Not washing hair for 2 weeks

[Loveletters]

Hello everyone! I often feel tired, sad or just completely worn out and never find the energy to wash my hair. I try to take good care of it and all, but it's taking a lot from me, especially since my hair tangles very easily (even when braided at night), especially when it's wet and being massaged. Brushing out the knots is a hell of a job and I don't want to bother others asking them if they can help me brush it. So, I often don't wash my hair for 1,5 - 2,5 weeks straight. I'm ashamed of how I look. It's always greasy, it feels disgusting too. I could cut my hair, but that's a terrifying idea. I know it won't good on me and I'm attached to my hair. I tried out lots of products that help against knots, but they never help. I also tried out dry shampoo but I don't think it helps a lot either, plus it's bad for your hair.
And now, the real question. Does not washing your hair for a long time harm your hair? I asked my friend who has long hair he takes good care of and he told me it's okay, that it's even good for your hair since the scalp needs oils and stuff. But some pages on google say it's bad because your scalp needs air or whatever, and and oily scalp can damage the follicles. The thing is, I just don't know what to do sometimes. This post is a mess, so comment whatever you want. Thanks for listening.

[MamaLou]

Not washing your hair for so long can cause scalp issues for some people. However what I'm really concerned about is your mental health. Are you getting any help with that?

[cjk]

CAN is a dangerous word. It means something is possible...not likely or guaranteed. Just possible.

Two weeks.

How often do you normally wash your hair? Two weeks really isn't that long. A lot of us wash weekly, some twice weekly, some even daily. And a smaller number stretch to 2 weeks or even a month. Since you didn't specify I'm going to assume that when you're on a normal schedule, you wash weekly.

The probability that you will have significant problems after "an extra week" is minimal. Not zero, but minimal. You said you've done this before, did you have any noteworthy issues other than some greasiness?

If not, then your HAIR is probably fine. Scalp too.

But I agree with MamaLou, the mental attitude stuff is worrisome. Red flag stuff.

[Loveletters]

But I agree with MamaLou, the mental attitude stuff is worrisome. Red flag stuff.

@ MamaLou and @ cjk I'm not getting help, but it's usually only temporary. Just going through a ****ty period rn, eating close to nothing, falling back into old routines. Bad for my body, I know, but soon I'll be doing better again. I think everyone feels like that sometimes, especially teenagers.

[lapushka]

@ MamaLou and @ cjk I'm not getting help, but it's usually only temporary. Just going through a ****ty period rn, eating close to nothing, falling back into old routines. Bad for my body, I know, but soon I'll be doing better again. I think everyone feels like that sometimes, especially teenagers.

Teenagers can feel bad, but this is of a slightly different level.

Not eating, or paying attention to what you eat. Or taking care of yourself is worrisome.

Please go and tell your mom and ask her for some help in washing your hair, perhaps? :flower: Is that a possibility?

[Wravyn]

@ MamaLou and @ cjk I'm not getting help, but it's usually only temporary. Just going through a ****ty period rn, eating close to nothing, falling back into old routines. Bad for my body, I know, but soon I'll be doing better again. I think everyone feels like that sometimes, especially teenagers.


It's true, everyone does go through rough spots. But everything you have described, especially including a loss of appetite, sounds like it would be worth talking to someone about how you're feeling (a parent, school counselor, an adult you trust). You will likely find that once you start feeling better, your energy will increase and it will be easier to care for your hair the way you want to. <3

And I don't think two weeks is anything to worry about, as far a damaging your hair goes.

[Dark40]

Yes, I think waiting a long time before washing you does do more harm than good. Because, your scalp does need air, and the hair follicles need to breathe. I've tried washing my hair every 2 weeks, and that was a big mistake for me. Because, I did a lot of shedding. Or, I had a lot of hair loss. So, that's why I had to go back to washing 2 or 3 times a week. Have you tried any detangling shampoos? I've heard and seen that they are good for hair the gets easily tangled.

[MusicalSpoons]

I agree with all of the above posters regarding mental health - and unfortunately many people who haven't gone through this sort of stuff often dismiss it as 'teen angst' which is why it can be hard to know when to ask for help, and it can make it hard to feel like you deserve to have help. But these really are red flags, and I hope that you are able to seek help somehow :flowers:

As for your hair, it mostly depends on how your scalp reacts to not washing for however long. Mine gets grumpy after about 5 days, others start having problems after a 2 days, and then there's the other end of the spectrum where people can happily go a month or more and only wash their hair to get out dust and pollutants from the air rather than needing to clean sebum off. We really are all individual. How has your scalp been doing so far?

It sounds like it doesn't help with how you're feeling though, so if there is any way of tending to it more often (maybe once a week, for now) it might help you a little. Are there any protective styles that don't tangle your hair? Does oil help, or brushing it out soaked in slippery conditioner, or something else?

I do understand not having physical or mental energy to deal with your hair though; I'm fortunate that I don't have to deal with tangles very often and can leave it in a bun for 2 days if need be before it *needs* combing but I totally empathise with the greasiness and it feeling utterly yuck. Are scalp washes something you might be able to try, perhaps? They don't work for everyone but if you can get them to work, they would probably help you feel a bit more presentable without having to do a full wash.

But most important is help for your mental health. The hair suggestions are because if you can find any low-energy tricks to make you feel even a tiny bit better about yourself, it would be a good thing - though it's of course not a substitute for help working out the underlying issues.

[StellaStellitsa]

As someone with depression for some years now, I must say that there are periods of time where things become worse and periods of time when things are a little better, and even some times when things seem to be good. It happens to other people with depression too. From what you say there is a chance of you having depression. Only a proffesional can diagnose it for sure. I'd recomend you to try to seek professional help after saying it to your parents. Don't be afraid. It is not something bad, and in time it will help you.
As for your hair, what kind of brush do you use? Have you tried using a wide toothed comb? Have you tried detangling your hair when wet and while they are full of conditioner? Have you tried detangling right before washing? How do you wash your hair? Do you wash your full length or only your scalp? And as for dry shampoo, you can use corn starch as an alternative, it will not damage your hair.

Edit.
I currently go more than two weeks (even three) between washes and never go less than one a week and don't seem to have problems with my hair, on the contrary, the more I go between washes the softer my hair is after washing it.

[TatsuOni]

I'm one of those who only washes my hair every other week or less (every other to five weeks). It's what works best for my hair and scalp. In between I "clean" my hair and scalp with a boar bristle brush after combing my hair with a wide toothed comb.

[enting]

I agree with the above posters, I hope you can get some help and support for mental health.

That said, unless you are seeing that your hair and scalp are unhappy from going for two weeks without a wash, I'd say it's fine. I never washed my hair more frequently than once a week when I was a teen, and sometimes went two weeks without a wash and it was fine.

You mention that your hair tangles a lot when wet and being massaged - do you mean that when you wash it it gets tangled up? If yes, I think that's a pretty common experience. Some of the advice around the forum is specifically about how to wash hair while still protecting it, like not piling the hair on top of one's head to wash it. A good conditioner might also help with slip and make the tangles less present and also easier to deal with. I can understand not having the wherewithal to deal with tangles and just putting it up and ignoring it.

Some people's hair tangles in braids but not when in buns. Might that be something to try to see if you can prevent further tangles? A satin lined sleep cap or satin pillowcase might also help prevent further tangles while sleeping.

I hope you find the things to help you maintain your hair in a way that you like, be it tips for haircare or help with your overall well being :blossom:

[ExpectoPatronum]

I have bipolar disorder and sometimes when I'm in a low, taking care of myself becomes impossible. Like other posters, I encourage you to seek help for your mental health issues. It can be so life-changing in a very positive way. It feels good to have some control over your life again. Please talk to an adult you can trust about this. Sometimes it helps to have someone who can listen :)

That said, as long as your scalp isn't giving you any problems, I see nothing wrong with washing every couple of weeks.

[ThistleTea]

I have had this problem several times in the past. After regular periods of not washing my hair much I would get a very flaky scalp which was probably buildup of sebum, dry shampoo and hairspray (used when I was trying to keep it in ponytails to hide the greasiness close to my scalp. It would take a couple of washes to get it back to 'normal'. So like everyone else I would recommend trying to stay on top of what's going on mentally so that it doesn't turn into something even worse. Your hair will be OK, just make sure the rest of you is as well! :blossom:

[yulia396]

Usually I wash once per week but I can easily go for 2 weeks. I've been there. My hair is the greasiest type, but I use baby powder or a mixture of cocoa/cornstarch just so that it absorbs the oil. That way it never gets greasy. Also, I guess the cornstarch mixture would keep me away from getting lice in public lol. The bus is always full so it's deff a fear of mine. Anyways, since I started using sulphur shampoo for my scalp, my hair can go 2-3 days without getting greasy. With shampoo, I get greasy in a day. I threw away all my products, even condish, for this reason and I went natural...making my all conditioner and all that jazz. I'm the greasiest but my hair always looks good, if I can do it, anybody can. Even for two weeks of no wash.