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rags
December 29th, 2008, 05:04 PM
Hi all. I have been lurking for a while, but just now got up the courage to come out of the woodwork, and it's because I have a question.

I have always, all of my life, washed my hair every day. It is very, very, baby fine (think a two year old) and rather limp. I have always just s/c. I had to cut it about a year and a half ago due to medication issues which made large amounts of it fall out (which was expected) and it is the shortest it has been in over twenty years at shoulder lenght. I have been blowdrying it to give it some volume, and I would like to stop doing that, and washing it every day.

My question is, what do you do when your hair just looks horrible the second day without washing? Will it improve if I just stay with it? It's not just me - my husband has commented a couple of times if I haven't shampood, on how greasy my hair looks. I could deal with it if I knew it was going to get better!

So please help - what can I do to keep from washing every day and yet not look like I've fallen into the deep fryer? And what can I do to get volume when I do wash, if I don't blowdry? I used to do the bun on the head, but while it is long enough, it leaves rather weird looking crinkles in my hair. Perhaps I'm doing it wrong?

Thank you for any help at all!

rags
December 29th, 2008, 05:06 PM
Um, maybe not quite clear, I meant that while my hair was just long enough to get into a bun on top of my head, the way I twist it and secure it with an elastic leaves dents in the hair when it dries. Sorry if I am unclear, I am quite unused to forums!

Kirin
December 29th, 2008, 05:14 PM
I have very fine and oily hair, and personally in my experience nothing "cured" the oiliness. I've tried several methods, and am convinced at least for some of us, we just produce "x" amount of oil daily. Cutting back, washing with alternate products like conditioner, going all natural, none of it changed the fact that I have oily hair. For me, I continue to wash daily, which has made me a much happier person, I just am more gentle about it, and only shampoo once.

Some have had luck, by stretching out washes, not washing at all, giving up sulphate containing shampoos, trying shampoo bars, or going all natural. By all means do try these methods, but don't feel growing long hair is futile if you have to return to a daily washing routine.

Fine hair can also, without the aide of some volume help, make one look nearly bald, trust me I know. Its not flattering nor is it pretty to have flat lying barely there hair. I fake volume a lot with using mousse and tousling damp hair several times upside down while naturally drying. I do blowdry, but very rarely on special occassions, and on a cold setting. Gels also help too, as does aloe vera gel. For me Aloe gel is hit or miss, sometimes it gives volume, sometimes it leaves my hair flatter, my hair can't make up its mind. Because of that I tend to go more the mousse or hair product gels... just ones without alcohol.

I can't dry my hair in a bun either, i end up with mushroom head and its not pretty LOL

Themyst
December 29th, 2008, 05:35 PM
If I had to go out everyday and be seen by the public, I would have to wash my hair every day. It gets pretty oily by the second day. But as it is, I don't go out much and so I wash it every three days or so.

Depending on the time of month, it can get pretty oily, so I actually just ordered a couple of fashionable headscarves that I'd like play with and see if I can come up with a cool style. Someone posted this link: http://www.tznius.com/cgi-bin/tying.pl and gave me all kinds of ideas on how to wear it.

So now maybe (when my scarves arrive), I'll be able to look fashionable and ditch the greasy bun lady look on my non-wash days!

Honey39
December 29th, 2008, 05:47 PM
What happens if you wash it gently every day with diluted shampoo, and don't use the hair dryer? You have lovely fine hair, so I imagine it would air dry pretty quickly. I found that my hair started to flourish when I worked *with* it rather than doing things to it. Using a gentle very diluted shampoo and air drying would be okay on a daily basis, perhaps?

rags
December 29th, 2008, 05:52 PM
Krin, thank you! I'm glad somebody else gets the "I look like I'm bald" thoughts!

Honey, the washing everyday I honestly don't think is a problem - my hair is is fairly good shape. It's the blow drying. If I air dry, it looks like I have no hair!! It simply goes flat to my head. Since I have gray/white streaks in front, I look practically bald! I had middle of the back hair before I had to cut it, and then I dried it in a bun but it doesn't do well with that now. (shoulder length)

rags
December 29th, 2008, 05:53 PM
Oh, if you'll notice, I also don't have much hair either - my ponytails is quite small. This helps with the bald effect.

MusingFrog
December 29th, 2008, 06:15 PM
If you need to wash your hair everyday I would go ahead and do it. As far as blow-drying...it isn't the evil a lot of people think if done properly. Try to keep the dryer as far from your head as possible, use a cold setting, and try to use it for as short a duration as possible. Such as, do you need all of your hair dry with it or can you just blast the roots to get the volume and let the rest air dry? While I have no experience with them, you could also try gel or even hairspray - especially as you would be washing it out every day anyway.

Anje
December 29th, 2008, 06:39 PM
The cool setting might help you with blowdrying, or you might have better luck with a little gel (give the clear aloe gel a try, if you haven't) or mousse. Another alternative is simply to try fluffing the roots with your fingers as your hair airdries.

Definitely try diluting your shampoo -- it will be less harsh that way. You might even find that you produce less oil over time. Like Kirin said, some people are simply greasy, but other people have scalps that get overdried by washing with shampoos that are too harsh for that person, and produce more oil as a result.

rags
December 29th, 2008, 06:55 PM
Thank you all so much! I think I will definitely try diluting my shampoo, and I am thinking about trying a shampoo bar if that doesn't work.

The aloe gel adds body? I'm always afraid of anything that says "gel" as my hair is so fine.....

suicides_eve
December 29th, 2008, 06:58 PM
i agree with diluting the shampoo if you do it everyday, i don't think it would hurt. in my pre LHC days i did it all the time and my hair was at my tail bone. Sorry i don't have much more advice,my hair is opposite- always dry and frizzy