemed to me to be rougher than my usual washing method. It also seemed rougher on my hair to shampoo with my length braided, even though I braided very loosely it felt like I was pulling on my hair when I shampooed my scalp. I still shed a few hairs, too, but I'm not sure how much I shed compared to normal.

Scarlet_Celt
February 20th, 2015, 02:05 PM
Sounds like this works great for other people, but I tried it this morning and found that sadly it didn't make much difference for me. :( I imagine it probably depends on hair type. I oiled my hair overnight and so wanted to give it a good wash this morning, but I felt like I was just slathering conditioner on the outside of my braids and really had to squeeze it into the middle, which seemed to me to be rougher than my usual washing method. It also seemed rougher on my hair to shampoo with my length braided, even though I braided very loosely it felt like I was pulling on my hair when I shampooed my scalp. I still shed a few hairs, too, but I'm not sure how much I shed compared to normal.

There's a trick to positioning the braid so that you can properly get your scalp clean with minimal manipulation. It's probably easier to show than explain, but I wash one braid/side at a time, so when I want to massage a side of my scalp, I lift the same side's braid a bit so it's kinda level with my ears or so, and this makes it easier for me to get full access to that side of my scalp, and get a thorough clean. I'm sorry if that doesn't make much sense. It's a little tricky to convey what I mean, but I just figured out with practice what worked for me. By all means if it doesn't work for you, then I'm sorry to disappoint! As for your conditioner, you might want to consider diluting it, but personally I just apply it liberally and then let it disperse itself evenly while I'm rinsing it out. Maybe worth trying unbraiding for conditioning step, assuming you have better luck re reducing manipulation with shampooing.

StellaKatherine
February 20th, 2015, 02:12 PM
I have some very bad experience with my hair been braided and wet........ When I was still swimming a lot, at summer and such, I always put my hair in a braid and no matter how much I would comb and detangle my hair before braiding - the unbraiding my wet hair would be a nightmare. Somehow my hair manages to tangle like crazy eather in the braid or when I am taking the braid off.... I would like to try this washing methode, but I am worried that I will find my hair in worser tangles than ever.... :hmm:

Silver Strands
February 20th, 2015, 02:25 PM
I used to do this in the summertime a few years ago.
The first time I did it, I was spending the day on the water and had my hair in braids.
I was so tired when I got home, I just jumped in the shower and left the braids in. I diluted the shampoo and squirted it all over.
Since the braids were loose from wearing them all day, they were easy to lean my head to one side then the other and reach up
underneath to massage the scalp. Used conditioner full strength.

I was amazed at how few tangles when I combed out and continued to wash that way on a regular basis during the summer.
It was great especially when my hair wasn't real dirty, but needed to remove sweat and freshen it up.
I got away from it obviously, because I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it.
So, thanks for the reminder!
I will definitely take it up again and save myself lots of tangles when combing after washing.

lapushka
February 20th, 2015, 02:26 PM
This method is just a method. :) That doesn't mean it has to work for everybody. I get shedding no matter what happens, whether it is tied back or not, it does not lessen my shedding, and I have had experience with scalp-only washes before. YMMV. It doesn't have to be the same for everybody and you can't fault people for not liking or endorsing the method. That's just the way it is. :D

Scarlet_Celt
February 20th, 2015, 03:24 PM
This method is just a method. :) That doesn't mean it has to work for everybody. I get shedding no matter what happens, whether it is tied back or not, it does not lessen my shedding, and I have had experience with scalp-only washes before. YMMV. It doesn't have to be the same for everybody and you can't fault people for not liking or endorsing the method. That's just the way it is. :D

Just to clarify, I was in no way faulting anyone for having different haircare preferences. Everyone's preferences and experiences with different haircare practices are valid, and I respect that. What I don't respect is people who don't read my posts correctly, and their posts critique aspects which I covered in my original post. What's the point in responding to a thread like this if you don't pay attention to what it is you're responding to, or commenting on? Clearly my expectations of common courtesy need to be reduced. Even if only one other person finds this method helpful then that's enough for me.

Also, my response isn't aimed at you, lapushka, or anyone else in particular. I appreciate the sharing of opinions, etc :)


I used to do this in the summertime a few years ago.
The first time I did it, I was spending the day on the water and had my hair in braids.
I was so tired when I got home, I just jumped in the shower and left the braids in. I diluted the shampoo and squirted it all over.
Since the braids were loose from wearing them all day, they were easy to lean my head to one side then the other and reach up
underneath to massage the scalp. Used conditioner full strength.

I was amazed at how few tangles when I combed out and continued to wash that way on a regular basis during the summer.
It was great especially when my hair wasn't real dirty, but needed to remove sweat and freshen it up.
I got away from it obviously, because I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it.
So, thanks for the reminder!
I will definitely take it up again and save myself lots of tangles when combing after washing.

Hooray :) Less tangles equals more time for everything else.

lapushka
February 20th, 2015, 03:27 PM
Okay, gotcha, Scarlet_Celt, thanks for clarifying!

Scarlet_Celt
February 20th, 2015, 03:30 PM
I have some very bad experience with my hair been braided and wet........ When I was still swimming a lot, at summer and such, I always put my hair in a braid and no matter how much I would comb and detangle my hair before braiding - the unbraiding my wet hair would be a nightmare. Somehow my hair manages to tangle like crazy eather in the braid or when I am taking the braid off.... I would like to try this washing methode, but I am worried that I will find my hair in worser tangles than ever.... :hmm:
Hmm, I'm intrigued too, but it's your call. Do you think it might be different since these wet braids would be purely for washing and not for wearing for an extended period while being active? I'm assuming the type of water would affect hair reactions, too. I wouldn't wish bad tangles on anyone, so I don't blame you if you have a preferred method of washing without tangles.


Okay, gotcha, Scarlet_Celt, thanks for clarifying!

Thanks to you, too. It is always good to have other forum members interject when there's any tension in threads, as it seems to dissipate so much easier with a third party or two interjecting and giving some perspective. :hifive:

meteor
February 20th, 2015, 04:46 PM
I have some very bad experience with my hair been braided and wet........ When I was still swimming a lot, at summer and such, I always put my hair in a braid and no matter how much I would comb and detangle my hair before braiding - the unbraiding my wet hair would be a nightmare. Somehow my hair manages to tangle like crazy eather in the braid or when I am taking the braid off.... I would like to try this washing methode, but I am worried that I will find my hair in worser tangles than ever.... :hmm:

StellaKatherine, I think compact and relatively tight buns (on pre-oiled and/or slathered in conditioner hair), covered with a swim cap or two, are best for swimming routines. :) Braids can just tag along uncomfortably and move a lot in the water, tangling quite a bit, IMHO.
Here's a good video on swim caps for very long hair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czj4DOl6UO4
(Sorry for the OT :flower:)

Scarlet_Celt
February 21st, 2015, 02:38 AM
meteor Thanks for posting that video. I've been wondering about that very topic for a while now.

Upside Down
February 21st, 2015, 02:50 AM
Meteor, sorry if I was unclear, I didn't shampoo braids, only my scalp while lenghts were braided. I did two braids, and I did them upside down, flipped my head downwards and braided loosely starting a few inches from the scalp. I wash upside down ( :lol: obviously lol), so that is why.
Rinse that, undo braids, condition and leave it in for som10-15 min, rinse and style. Simple and quick!

meteor
February 21st, 2015, 11:49 AM
^ Upside Down, thanks a lot for the details! Very helpful indeed! :flowers: I would never have thought of braiding upside down, but that really makes sense! :D

StellaKatherine
February 21st, 2015, 12:33 PM
StellaKatherine, I think compact and relatively tight buns (on pre-oiled and/or slathered in conditioner hair), covered with a swim cap or two, are best for swimming routines. :) Braids can just tag along uncomfortably and move a lot in the water, tangling quite a bit, IMHO.
Here's a good video on swim caps for very long hair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czj4DOl6UO4
(Sorry for the OT :flower:)

Ohh, that is good video! Tangling is actually the reason why I do not sweem anymore as much as I did before....

StellaKatherine
February 21st, 2015, 12:33 PM
StellaKatherine, I think compact and relatively tight buns (on pre-oiled and/or slathered in conditioner hair), covered with a swim cap or two, are best for swimming routines. :) Braids can just tag along uncomfortably and move a lot in the water, tangling quite a bit, IMHO.
Here's a good video on swim caps for very long hair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czj4DOl6UO4
(Sorry for the OT :flower:)

Ohh, that is good video! Tangling is actually the reason why I do not sweem anymore as much as I did before....

Upside Down
February 21st, 2015, 01:13 PM
^ Upside Down, thanks a lot for the details! Very helpful indeed! :flowers: I would never have thought of braiding upside down, but that really makes sense! :D

You can thank Madora's inverted braiding - that's how I thought of it. Which is also great for air drying roots faster and in a bun ;)

meteor
February 21st, 2015, 01:54 PM
^ Awesome! Thank you so very much, Madora and Upside Down! :flowers:
I'll try to learn that inverted braiding! :D

StellaKatherine, you are very welcome! :D Just in case, some other things swimmers do is oiling hair or slathering hair in conditioner to reduce uptake of chlorinated or salt water, and using chelating/swimmers shampoos to remove minerals from hair exposed to pool water or salt water.

Bonny
February 21st, 2015, 04:05 PM
Okay, here is the part I don't understand (bolded):


Basically, I split my hair into two even sections and put each section into a 3 strand french braid. The top of each section should be relatively loose, i.e I only really started braiding just beyond my collarbone on each side

If it's a French braid, how do you only start braiding beyond the collarbone? Do you have a picture to illustrate what you mean?

lapushka
February 21st, 2015, 04:10 PM
If it's a French braid, how do you only start braiding beyond the collarbone? Do you have a picture to illustrate what you mean?

Surely she must mean a regular English braid? :confused:

meteor
February 21st, 2015, 04:19 PM
Surely she must mean a regular English braid? :confused:

I was wondering the same too, but was too shy to ask... however, since I can't French-braid anyway, English braid is my only option. :oops:

I think starting the braiding low, at collarbone, is very smart because it will allow easier access to scalp. :)

lapushka
February 21st, 2015, 04:34 PM
I think starting the braiding low, at collarbone, is very smart because it will allow easier access to scalp. :)

Only effective if you wash right side up. If you wash upside down your best bet is to put your head down and start the braid past your forehead.

meteor
February 21st, 2015, 04:55 PM
^ Very true! :agree:

meteor
February 27th, 2015, 01:52 PM
A should have updated this thread a few days ago because I've finally tried it and, just like I expected, it went extremely well! Thank you very much, Scarlet_Celt, for bringing up this method! :flowers:

I modified it by using 4 English braids (braiding hair only from chin down, to allow easy scalp massaging): top 2 left and right (smaller) quadrants were sectioned from hairline to eye level; bottom 2 left and right (larger) quadrants were sectioned from eye-level to the nape.
I washed hair saturated with pre-poo oil (Vatika coconut enriched hair oil).

The most important thing I noticed was how ridiculously easy the washing process became: I could finally reach every nook and cranny millimeter of my scalp without fighting this heavy monster wet blanket that my hair turns into in the shower. I got super-easy access to all of my scalp for the first time in years - I can only compare this to when my hair was short. I'm sure this is more of an issue for those of us with thick, heavy, unlayered and long hair and those of us who can't wash in sections (can't keep sections separate).

After rinsing out shampoo, I dunked my braids into my bowl with conditioning mask, slathered on the remainder of the mask onto the braids and massaged the product in for a couple minutes.

I had zero problem washing shampoo and conditioner out... in fact, in the future, I'll try to be careful not to rinse out conditioner so well (generally, I like to wash conditioner out only 95%, to leave more protective layer behind). My hair got squeaky clean, I didn't even expect such a thorough cleanse. It was so easy and took only about half the time washing usually takes! Also, it's a very compact, clean method: I managed not to get the whole bathroom soaking wet, like what normally happens during my hairwashes :lol:

As the hair was drying it looked fuzzy and tangled (like it always does post-wash), so I was worried about tangles, but detangling took less time than usual. I think it was significantly easier than normal.

I did shed hair during detangling, but only 15-25 strands, which is very low for me. I usually shed around that amount during my non-wash daily detangling anyway.

Overall, the BIGGEST advantages of this method for me were that I could reach all of my scalp without anything in the way, without fighting the heavy blanket of wet hair, and the detangling time seemingly was reduced. I'll be using this "sectioned braided wash" method from now on! :D

Thank you so very much, Scarlet_Celt and other LHC-ers who shared their experience about this method! :flowers: :love:

woolyleprechaun
February 27th, 2015, 02:07 PM
I've tried scalp only washes in the past, and loved the whole 'keeping hair contained' element, but disliked not being able to heavily oil the length. This method seems to give me the best of both worlds! I'm outrageously happy with this technique- thank you so much for sharing.

meteor
February 27th, 2015, 02:11 PM
I've tried scalp only washes in the past, and loved the whole 'keeping hair contained' element, but disliked not being able to heavily oil the length. This method seems to give me the best of both worlds! I'm outrageously happy with this technique- thank you so much for sharing.

Exactly! :agree: I do scalp-only washes too :hifive: mostly to tide me over between full washes, but full washes were messy hell indeed... until now!
Yay! :joy: This is a game-changer for me, for sure! :happydance:

hairhair
February 27th, 2015, 04:26 PM
Wow, thanks so much! I am shedding sooo much during washing at the moment, it's really a worry (like, clogging the drain, going to see a doctor level worry).

This could also be cool if you want to oil your ends before washing, as I've often wanted to do this but I have difficulty identifying just the ends, whereas it'd be easier if they were braid tassels as you could just oil the tassels.

prettigurl
February 27th, 2015, 05:53 PM
I shampoo like this. It reduces shedding, tangles and it makes the whole process easier for me.

meteor
February 27th, 2015, 06:17 PM
Can you guys share how many braids you split your hair into for your washes? :)

I've done 4 braids (top left and right quadrants from hairline to eye-level, bottom left and right quadrants from eye-level to nape), but I wonder if there are better ways of sectioning? ;)

Thank you! :flowers:

lapushka
February 27th, 2015, 06:27 PM
Meteor, you could do 3 on either side, split to ear, then middle section and nape section, going down the side one below the other.

meteor
February 27th, 2015, 06:39 PM
^ Thank you, lapushka! :D Sounds pretty good!

sarahthegemini
February 28th, 2015, 09:34 AM
I've read the op multiple times and I still don't get it. Unless you're pulling amd scraping at the scalp, I don't understand how washing would cause shedding - pulling a hair out from the root is not easy, and it is painful so if washing was actually causing shedding, you'd feel the pain :confused: I just can't see how washing would be the cause of shedding. Unless you're seeing BROKEN hairs rather than sheds, which makes sense as to why this new method would decrease that. Sorry, I just don't get it. I'm not saying that what yyou're saying isn't true obviously, I just can't get the logic behind it.

meteor
February 28th, 2015, 09:51 AM
I've read the op multiple times and I still don't get it. Unless you're pulling amd scraping at the scalp, I don't understand how washing would cause shedding - pulling a hair out from the root is not easy, and it is painful so if washing was actually causing shedding, you'd feel the pain :confused: I just can't see how washing would be the cause of shedding. Unless you're seeing BROKEN hairs rather than sheds, which makes sense as to why this new method would decrease that. Sorry, I just don't get it. I'm not saying that what yyou're saying isn't true obviously, I just can't get the logic behind it.

I'm not OP, but I'll try to explain from my own experience :)
When my hair is dry, I feel resistance, tugging when hair strands are pulled, it can hurt a bit to pull out hair. When my hair is wet, it's a lot easier to tangle it up, pull it out without actually feeling pain. I can lose around 300 (!) strands from really involved washes when I move the hair-mass around a lot.
Another example: when I used to go to salons regularly, a couple times the unskilled assistants washed my hair incorrectly: mashing it all together a bit like a huge hair ball in their sink. Detangling after that was painful and slow, truly hellish, and resulted in massive sheds (pulled out hair during detangling). They didn't scrape at the scalp, they were gentle with the washes, but they didn't keep my length flatly down and properly sectioned.

If you alredy wash in proper sections (e.g. Madora or LauraLongLocks come to mind) or leave the hair in the same position throughout your wash, then this "braided wash" method is probably not a huge improvement compared to a "sectioned wash".
But I'm simply not able to keep all my sections separate throughout my long washes, and some other LHC-ers (the OP, for example) report the same. Also, I like to flip hair back and forth, left and right to really get all my scalp... but all this tangles hair quite a bit.
With this "braided wash" method (or any sectioned wash method - if you could pull that off), you only shed the hair that needs to be shed, not additional hair pulled out due to mashing hair together and later having to pull the matts/tangles apart. What I like the most about it is that it's easier to get all the scalp, as you can flip braids as much as you need to get the right angles... without the tangles! :D

Scarlet_Celt
February 28th, 2015, 10:59 AM
I'm not OP, but I'll try to explain from my own experience :)
When my hair is dry, I feel resistance, tugging when hair strands are pulled, it can hurt a bit to pull out hair. When my hair is wet, it's a lot easier to tangle it up, pull it out without actually feeling pain. I can lose around 300 (!) strands from really involved washes when I move the hair-mass around a lot.
Another example: when I used to go to salons regularly, a couple times the unskilled assistants washed my hair incorrectly: mashing it all together a bit like a huge hair ball in their sink. Detangling after that was painful and slow, truly hellish, and resulted in massive sheds (pulled out hair during detangling). They didn't scrape at the scalp, they were gentle with the washes, but they didn't keep my length flatly down and properly sectioned.

If you alredy wash in proper sections (e.g. Madora or LauraLongLocks come to mind) or leave the hair in the same position throughout your wash, then this "braided wash" method is probably not a huge improvement compared to a "sectioned wash".
But I'm simply not able to keep all my sections separate throughout my long washes, and some other LHC-ers (the OP, for example) report the same. Also, I like to flip hair back and forth, left and right to really get all my scalp... but all this tangles hair quite a bit.
With this "braided wash" method (or any sectioned wash method - if you could pull that off), you only shed the hair that needs to be shed, not additional hair pulled out due to mashing hair together and later having to pull the matts/tangles apart. What I like the most about it is that it's easier to get all the scalp, as you can flip braids as much as you need to get the right angles... without the tangles! :D

I couldn't have put it better myself :) I second how much easier it is to get my scalp properly clean my massaging from all angles with the help of the braids.

Scarlet_Celt
February 28th, 2015, 11:00 AM
I've tried scalp only washes in the past, and loved the whole 'keeping hair contained' element, but disliked not being able to heavily oil the length. This method seems to give me the best of both worlds! I'm outrageously happy with this technique- thank you so much for sharing.

You're very welcome! Also, your hair is gorgeous. That siggy pic is to die for! :thudpile:

Ava Ruu
February 28th, 2015, 01:47 PM
I tried this too, almost accidentally as I was too tires to undo the braid I slept with one morning and decided to wash my hair despite that. This was really easy, even with just one braid, and almost unelievably easy with two. I think that I will need to try four braids next time. The washing process felt like my hair was much shorter again. Now that it is long, it tend to stick together and form these thick bundles when it is wet. The braids seemed to prevent the bundling so that the hair felt looser so that it was easier to get my fingers closer to my scalp.

The braided hair was a lot easier to deal with in the sauna too. Easy to move around and not so suffocatingly hot.

I can not tell if this reduced shedding, though. There were quite many loose hairs when I combed afterwards, but I have no idea if the number is typical for me or not.

meteor
February 28th, 2015, 01:59 PM
The washing process felt like my hair was much shorter again. Now that it is long, it tend to stick together and form these thick bundles when it is wet. The braids seemed to prevent the bundling so that the hair felt looser so that it was easier to get my fingers closer to my scalp.

Amen! :agree: That was exactly my impression, too! :D I haven't had such an easy clean wash since my hair was short! A very liberating feeling to be able to wash hair quickly and without leaving a hairy murder scene behind in the bathroom! :lol:

animetor7
February 28th, 2015, 02:30 PM
I'll try this when I do my next scalp wash with CO for the length, but that's not going to be for a while as my next wash is a full wash.

SnottyDotty
February 28th, 2015, 02:42 PM
I am very tempted to try this. I CWC currently and try really hard to only get shampoo on my scalp but even then I worry I get too much shampoo down the length and I'm thinking this method will reduce the chance of shampoo reaching my length even more.

My only concern is that I'm currently having a problem with my scalp being dry and flaky but I see people reporting that they have no trouble reaching the scalp to clean it properly so maybe I'm worrying about nothing?

Thanks for the thread :)

ETA: I also try to not wash out my conditioner 100% so I think this method may help with that too.

lapushka
February 28th, 2015, 02:46 PM
At the end of the week, my lengths needs a wash too. I have stretched to a week, even though my hair could use a second wash in the middle of the week - we just don't do it. But this method might not be for me. We'll see maybe with added length, that the ends are so dry at the end of the week that maybe a scalp wash would suffice. I don't know... For right now, the lengths need washing just as badly. Esp. with the rinse-out oil method (very moisturized ends).

Scarlet_Celt
February 28th, 2015, 02:46 PM
I am very tempted to try this. I CWC currently and try really hard to only get shampoo on my scalp but even then I worry I get too much shampoo down the length and I'm thinking this method will reduce the chance of shampoo reaching my length even more.

My only concern is that I'm currently having a problem with my scalp being dry and flaky but I see people reporting that they have no trouble reaching the scalp to clean it properly so maybe I'm worrying about nothing?

Thanks for the thread :)

In theory the braids should make it easier to access your scalp, as the hair will be neatly sectioned. My scalp is prone to dryness, so I definitely sympathise with the need to thoroughly clean the scalp. Hope it works for you too! :)

meteor
February 28th, 2015, 02:50 PM
My only concern is that I'm currently having a problem with my scalp being dry and flaky but I see people reporting that they have no trouble reaching the scalp to clean it properly so maybe I'm worrying about nothing?

Give it a try! ;) I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy it was to reach every millimeter of my scalp - a lot better than with my normal full wash. All you need to do is lift up each braid braid or move it out of the way as you are scrubbing each corner of the scalp. Just make sure you don't start braiding too too close to scalp to make it easy to get your fingertips to the roots. I start braiding from chin down, for example. :)

Scarlet_Celt
February 28th, 2015, 02:50 PM
lapushka Yeah, it's hard to say whether it will work for you. I do oil my length as a pre-poo treatment, but my scalp is the only part of my hair which really needs cleaning in itself (if that makes sense). The suds that wash out of my braids removes the majority of the oil, and by the time I've rinsed out the conditioner there's no oil left in my hair.

meteor
February 28th, 2015, 02:57 PM
At the end of the week, my lengths needs a wash too. I have stretched to a week, even though my hair could use a second wash in the middle of the week - we just don't do it. But this method might not be for me. We'll see maybe with added length, that the ends are so dry at the end of the week that maybe a scalp wash would suffice. I don't know... For right now, the lengths need washing just as badly. Esp. with the rinse-out oil method (very moisturized ends).

What you are describing definitely matches scalp-only wash profile - i.e. lengths staying unwashed. I highly recommend it as an alternative to dry shampoos for those with oily scalps who don't apply too much leave-in/styling stuff on length.
But this "braided wash" *is* a full wash: your lengths gets washed completely, even with pre-poo. In fact, as I've mentioned in my first impressions (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=129718&p=2954952&viewfull=1#post2954952) up-thread, the length gets washed very well, in fact too well (I prefer to leave a bit of conditioner behind). I'll need to rinse out conditioner less aggressively next time, and I'll be adding oil rinses back into my routine.

SnottyDotty
February 28th, 2015, 03:17 PM
In theory the braids should make it easier to access your scalp, as the hair will be neatly sectioned. My scalp is prone to dryness, so I definitely sympathise with the need to thoroughly clean the scalp. Hope it works for you too! :)


Give it a try! ;) I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy it was to reach every millimeter of my scalp - a lot better than with my normal full wash. All you need to do is lift up each braid braid or move it out of the way as you are scrubbing each corner of the scalp. Just make sure you don't start braiding too too close to scalp to make it easy to get your fingertips to the roots. I start braiding from chin down, for example. :)

Thank you both for your input :) I can now see how this method would make my scalp more accessible, actually. It's wash day on Monday so I'll give this a try then :)

Mearwynna
February 28th, 2015, 05:23 PM
I've really enjoyed this thread. I've found that over the last 5 or 6 years manipulation such as massage causes shedding for me. It doesn't matter if it wet, dry, or oiled I'll get a number of shed hairs if I massage. If I just comb and bun it it I don't get too many. I always loose a lot when I wash, I think, because of the manipulation. I haven't figured out how to wash it yet and massage it less- if that makes any sense. My hair is not long enough to do anything like this yet. I would prefer my hair to stay in my head as long as I can keep it there.
By the way, this reminds me of another thread in herbal care section. If you look at Nanny Paulines recipes the poster describes how her grandmother washed her hair by braiding and hooking her hair to a clothes hanger on the faucet or something so to keep it out of the water while she washed her scalp. Seemed like the ends of her long hair stayed dry that way. If you haven't read that thread in a while it's really quite fun.
Okay, so here is a question. If you oil your ends- how do your ends feel after this wash? Are they just the same as when dry, or if they get wet does the water seem to clean them? I assume for shorter hair it must get a little wet. Is your hair different around your head, like frizzy or something or obviously different than your ends?

meteor
February 28th, 2015, 05:38 PM
I've really enjoyed this thread. I've found that over the last 5 or 6 years manipulation such as massage causes shedding for me. It doesn't matter if it wet, dry, or oiled I'll get a number of shed hairs if I massage. If I just comb and bun it it I don't get too many. I always loose a lot when I wash, I think, because of the manipulation. I haven't figured out how to wash it yet and massage it less- if that makes any sense. My hair is not long enough to do anything like this yet. I would prefer my hair to stay in my head as long as I can keep it there.
By the way, this reminds me of another thread in herbal care section. If you look at Nanny Paulines recipes the poster describes how her grandmother washed her hair by braiding and hooking her hair to a clothes hanger on the faucet or something so to keep it out of the water while she washed her scalp. Seemed like the ends of her long hair stayed dry that way. If you haven't read that thread in a while it's really quite fun.
Okay, so here is a question. If you oil your ends- how do your ends feel after this wash? Are they just the same as when dry, or if they get wet does the water seem to clean them? I assume for shorter hair it must get a little wet. Is your hair different around your head, like frizzy or something or obviously different than your ends?

Yes, I think I remember that thread from about a year or more ago...
I do something similar for scalp-only washes with a braid, but I find this method by Haartraum a bit easier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwREj8Kadlo
And here's a link to scalp-only wash with hair bunned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VBOVM-dHlc

As for your question: my oiled ends get exactly as clean as if I washed my hair unbraided. :) The water penetrates all hair, braided or not. I'm really happy about it! :D
But I do this with 4 braids... maybe for very thick hair, if you are worried about having proper access to all hair, do more braids than just 2 (side by side)?

Panth
March 1st, 2015, 03:52 AM
I wonder what the average ponytail thickness is of people who do/don't find this method useful. My impression is that it's mostly helpful for ii/iii and iii people, who have issues with hair manipulation causing tangles.

As a i/ii (~2" ponytail currently), I can't say I've ever had the sort of problems meteor describes.

Scarlet_Celt
March 1st, 2015, 04:09 AM
Okay, so here is a question. If you oil your ends- how do your ends feel after this wash? Are they just the same as when dry, or if they get wet does the water seem to clean them? I assume for shorter hair it must get a little wet. Is your hair different around your head, like frizzy or something or obviously different than your ends?

My oiled ends feel clean after washing. The combination of water, some water diluted shampoo running down the length, and the conditioner cleans everything from the ends, without leaving them feeling stripped. Previously when I didn't braid my hair, but just had it in sections, my length and especially ends felt overly stripped from washing. All of my hair gets wet with this method. However, I do try to lift the length to reduce the amount of shampoo water that comes into contact with them.

Scarlet_Celt
March 1st, 2015, 04:09 AM
I wonder what the average ponytail thickness is of people who do/don't find this method useful. My impression is that it's mostly helpful for ii/iii and iii people, who have issues with hair manipulation causing tangles.

As a i/ii (~2" ponytail currently), I can't say I've ever had the sort of problems meteor describes.

You're probably on the right track. I suppose a single braid on less thick hair might still be useful for reducing tangles, but I'm just guessing.

lapushka
March 1st, 2015, 08:29 AM
I wonder what the average ponytail thickness is of people who do/don't find this method useful. My impression is that it's mostly helpful for ii/iii and iii people, who have issues with hair manipulation causing tangles.

As a i/ii (~2" ponytail currently), I can't say I've ever had the sort of problems meteor describes.

I'm a iii, and haven't had any of those issues either. It is quite a bit of hair, I admit that, but washing upside down helps tremendously!

meteor
March 1st, 2015, 11:22 AM
I wonder what the average ponytail thickness is of people who do/don't find this method useful. My impression is that it's mostly helpful for ii/iii and iii people, who have issues with hair manipulation causing tangles.

As a i/ii (~2" ponytail currently), I can't say I've ever had the sort of problems meteor describes.

I absolutely agree. My first thought was that this is great wash method for the "Calling lion manes thread" - over there, one of the top questions is: "How do you know when your hair is finally rinsed?"

My ponytail circumference is in the high iii+ range, and has bleached highlights, which makes tangling easier, as you can imagine. I think this method is nice for damaged hair to reduce wet manipulation.

I also think that this method is great for curlies, after all it's very popular in the kinky-curly African haircare... maybe even originated there. All the YouTube videos I saw on this method were on African kinky-curly hair, by the way.

dancingrain91
March 1st, 2015, 01:34 PM
I think I'll try this for tangle reduction and scalp access. Maybe I can cut down to one shampoo this way. If I have reduced shedding in the shower it increases out of the shower and vice versa. So I don't concern myself with no shedding. Tangle free would be great though.

gwenalyn
March 1st, 2015, 01:50 PM
I'm a iii, and haven't had any of those issues either. It is quite a bit of hair, I admit that, but washing upside down helps tremendously!

Yes, my question is if this method provides any benefit for people who wash upside down (bent at the waist). I'm rather puzzled by all the people saying it helps them reach all the places on their scalp. I can't even imagine that being hard to do, no matter how much hair you have.

Upside Down
March 1st, 2015, 01:57 PM
Well, using a no sulfate mild shampoo it is possible to leave parts of scalp out, by accident. It doesn't foam like sls-y shampoos do. That's how this method helped me.

dancingrain91
March 2nd, 2015, 08:02 AM
For me washing upsidedown causes tangles. Washing right side up causes slightly fewer but I end up washing twice because it's not always completely clean.

Stormynights
March 2nd, 2015, 08:45 AM
I did this yesterday with just two braids. My hair isn't very thick. I worked the shampoo and conditioner through my braids. After I got out of the shower, I rebraided my hair without detangling. When it was nearly dry I took out my braids to let it finish air drying. I don't count hairs but I could tell that I shead a whole lot less than I usually do. I didn't have hair in the drain either. I am so happy that the OP posted this. This will be my method for shampooing from now on. I love anything that makes my life easier.

meteor
March 2nd, 2015, 08:56 AM
^Yay! :joy: That's so awesome, Stormy!
This method is such a game-changer for easier washing routines! I'm still kicking myself for not having tried this years ago, when I first heard of it! This would have saved me so much pain over the years!
Thank you so very much again, Scarlet_Celt! :love:


For me washing upsidedown causes tangles. Washing right side up causes slightly fewer but I end up washing twice because it's not always completely clean.

Yup, same here! :agree: And that's exactly why I felt the need to flip hair back and forth in the shower to try and reach the whole scalp. Well, I think those days are gone for me! :joy:

Scarlet_Celt
March 2nd, 2015, 12:23 PM
I did this yesterday with just two braids. My hair isn't very thick. I worked the shampoo and conditioner through my braids. After I got out of the shower, I rebraided my hair without detangling. When it was nearly dry I took out my braids to let it finish air drying. I don't count hairs but I could tell that I shead a whole lot less than I usually do. I didn't have hair in the drain either. I am so happy that the OP posted this. This will be my method for shampooing from now on. I love anything that makes my life easier.

You're so welcome! :)

Scarlet_Celt
March 2nd, 2015, 12:36 PM
Yes, my question is if this method provides any benefit for people who wash upside down (bent at the waist). I'm rather puzzled by all the people saying it helps them reach all the places on their scalp. I can't even imagine that being hard to do, no matter how much hair you have.

I've tried washing upside down, but this method is less strenuous, so might be beneficial for people with low mobility, or simply those of us who find washing upside down causes tangles. To be honest, I think that it's probably hard for all of us to imagine what it must be like for people of other hair types, and we tend to take things we personally find easy for granted. Properly washing my scalp has always been a difficulty, and it's something that every person who has ever washed my hair at a hairdressing salon has commented on.

gwenalyn
March 3rd, 2015, 03:04 PM
I've tried washing upside down, but this method is less strenuous, so might be beneficial for people with low mobility, or simply those of us who find washing upside down causes tangles. To be honest, I think that it's probably hard for all of us to imagine what it must be like for people of other hair types, and we tend to take things we personally find easy for granted. Properly washing my scalp has always been a difficulty, and it's something that every person who has ever washed my hair at a hairdressing salon has commented on.

No kidding! I'm just trying to understand why--every time I try to figure out how it would be hard to reach part of my scalp, I can't. Like, if you have a random itchy on your head, can you sometimes not reach it?

AlexDig
March 3rd, 2015, 03:59 PM
Ooh, definitely trying this! My hair isn't that long but since I wash with a homemade egg shampoo, it'd be nice to have easier access to the scalp.

Natalina
March 3rd, 2015, 04:59 PM
I tried this method for two weeks, but I stopped because the pain on my neck discouraged me. Plus my lengths starts to get tangly after being unwashed for awhile.

I might try it again in the future, but for now my lengths (and neck) seems happier being entirely washed. Everyone's hair is different, I guess!

meteor
March 3rd, 2015, 05:15 PM
^ Thanks so much for sharing, Natalina! :)
Reading your post made me wonder if there might be some long-term limitations here... :hmm:

So I'm curious: those of you who have been washing hair this way for a long while, do you need to periodically "clarify" (so to speak) by washing length unbraided? :)

Upside Down
March 4th, 2015, 02:02 AM
Regarding shampooing lenghts, I haven't done that in years. I don't use silicones, just conditioner and oil/salve there and a cream for curs sometimes. I have never had any build up problems that people descibe on the forum. :shrug:

Eta. lol I just lied. A few months ago I would go for a blow out on occasion and they shampoo lenghts at the salon.
But before this silly period I didn't have shampoo on my lenghts in years.

meteor
March 4th, 2015, 09:45 AM
^ Oops, sorry, Upside Down, I shouldn't have used the term "clarify"... I worded the question badly. :oops:
I meant: do those of you who regularly wash hair braided sometimes have to wash hair loose because you feel like the hair needs it?

(By the way, I absolutely agree about ideally avoiding the whole build-up/clarify cycle :thumbsup: - and at least on virgin hair it should be easy enough to do.)

Scarlet_Celt
March 4th, 2015, 11:04 AM
No kidding! I'm just trying to understand why--every time I try to figure out how it would be hard to reach part of my scalp, I can't. Like, if you have a random itchy on your head, can you sometimes not reach it?

Yeah, I experience this all the time, and it is maddening. I often have to distract myself by scratching my hand or arm to try to forget about the itch I can't reach on my scalp.

Scarlet_Celt
March 4th, 2015, 11:06 AM
^ Thanks so much for sharing, Natalina! :)
Reading your post made me wonder if there might be some long-term limitations here... :hmm:

So I'm curious: those of you who have been washing hair this way for a long while, do you need to periodically "clarify" (so to speak) by washing length unbraided? :)

No, I don't experience that, but it's probably because I haven't using a wash method where I've actually cleansed the length of my hair for ages. I never really have to clarify my length, and very rarely have to clarify my scalp.

Scarlet_Celt
March 4th, 2015, 11:08 AM
Regarding shampooing lenghts, I haven't done that in years. I don't use silicones, just conditioner and oil/salve there and a cream for curs sometimes. I have never had any build up problems that people descibe on the forum. :shrug:

Eta. lol I just lied. A few months ago I would go for a blow out on occasion and they shampoo lenghts at the salon.
But before this silly period I didn't have shampoo on my lenghts in years.
I'm going for a blow out at the hairdressers, so this just reminded me to ask them not to do this. I hate it when my length gets shampoo'd, it just totally makes the hair feel all weird and stripped.

meteor
March 4th, 2015, 11:19 AM
Thank you very much for sharing, Scarlet_Celt! :flowers:


I'm going for a blow out at the hairdressers, so this just reminded me to ask them not to do this. I hate it when my length gets shampoo'd, it just totally makes the hair feel all weird and stripped.
Yes, I experience the same. :agree: But at this length, I'm actually afraid to let them wash my hair (remembering how they forgot that long hair is washed slightly differently a couple times, causing tangles). So every time I go in for a trim, I tell them to cut my hair dry! It saves so much time and always results in better trims, too! ;)
By the way, curlies and (often) wavies, have their hair cut dry anyway - to preserve and respect the curl pattern.

Scarlet_Celt
March 4th, 2015, 11:26 AM
Thank you very much for sharing, Scarlet_Celt! :flowers:


Yes, I experience the same. :agree: But at this length, I'm actually afraid to let them wash my hair (remembering how they forgot that long hair is washed slightly differently a couple times, causing tangles). So every time I go in for a trim, I tell them to cut my hair dry! It saves so much time and always results in better trims, too! ;)
By the way, curlies and (often) wavies, have their hair cut dry anyway - to preserve and respect the curl pattern.

To be honest I'm a little anxious about letting them wash it, so I'm going to have to discuss it prior to letting whomever handle my hair. The last time I went they washed my hair so badly that the tangles were ridiculous, and the hairdresser did not use proper brushing technique at all.

meteor
March 4th, 2015, 11:49 AM
To be honest I'm a little anxious about letting them wash it, so I'm going to have to discuss it prior to letting whomever handle my hair. The last time I went they washed my hair so badly that the tangles were ridiculous, and the hairdresser did not use proper brushing technique at all.

^ I'd ask them to do it on dry hair! :D I was afraid at first, but it resulted in a much nicer cut!
I think the reason there is even a tradition to cut hair after washing is simply because so many people walk into salons with styled hair, so a cut on top of that would not be straight.
If you come in with unstyled clean hair without any styling products and have it combed/brushed properly at the salon right before the trim, it will work great on dry hair! :thumbsup:

Scarlet_Celt
March 4th, 2015, 11:53 AM
^ I'd ask them to do it on dry hair! :D I was afraid at first, but it resulted in a much nicer cut!
I think the reason there is even a tradition to cut hair after washing is simply because so many people walk into salons with styled hair, so a cut on top of that would not be straight.
If you come in with unstyled clean hair without any styling products and have it combed/brushed properly at the salon right before the trim, it will work great on dry hair! :thumbsup:
The thing is I'm only going to get a blow out, so I don't know it they can really do that on dry hair. Maybe I should consider phoning them to ask...

AlexDig
March 4th, 2015, 12:42 PM
I tried it last night! It worked great! The shedding was only slightly reduced but it made the hair washing process much easier so I'm definitely going to continue doing this :-) Thanks for letting us know about it!

gwenalyn
March 4th, 2015, 01:24 PM
Yeah, I experience this all the time, and it is maddening. I often have to distract myself by scratching my hand or arm to try to forget about the itch I can't reach on my scalp.

No way! Well, thanks for being patient with me and my questions. Sometimes I get insanely curious about something and can't let it go.

SnottyDotty
March 5th, 2015, 10:01 AM
I tried this method on Monday. I absolutely love it so a huge thanks for starting this thread :)

My APL+ hair is pretty hassle free when I wash it usually but with this method it felt more like washing a pixie cut. I also had zero detangling to do in or out of the shower thanks to the braids keeping everything neat (which helped me keep more of my natural texture than usual.) It was that easy and I can see this becoming a good habit for when I'm closer to goal lengths.
I altered the method slightly so instead of having two loose French braids I had 5 loose English braids (due to shorter crown layers that would have just fallen out of the French braids) and I found it so much easier to get to my scalp to wash it properly. There have been many times in the past where I have missed parts of my scalp when shampooing (mostly on the crown) because of my hair density so this method was very helpful.

In the future I might alter my routine somewhat; I'm thinking of possibly conditioning/oiling my lengths before I put the braids in and let them sit for a while as my dyed length needs all the help it can get lol.
I might also see how this method would work for me if I put the braids in baggies or something to keep them dry. As even the slight amount of suds that travel down when rinsing out are unnecessary for my lengths.

As for shedding, though, I can't really confirm one way or another as I tend to only detangle every few days and can be quite heavy-handed. Even with that said this method was so successful for me that I'm going to keep it up.

Thanks again, Scarlet_Celt :D

Scarlet_Celt
March 5th, 2015, 02:26 PM
I tried this method on Monday. I absolutely love it so a huge thanks for starting this thread :)

My APL+ hair is pretty hassle free when I wash it usually but with this method it felt more like washing a pixie cut. I also had zero detangling to do in or out of the shower thanks to the braids keeping everything neat (which helped me keep more of my natural texture than usual.) It was that easy and I can see this becoming a good habit for when I'm closer to goal lengths.
I altered the method slightly so instead of having two loose French braids I had 5 loose English braids (due to shorter crown layers that would have just fallen out of the French braids) and I found it so much easier to get to my scalp to wash it properly. There have been many times in the past where I have missed parts of my scalp when shampooing (mostly on the crown) because of my hair density so this method was very helpful.

In the future I might alter my routine somewhat; I'm thinking of possibly conditioning/oiling my lengths before I put the braids in and let them sit for a while as my dyed length needs all the help it can get lol.
I might also see how this method would work for me if I put the braids in baggies or something to keep them dry. As even the slight amount of suds that travel down when rinsing out are unnecessary for my lengths.

As for shedding, though, I can't really confirm one way or another as I tend to only detangle every few days and can be quite heavy-handed. Even with that said this method was so successful for me that I'm going to keep it up.

Thanks again, Scarlet_Celt :D

You're welcome! I totally recommend pre-oiling your length. I do this on a weekly basis, and it really helps my length and especially my ends stay healthy. My hair is nearly classic length, with basically no split ends and my hair hasn't been trimmed in 10 months. I think a lot of this is due to my weekly oil deep-treatments, and of course, low manipulation.

Out of interest, how do you de-tangle? I used to be much more heavy handed with my hair back when I used a paddle brush, but for at least 3 years now I've been using a tangle teezer, and for about 2 years I've increasingly been finger detangling. Both of these methods mean that I'm a lot gentler with my hair, which makes a difference in the long run.

lapushka
March 5th, 2015, 02:34 PM
You're welcome! I totally recommend pre-oiling your length. I do this on a weekly basis, and it really helps my length and especially my ends stay healthy. My hair is nearly classic length, with basically no split ends and my hair hasn't been trimmed in 10 months. I think a lot of this is due to my weekly oil deep-treatments, and of course, low manipulation.

Out of interest, how do you de-tangle? I used to be much more heavy handed with my hair back when I used a paddle brush, but for at least 3 years now I've been using a tangle teezer, and for about 2 years I've increasingly been finger detangling. Both of these methods mean that I'm a lot gentler with my hair, which makes a difference in the long run.

I'm TBL+ and use WCC/LOC and now the rinse-out oil method on top of that. I keep my ends moisturized as well, and don't detangle for a week. I have wavy hair, that's why, but I also like the low manipulation! I think it helps if you don't "fuss" over your hair too much.

Scarlet_Celt
March 5th, 2015, 02:40 PM
I'm TBL+ and use WCC/LOC and now the rinse-out oil method on top of that. I keep my ends moisturized as well, and don't detangle for a week. I have wavy hair, that's why, but I also like the low manipulation! I think it helps if you don't "fuss" over your hair too much.

It's funny because I know we both like the Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner :) I favour the Tresemme natural moisture conditioner as my first conditioner, and then I go in with the HE Hello Hydration to finish up. I'm pretty low maintenance, too. I finger detangle a little bit on a daily basis, but I rarely thoroughly detangle my hair with my TT, because I just don't find it necessary. Mostly I use the TT on my ends, but if there's any real tangles I always use my fingers.

lapushka
March 5th, 2015, 04:32 PM
It's funny because I know we both like the Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner :) I favour the Tresemme natural moisture conditioner as my first conditioner, and then I go in with the HE Hello Hydration to finish up. I'm pretty low maintenance, too. I finger detangle a little bit on a daily basis, but I rarely thoroughly detangle my hair with my TT, because I just don't find it necessary. Mostly I use the TT on my ends, but if there's any real tangles I always use my fingers.

Another fan! :lol: :thumbsup:

I do strongly believe in low maintenance... well, not so much with the methods but with the "handling" of the hair.

SnottyDotty
March 7th, 2015, 05:01 PM
Out of interest, how do you de-tangle? I used to be much more heavy handed with my hair back when I used a paddle brush, but for at least 3 years now I've been using a tangle teezer, and for about 2 years I've increasingly been finger detangling. Both of these methods mean that I'm a lot gentler with my hair, which makes a difference in the long run.

When my hair is dry I use my TT and when wet I finger detangle. I seem to be heavy handed regardless of method but with practise I have been getting gentler. I think my problem is that I'm pretty impatient. Long hair journeys really are a lesson in patience, huh? :D

Washed with this method again today and shed only 3 hairs; I'm impressed!

meteor
March 27th, 2015, 05:11 PM
Hey guys! :) I wanted to give this awesome thread a bump and add a quick question:
- After washing like this multiple times in a row, do you ever have any issues with shed skin flakes sticking to hair strands (maybe stuck in the bumps of braids)? If so, how do you solve it?

Obviously, scalp/skin sheds cells continuously and the flakes are washed off, but I think the bumps of my braids might be keeping some of them stuck on length. I think combing hair out removes them, but I'm not 100% sure... :hmm:


And a quick update from me:
I still love this method very much. :D It helps quite a bit with post-wash detangling and dramatically reduces time required to wash and it gives me way better access to all of my scalp.
After trying a few different variations of this braided wash, I've settled on 4 braids: 2 smaller ones in the front, 2 bigger ones in the back. Less than 4 makes the wet braids really pull on my scalp and makes it harder to reach all of my scalp easily, and more than 4 braids takes way too long for this lazy long-hair to braid. :pinktongue:

lapushka
March 27th, 2015, 05:26 PM
Obviously, scalp/skin sheds cells continuously and the flakes are washed off, but I think the bumps of my braids might be keeping some of them stuck on length. I think combing hair out removes them, but I'm not 100% sure... :hmm:

I'm glad it works so well for you. May be that even this method needs its clarifying wash once in a while, meaning: a normal wash without braiding just to get odd pieces of flake and lint out.

meteor
March 27th, 2015, 06:29 PM
I'm glad it works so well for you. May be that even this method needs its clarifying wash once in a while, meaning: a normal wash without braiding just to get odd pieces of flake and lint out.

Yes, I was thinking along the same lines, too. :D
Also, to kill two birds with one stone, I'll be able to pair such unbraided "clarifying" washes with heavy pre-poo, the kinds of treatments that are difficult to wash out if the hair is braided. :)

patienceneeded
March 27th, 2015, 11:12 PM
Huh. I've read through this whole thread and I'm intrigued. I think I'll give this method a try on my next wash day. Can't hurt, so why not?

Quick question: for those who are already doing this wash method - are you braiding English or French? I think (13 pages ago) the OP said French, but then pages along it seems that most posts are talking English braids. So, which is is?

I have no troubles washing my scalp despite the thickness of my hair, and am mainly trying this to see if it lessens tangles and the sheds that happen due to tangles.

Scarlet_Celt
March 28th, 2015, 05:13 AM
Huh. I've read through this whole thread and I'm intrigued. I think I'll give this method a try on my next wash day. Can't hurt, so why not?

Quick question: for those who are already doing this wash method - are you braiding English or French? I think (13 pages ago) the OP said French, but then pages along it seems that most posts are talking English braids. So, which is is?

I have no troubles washing my scalp despite the thickness of my hair, and am mainly trying this to see if it lessens tangles and the sheds that happen due to tangles.

I mostly braid English since that's the braid I wear most of the time, but it shouldn't make a big difference. For me it's whatever braid my hair is in on wash day.

Scarlet_Celt
March 28th, 2015, 05:17 AM
Hey guys! :) I wanted to give this awesome thread a bump and add a quick question:
- After washing like this multiple times in a row, do you ever have any issues with shed skin flakes sticking to hair strands (maybe stuck in the bumps of braids)? If so, how do you solve it?

Obviously, scalp/skin sheds cells continuously and the flakes are washed off, but I think the bumps of my braids might be keeping some of them stuck on length. I think combing hair out removes them, but I'm not 100% sure... :hmm:


And a quick update from me:
I still love this method very much. :D It helps quite a bit with post-wash detangling and dramatically reduces time required to wash and it gives me way better access to all of my scalp.
After trying a few different variations of this braided wash, I've settled on 4 braids: 2 smaller ones in the front, 2 bigger ones in the back. Less than 4 makes the wet braids really pull on my scalp and makes it harder to reach all of my scalp easily, and more than 4 braids takes way too long for this lazy long-hair to braid. :pinktongue:

I can't say I've noticed anything like that. Although I do tend to scritch my scalp on a fairly regular basis, especially if a long day wearing an up-do. The past few washes I've left my hair in braids all throughout the wash process, and I haven't had any problem with getting the shampoo or conditioner washed out.

Ava Ruu
March 28th, 2015, 06:09 AM
Hey guys! :) I wanted to give this awesome thread a bump and add a quick question: - After washing like this multiple times in a row, do you ever have any issues with shed skin flakes sticking to hair strands (maybe stuck in the bumps of braids)? If so, how do you solve it? Obviously, scalp/skin sheds cells continuously and the flakes are washed off, but I think the bumps of my braids might be keeping some of them stuck on length. I think combing hair out removes them, but I'm not 100% sure... :hmm: My scalp is a bit dry, especially now after the winter, but I have not noticed a difference between braided and unbraided washes when it comes to lint. I tend to have some lint left on the hair after washing either way and it always comes off when I comb my hair. This could be different for different hairtypes, maybe? For me a fine tooth comb is better at removing lint than a wide tooth one.

meteor
March 28th, 2015, 11:18 AM
Quick question: for those who are already doing this wash method - are you braiding English or French? I think (13 pages ago) the OP said French, but then pages along it seems that most posts are talking English braids. So, which is is?

For me - English braids starting from chin or even shoulder down. :) I start off very loose (in order to reach scalp and roots with my fingers very easily during my wash) and then braid tighter as I go down.


I can't say I've noticed anything like that. Although I do tend to scritch my scalp on a fairly regular basis, especially if a long day wearing an up-do. The past few washes I've left my hair in braids all throughout the wash process, and I haven't had any problem with getting the shampoo or conditioner washed out.

Oh yes, I should try undoing the braids at the end, before the final rinse... :)
I find it fiddly to undo them right there during the wash, for some reason... strangely I feel like I need to look in the mirror to undo wet braids without pulling out hair :hmm:


My scalp is a bit dry, especially now after the winter, but I have not noticed a difference between braided and unbraided washes when it comes to lint. I tend to have some lint left on the hair after washing either way and it always comes off when I comb my hair. This could be different for different hairtypes, maybe? For me a fine tooth comb is better at removing lint than a wide tooth one.

Oh yes, I bet the fine-tooth comb would work like magic. :thumbsup: My hair seems to hate fine-tooth combs with a passion and either breaks them or the hair gets tangled/pulled out more, you are right, might be a hairtype issue.

Thanks a lot for all the great ideas, guys! :flowers: I'll definitely try combing a bit more thoroughly, undoing braids at the final steps and "unbraid/clarify-wash" periodically. :)

lapushka
March 28th, 2015, 03:32 PM
Quick question: for those who are already doing this wash method - are you braiding English or French? I think (13 pages ago) the OP said French, but then pages along it seems that most posts are talking English braids. So, which is is?

It needs to be a loose braid that starts at the nape or 10 cm from the forehead (if you upside down wash). So it can never be a French braid. The hair at your scalp needs to be "loose" & "free" to be washed properly.

thefreakingmoon
March 28th, 2015, 03:51 PM
I'm not sure my hair is quite long enough for this to be effective yet, but I think I'll try it anyway. If I'm careful it certainly can't hurt.

patienceneeded
March 29th, 2015, 08:17 PM
Thanks for the help! I will try this tomorrow morning.

Vanilla
December 21st, 2015, 06:12 PM
I tried this tonight for the first time, and my wash day was not full of fail like it usually is. I made 4 braids, but I might have made them a bit too close to the scalp. I fastened them with some silicone elastic a.

I diluted my shampoo and conditioner in a squirt bottle, and it worked pretty well. I undid the braids, one by one and combed out each section. Much easier than usual! We'll see how my hair dries.

Scarlet_Celt
December 22nd, 2015, 12:15 PM
I tried this tonight for the first time, and my wash day was not full of fail like it usually is. I made 4 braids, but I might have made them a bit too close to the scalp. I fastened them with some silicone elastic a.

I diluted my shampoo and conditioner in a squirt bottle, and it worked pretty well. I undid the braids, one by one and combed out each section. Much easier than usual! We'll see how my hair dries.
Yeah, you definitely don't want the braids to be too close to the scalp, or too tight.

meteor
December 22nd, 2015, 02:05 PM
I tried this tonight for the first time, and my wash day was not full of fail like it usually is. I made 4 braids, but I might have made them a bit too close to the scalp. I fastened them with some silicone elastic a.

I diluted my shampoo and conditioner in a squirt bottle, and it worked pretty well. I undid the braids, one by one and combed out each section. Much easier than usual! We'll see how my hair dries.

Awesome! So great to hear that the detangling was easier than usual. :D

I think it's helpful to start braiding pretty low... for example, I start braiding from chin-length down, or even better - shoulder-length down. This makes washing and massaging every part of the scalp much, much easier. ;)

Vanilla
December 22nd, 2015, 05:45 PM
My hair dried mostly tangle free and was pretty well cleansed/moisturized. I've been keeping it in a braid ever since last night's wash and no tangles at the nape.

I am shocked. I didn't use any leave in whatsoever and my hair feels great from scalp to tip.

meteor
December 22nd, 2015, 06:33 PM
^ Yay! :joy: So happy it worked so well, Vanilla!

Welcome to the dark side! We have cookies... and braids... lots and lots of braids! :lol:

Vanilla
December 22nd, 2015, 06:51 PM
If this is the way to classic, I think I'll be sticking around here for a while! Thanks meteor!

Emila
May 14th, 2023, 01:45 PM
I'm resurrecting this thread because I just tried this wash method last night. Still have not detangled my hair as it's still wet so can't say if it's worked to reduce hair shedding but I'm very hopeful.

I was wanting to clarify when to undo the braids? I think I've read different things in the thread and I'm a little confused. Is it before rinsing hair or is it after hair is dry?

I left my braid in hoping that it would minimise tangles while sleeping with wet hair. I've taken my braid out now in the morning, though my hair is still wet. I'm yet to detangle it to check the shedding.

MusicalSpoons
May 14th, 2023, 09:17 PM
I kind of do this when I do a thorough scalp wash with my hair in a braid and the lengths dry, and I can tell you it does NOT reduce shedding for me, at all.

It almost feels like I shed more but that's just because I'm pulling them out the whole evening and next morning, and normal amount of shedding continues thereafter. Whereas when I do a full wash they all come out in the wash which is a shorter time span, and I don't usually get any sheds until a couple of days afterwards and even then only a couple. So I guess with a scalp wash I must get fewer out from the wash in total, but overall I shed the same whether a full or scalp wash, braid or no braid.

Lady Stardust
May 15th, 2023, 03:37 AM
I started using this method without realising that it’s supposed to reduce sheds. I don’t think it does reduce sheds for me, but it definitely reduces tangles, enormously.

I undo the plait after I’ve put conditioner in, and detangle while the conditioner is in. Then I rinse and add leave in conditioner.

My hair is MBL but my daughter’s hair is TBL and I use the same method with her.

Emila
May 15th, 2023, 05:30 AM
I had a fair bit of shed. But I've been shedding a lot the last few months (telogen effluvium). It could be because I also used a silicone shampoo scalp brush. I got the brush thinking it would help my scalp but I don't think it is. I'm going to try the braid method again without the scalp brush next time. But I'll try not to get my hopes up too much. I feel like I've tried everything, was excited to find this method I hadn't tried!

Natalina
May 16th, 2023, 10:35 PM
Think I might have to try this soon. My hair is long enough, I don't really care about shedding but this heat wave in Malaysia is driving me and my hair nuts!! I can't go on a second without a damp scalp from all this humidity, I can't stand the feel and stench it develops in just TWO days!! But there's no way I'd waste so much water washing my entire hair often in this uncertain times regarding our water supplies... I feel awful physically, mentally and morally. :(

Thank you for this thread, at least I know where to refer to should I ever need to practice this!

purple_omelette
May 21st, 2023, 10:25 PM
What a fascinating thread... I might give this a try on my next wash :) I'm still somewhat puzzled by what caused my big shed in 2020 (I'm blaming stress + overmanipulation at the moment, but it's still very much a mystery), and haven't regained the thickness yet, so experiments in shedding reduction intrigue me!

yvainee
May 23rd, 2023, 08:20 AM
I tried this method the other day. I didn’t notice any more shedding than usual and it might have even been a little less. I mostly did it because I hate the feeling of shedding hair while in the shower and having it cling onto my body. I often shower first and wash my hair over the bathtub afterwards for this reason but with this method all the shedding happens at once when you take the braids out and it’s much more manageable!

purple_omelette
May 30th, 2023, 04:28 PM
Tried this on my last wash. No real difference in shedding, but it made washing my scalp a bit more annoying. I quite like flipping my hair around while scrubbing, as my arms and neck get sore from just one position, and the braid kept tugging/getting in the way. Probably won't be trying it again.

Emila
June 4th, 2023, 02:07 AM
I've been doing this method for the last few weeks. I'm enjoying it. After a period of hair loss it's nice to find something that seems to help.
I re-braid my hair loosely after washing. It means that it can take a little longer to dry but my hair takes ages to dry anyway. It reduces the tanging while drying and sleeping. I think this is the main thing that helps minimise hair loss for me personally.

For me, braiding to wash and braiding to dry definitely helps reduce shed. Though it doesn't stop shedding completely. For this this method I've needed to add water to my shampoo and conditioner. I think I use less and my scalp is happier with the watered down shampoo. I notice that I also require less oil when doing the ROO method. (I add the oil to my final conditioner and water mix. Used to use 4-5 drops but now get the same result with 2 drops with the braid method.)