Will this routine be damaging?

[mermaid lullaby]

I was thinking about deep conditioning my hair whenever it needs it. I like the way my hair feels after its pampered and dry. However, I would have to take showers every other day. Will water affect my hair? I have porous hair, but I have a hard time finding a leave-in conditioner will small proteins for my coarse hair. I wash my hair 2X a week. I think leave-in conditioner is sticky and I live in a dry climate.

Plan A. When my hair feels clean
Coconut Oil length and braid, the night before shower.
-conditioner, coconut oil, and honey for 30minutes
-mineral oil on damp hair

Plan B. When my scalp needs to be clean
-Braid and bun the length.
-Dilute shampoo and wash.

I like my conditioner and everything, just want to know how often is too much when it comes to showering.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Your routine sounds ok to me. If you don't want to get your hair wet every time you shower, you can wear a shower cap to keep it dry, too.

[mermaid lullaby]

Oh, I must not be clear enough. I was actually thinking of getting my hair wet, in hopes it would make my hair softer. I'm sorry!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Oh, I'm sorry, I misunderstood you. I think it's such an individual thing, how much the water will affect your hair. There are members here who wash or wet their hair daily and are happy with the results. Others worry about hydral fatigue and the extra manipulation of the hair involved. You may just have to experiment for a while and see what suits you and your hair the best.

I'm sure others will have helpful advice for you :D

[animetor7]

How long does it take your hair to dry? I don't think it's great to have your hair wet for say 5+ hours every single day, it worries me about possible fungus or mold happening. I don't know if this happens or not, I'll need to do more research, it just makes me nervous. And then there's the question of damage from hydral fatigue, increased manipulation and leaving hair down more often to allow it to dry etc. etc. so I'd try to stretch washing and wetting times as much as possible. But other than that, it looks fine. :)

[mermaid lullaby]

How long does it take your hair to dry? I don't think it's great to have your hair wet for say 5+ hours every single day, it worries me about possible fungus or mold happening. I don't know if this happens or not, I'll need to do more research, it just makes me nervous. And then there's the question of damage from hydral fatigue, increased manipulation and leaving hair down more often to allow it to dry etc. etc. so I'd try to stretch washing and wetting times as much as possible. But other than that, it looks fine. :)

Yes, it does take 5+ hours to dry and, I'm worried about hydral fatigue as well. Hmm...ok, that answers my question. I'll be sticking to washing 2× a week.

Thank you, animator7 and sarah!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

You're welcome! :)

[EbonyCurls]

Getting your hair wet and soaking it are two different things. When hair soaks to its maximum it does cause damage eventually if overdone. Usually the damage happens to the cuticle since it's less flexible against the swelling. I dampen the bottom third of my hair almost every day, but just enough to make it damp and then I will braid or knot it at the ends to hold in the moisture until it feels dry to touch. This creates humidity which is absorbed into the hair without causing swelling. I also use coconut oil which prevents too much water being absorbed and also acts as a bit of a sealant to keep the water that is absorbed, in the shaft.

Personally I gave up deep conditioning ages ago, except after my monthly clarification. And even then I don't let it sit more than about 10 min. Obviously what works for one person doesn't work for others and I'm sure there are people whose hair doesn't get damaged with frequent deep treatments. But my hair is porous in areas as well due to it being curly, and not keeping up with trims and care in the past. I find if I let water sit in my hair too long when it dries it feels so soft and weak. Swollen shaft, stressed cuticles, porous hair. It was a vicious cycle for me. At one point I wanted to look at getting a face mister bottle to use for my hair as a way to infuse humidity and moisture without soaking it. I might try that.

[animetor7]

I completely agree EbonyCurls about dampening. I don't think it would be a problem at all and can help keep hair moisturizer in between washes. I just don't think hair being wet for hours and hours every day is great. With dampening hair doesn't get completely wet and dries quickly. :)

[pili]

Getting your hair wet and soaking it are two different things. When hair soaks to its maximum it does cause damage eventually if overdone. Usually the damage happens to the cuticle since it's less flexible against the swelling. I dampen the bottom third of my hair almost every day, but just enough to make it damp and then I will braid or knot it at the ends to hold in the moisture until it feels dry to touch. This creates humidity which is absorbed into the hair without causing swelling. I also use coconut oil which prevents too much water being absorbed and also acts as a bit of a sealant to keep the water that is absorbed, in the shaft.

Personally I gave up deep conditioning ages ago, except after my monthly clarification. And even then I don't let it sit more than about 10 min. Obviously what works for one person doesn't work for others and I'm sure there are people whose hair doesn't get damaged with frequent deep treatments. But my hair is porous in areas as well due to it being curly, and not keeping up with trims and care in the past. I find if I let water sit in my hair too long when it dries it feels so soft and weak. Swollen shaft, stressed cuticles, porous hair. It was a vicious cycle for me. At one point I wanted to look at getting a face mister bottle to use for my hair as a way to infuse humidity and moisture without soaking it. I might try that.

This is what I do. I mist my hair very lightly and then smooth a couple of drops of jojoba oil into it, emphasizing the temples and ends. My hair isn't wet, just...cool to the touch. Does that make sense?

[LadyAdelina]

Huh, I never thought about the extra damage caused just by getting your hair wet... I usually shampoo every 3-4 days, and do keep my hair dry in the shower the first few days after a shampoo. However, if I stick my hair under the water (and basically do a WO wash) towards the end of this cycle, I can usually stretch one more day in before I have to shampoo. This also gives me chance to recondition my hair, and put all of my leave-ins in. My bleached lengths are pretty damaged, and I notice that they usually need to be conditioned before my scalp needs to be washed again.

So I guess I have to figure in the extra damage from getting it wet again versus the extra damage of more frequent washes, or letting my lengths get too dry? :ponder:

[animetor7]

Huh, I never thought about the extra damage caused just by getting your hair wet... I usually shampoo every 3-4 days, and do keep my hair dry in the shower the first few days after a shampoo. However, if I stick my hair under the water (and basically do a WO wash) towards the end of this cycle, I can usually stretch one more day in before I have to shampoo. This also gives me chance to recondition my hair, and put all of my leave-ins in. My bleached lengths are pretty damaged, and I notice that they usually need to be conditioned before my scalp needs to be washed again.

So I guess I have to figure in the extra damage from getting it wet again versus the extra damage of more frequent washes, or letting my lengths get too dry? :ponder:

To re-moisturize the lengths you can dampen them with a mister bottle, I like to also have a bit(like a dime sized amount in my 8 Oz. bottle) of conditioner mixed in. This can help keep lengths from drying out without getting the hair wet enough for it to swell and cause damage from hydral fatigue.

[mermaid lullaby]

Oh, that makes perfect sense!
I'll try that misting for my hair.

Thank you so much!

[lapushka]

Nah, I would just limit it to getting it wet each time you wash (so twice a week). If it's already porous, you don't want it soaking up water like a sponge and spitting it back out - serves no purpose. But if it makes you feel better, hey, I'm all for it. :thumbsup: