How long did it take your hair to adjust to fewer washings?

[Sammybunny711]

Hello all! I REALLY know that stretching out my washes would help my hair but I have a few questions:

How long did it take you to stretch out your washes?
How many days do you go between washes?
Does it adversely affect itchy scalp issues?
:confused:

[Chromis]

I did not have any adjustment period. My scalp itches if I wash daily! It also itches if I go for more than a week without washing. You may find that you need to wash more frequently with shorter hair that those of us with longer. You likely don't need to wash with full strength shampoo though. I would try bars or diluting the liquid shampoo.

[Sammybunny711]

I am a HUGE shampoo bar user so I suppose it won't harm my hair if I wash it every day since CV bars don't strip oils...I just know it would be more convenient not to wash every day thankfully I enjoy taking showers because of the CV "spa" experience, lol.

[Calista]

When I started to stretch out my washes I went three days in between. It was hard for me to stretch to four, then five days. The last day always was unbearably greasy.

Funnily enough, once I went ahead it was no problem stretching out to six, seven, eight, and nine days. My hair wouldn´t get greasier anymore. I typically use some talcum powder around day six, and then I´m good to go for another three days. After that it´s just as hard as it used to be on day four.

ETA: My scalp doesn´t itch, no matter how long I go between washes. I use my wooden quill brush daily, though.

[Thrasher07]

Well, to be honest, I've always washed my hair around only 3 times a week (I'm trying to go down to 2 though now) but since moving to uni, my hair has been getting greasy very quickly, don't know why.

[joyfulmom4]

Good question. I am really curious about this too. I used to shampoo and condition daily, then dropped back to maybe 4-5 times a week. Now I'm trying to stretch it longer, but I absolutely *hate* the greasy look I get in the front and sides near the scalp. Ick. The rest of the length looks nice on day 2 and 3, but the hair near the scalp looks nasty. And I don't have particularly oily hair.


Will this change over time? The greasiness decrease?

I have thought about getting a "dry shampoo" to dust the front on non-wash days. Wonder how that would work? Anyone know?

[Lady Verity]

I've been thinking about this, too. My hair is thin and I was every day, or else it gets greasy at the top and dry and the ends. Any ideas about how to adjust to washing once every two days?

[Ryanne]

I don't remember how long it took, I went from 3 times a week to once a week (rarely twice).
My scalp doesn't itch either, so I wouldn't know.

[amaiaisabella]

It depends on what i use, really. Ever since I went to a S&C combo, followed by a light leave-in spray only on my length, I have been able to stretch my washings to once every 4-5 days. When I used to CO, I would have to wash every 2-3 days. There was no adjustment other than me reflexively reaching for the shampoo when I didn't really need it yet :)

[Elphie]

It took about a week to for me to adjust from every day S&C to every other day. Now I can stretch it to a third day without a problem, it's just a preference if I decide to wash it then or not.

[rymorg2]

At first I couldn't go any time between washes or I would itch and flake. But since switching to all natural products I can now go 3-4 days in between, no itching, no flaking, very little greasies. as long as I scritch and preen it's all good. I'm glad too! I'm planning on stretching it to once a week, twice at most. That's only cutting back one more wash since now I wash 2-3 times a week.

[MsBubbles]

I started a similar thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=11536) back on Sept 3rd, and now here I am ten weeks into washing every other day, and occasionally washing every 3rd day, with no noticeable improvement beyond what I noticed within the first week of trying this. That is, within the first week I noticed I got about a half a day more before the oil slick and itchy-maggot-scalp feeling started. This is still true 10 weeks later. I am beginning to think there is no hope for my scalp but oh boy my hair feels so soft now!!

Also, somewhere along the line I switched from L'oreal kids shampoo and sunsilk coney conditioner to Aubrey Organics shampoo and condit. This seemed to set my scalp back to square one, but it has since realigned it's grease-production to one-and-a-half-days again.

Reading up on Seborrheic dermatitis, I realize that's what my mother has always had, so I'm thinking that might be playing a role with me too regarding the burning and itching I get when I don't wash my hair every day.

If I weren't so addicted to the softness of my hair from all that sebum sliding over it, I'd have given up long ago and gone back to every day washes.

[Addy]

I use to wash every day before I joined. I was skeptical but a month or so later, I'm working on day 5 since my last wash, I CO and I could probly go another couple days, no greasies at all either.

I'll admit, it was hard giving up the poo but my hair is so much softer now! :)

[Carolyn]

I've gone from almost every day S & C washes to every 2-3 day either CO or CWC washes. It's not going to stretch out anymore. And I have no desire to go longer than 3 days. If I wear my hair down it HAS to be washed that morning. My 2nd and 3rd day hair is either a single braid or some kind of an updo. 3rd day hair is usually reserved for days at home when I don't care what I look like. I think my case is more of me training myself in updo's and hairtoys rather than training my scalp and hair to go longer between washes. I simply do not like sebumy hair. I can't get my mind to accept that it's clean and I can't get over needing clean hair.

[RavennaNight]

I was doing really well about a month and a half ago. I never washed every day, but every 2-4 days. I had actually worked my way to once a week and the hair wasn't horrendous or too greasy. Updo needed? of course. gross? No. I don't know what happened. I started playing around with CO again (I just can't seem to let that one go. I keep trying). Now Im trying to stretch for the winter again.

[Fantak]

I have thought about getting a "dry shampoo" to dust the front on non-wash days. Wonder how that would work? Anyone know?

I use Oscar Blandi's dry shampoo (powder not spray, spray is terrible). It's great stuff to use when you have something come up and no time to wash your hair. I have very dark hair and have never had problems with it. It can get itchy if you use too much though, but it's bearable. The itchiness has made me weary of the product and so I don't use it often, only in emergencies.

Hope that helps ^.^

I used to wash my hair every day, now I wash (just shampoo then oil) every other day. I don't think I needed to wash my hair everyday in the first place so it was pretty easy to transition to every other day. However, sometimes I still feel I need to use (or more likely should have used) dry shampoo by the end of the second evening (night before wash). I don't think I would want to cut washing down to any lower than 3-4 times a week, I love it when my hair is clean and pouffy.

[Calanthe]

I used to wash every day with conventional shampoos and conditioners. I switched over to all natural shampoos and conditioners - it took about 6 months before the results were really visible.

After switching from liquid shampoo to poo bars I don't have to use conditioner anymore. Hair is great and I can go about 7 -9 days without a wash. I brush every morning, though. I call it my "cleaning brush" and it seems to work.

Funnily enough, when I use some conventional shampoo (which I rarely do, because sometimes I'm plain stupid), my scalp itches like blazes and my hair sticks up all over, because it's so dry and fly-away.

[Flying Betty]

!!!!!!!!!!

[Shorty89]

Hello all! I REALLY know that stretching out my washes would help my hair but I have a few questions:

How long did it take you to stretch out your washes?
How many days do you go between washes?
Does it adversely affect itchy scalp issues?
:confused:

1. If I remember correctly it took me a couple of weeks before it started to get better and about a month before my scalp completely adjusted. I started by just going a day or two between washes and moved up from there.

2. Usually about a week or 5 days.

3. I don't think it makes it worse. It helps me not overstrip my poor scalp. By dirty day 6 or 7 I can get the itchies but then it means it is time to wash. I get more itchies if I strip my scalp by washing it too often or too harshly. Hope that helps!

[Arctic_Mama]

I have major scalp issues - severe dandruff which I am heading to a doctor to see if I can get under control (it's painful) but my hair is great.

I can easily stretch the washings a week and if I had no scalp problems I'd honestly guess I could wash only once or twice per month without looking greasy, it's just not my hair type. But after about day five between washings my scalp goes from a little flaky and itchy to gunky, bleeding, and scales or white ickiness that ooze underneath (OMGosh, sorry for the horrible imagery). Fortunately it isn't visible to anyone but me (whew) but yes, the oilier my scalp gets the worse the dandruff itchies get.

The converse of that is that if I wash too frequently my scalp gets too dry and I also get itchies, but they're dry flakies, nothing like the stretched scalp issues. I documented it in my journal if you're interested, along with pictures from each day to compare to look of the roots and length.

Scalp massage helps me stretch my washes longer, I can distribute the oils better and break up some of the flakes.


So to answer your question - I went from washing two or three times a week to once per week with no adjustment or issue. No increased oiliness that was unexpected and no issues. But I have also gone poo-free before for several years so maybe my scalp is just more used to less frequent cleansing? I also have quite dry skin in general, with combination skin on my face, so that could also contribute. I can comfortably go a week between washings without needing to wear my hair back to disguise the greasies or anything, but for the sake of my scalp I am washing about five or six times per month with a gentle shampoo and light conditioner. But the longer I stretch the more unbearable my scalp gets in look and feel. It isn't the grease, it's the itchy flakes and raw patches :( Suckage.

[Monsterkitti]

Before LHC i used to wash maybe 2-3 times a week and since then over maybe 3 months Im down to washing every 5-7 days sepending on what im doing/ how it feels.

It did feel pretty greasy for the first few weeks of stretching washing but since then my hair and scalp seem perfectly happy with the less regular washing.

I have got more issues with scalp gunk recently but Im putting that down to changing to soapnuts rather than extending the washes.

[Comfrey]

Gosh, I cant remember a time when I washed my hair more than every 5 days and normally between 7 and 10.

In fact since I've been here I've washed more because I've been experimenting with oils and making a pigs ear of it all

Sorry that was no help at all :rolleyes:

[Katze]

When I first came here I successfully stretched my washes to once a week. My hair really changed during that time: lost poofiness, got darker, and got more wave. But most of my hair was color-treated then, too.

I also tried stretching it longer - If I only wear my hair up, I can do it, but scalp itchies start getting bad. Once I've brushed my hair (i.e. to try to make it go into an updo more smoothly) or touched the scalp a lot, my scalp starts getting itchier and itchier and I 'have to' wash.

This summer I was washing twice every 8-9 days or so; once CWC, once WO. Now I tend to wash more frequently, and I can't do WO anymore - hair gets too greasy.

Lately the roots/crown look OK (except for around my hairline) if I stretch my wash, but the length is absolutely awful. If I put it up, I have to braid or otherwise get rid of the ends, because the color/texture/thickness difference is so severe that it looks BAD.

If I am swimming a lot, I brush and oil more (otherwise hardly oil at all) and also wash more AND blowdry more (no way will I ride from pool to home with a cold wet head. Otherwise, I wash nights and go to bed with a towel around damp hair.

I can't say I have really ever had a routine. I just try to do what I think my hair wants, and sometimes, I get it right. :)

[Sammybunny711]

I have major scalp issues - severe dandruff which I am heading to a doctor to see if I can get under control (it's painful) but my hair is great.


You may honestly want to try poo bars! I have psoriasis/SD and in two weeks, my scalp and flakes are a lot better! They have not gone away completely but they are DEFINITELY getting better (I have had psoriasis since middle school and tried almost every product you could think of and these have worked the best.)

[magpielaura]

I have been an everyday washer, but a couple of years ago I went to every other day. This April I went to CO washing and havn't used shampoo since then. I also started to stretch washing to twice a week, sometimes 3 times.

I think that because I have not striped the oils off it gets greasy more slowly, but I think the most important hurdle was the psycological one - what I thought looked greasy and horrible looked fine. I started by wearing a wide headband (alice band type of thing) on the 3rd/4th day and definately hair up from 2nd day onwards but now I'm more relaxed and don't worry about looking greasy. I'll wear hair down (if I feel like it - I wear it up more now) on the 2nd and sometimes the 3rd day now and the headbands are reserved for bad hair days or to hide flakyness. I have found the roots look a lot darker now but not bad.

I'd like to stretch to once a week but by day 4 it will start to get itchy. As I always want it to look the best at weekends (so wash it on friday) I will have to jump quite a way from 2 to one times a week.

[Sammybunny711]

I washed last night but I am not washing hair today due to exhaustion and maybe not tomorrow if I don't go out anywhere...We shall see...Perhaps I'll go two days between washes and then wash on Sunday and be able to go two days again?

[Anje]

When I first came here, I shampooed and conditioned my hair every time I showered, which was every day (or two). I really didn't notice much of an adjustment period per se, as I was experimenting with alternative wash methods at first and still washed roughly every 2-3 days. It was when I switched to WO washing (lasted about 8 months with that) that my scalp really drastically switched to being able to go long periods between washes. During the warmer months, I could go about a week before it got greasy, and a WO wash would return it to normal. I've been back to CO for almost a year now, and I wash when my scalp starts to feel greasy -- about every 5 days in summer, and about every 3 days now that the weather has turned colder, as my oil production seems to shoot up for winter.

My hair tends to get sleeker and smoother a few days after a wash, so that I'd say it looks best about 2-3 days old. It's really fluffy and frizzy for at least a day after washing.

My scalp seems fine, but it rarely gets itchy on any wash schedule.

[Olivia23]

I hate washing my hair so I go about four days before I absolutely have to wash it due to it looking so greasy LOL! Seriously though, what can I do to keep it from looking that way? I have heard that you can do some kind of dry hair wash. Does anyone know about that, you know, so I can keep the greasy look away?

[spidermom]

My hair/scalp never adjusted. I adjusted to having oilier hair longer, that was the only adjustment. According to sources I can't link, tests prove that the scalp produces the exact same amount of sebum per day whether you wash it off or not.

[avraea]

About a year and a half ago, I used to wash just about every day, maybe occasionally every other day, and I used commercial S&C. Then I started experimenting with the traditional no-poo method, and eventually transitioned to vinegar and herb washing. At that time I was washing about every 2 days. I had a lot of problems with either limp hair or itchy and flaky scalp. I even tried CO for a while, and it worked for about a month or so then my scalp didn't like that either. That's when I tried out CV bars, which I'm still using now.

For me, I think it took at least 6-7 months of stretching out washings before I noticed a more permanent change in my scalp and hair. I can go about 4-5 days before the greasiness starts to get really visible, but it's the itchiness that gets to me first. I start getting itchy after about 2 days. Since I work out daily though, I don't really want to stretch out my washings too much anyway, so I wash 3 times a week on Mon, Wed, Fri.

[Sammybunny711]

I think that I'll only really do the every other day to two days thing. I like to take showers and wash my hair so I think that I'll not go more than that. :o)

[danacc]

I went from every day to every-other-day in a week.

I tried going to every 3rd day for a year, and always had an oily head on the 3rd day. So now I'm back to every-other.

As for itchiness and flakes, I have seborrheic dermatitis, so it's an issue. Selsun Blue allows me to go to every 3rd day with minimal flakes and no itching. Lately, I've been applying coconut oil all over my scalp and face (it gets SD flare-ups, too) and of course the length of my hair, letting that sit, then modified CWC with a diluted, non-SLS shampoo. In the morning, I apply aloe vera gel to my face and hairline. It is manageable this way, but the Selsun Blue stifled it better...

[Sammybunny711]

Well, I am on day 3 and my hair is DISGUSTINGLY nasty/oily, LOL. I am about to hop in the shower right now. Hopefully my hair will last through tomorrow afternoon at least but hopefully longer....as I can't shower tomorrow morning...I just want to be clean SO badly....

[Boots]

Over the last month I've transitioned to CO washing. I'm not using much for cones, if any. if i use them-like my Herbal Essences conditioner- then I clarify after a couple weeks. My hair needs to be COed every day, or it looks greasy.

[Elanor]

I was never able to stretch out washings from every second day to every third, my scalp just wouldn't adjust and my hair always looked terrible on the third day, no matter how long I tried. Then I switched to CO washings this summer and now I've noticed that my hair doesn't get so oily so fast any more and I can easily go three days without washing. So I guess it's about finding the routine that fits your hair the best :) And it took about three months for my hair to adjust to CO washings, so you have to be patient when trying new things.

[almmaaa]

Hopefully I can try this myself..