Help! I can't stop washing my hair!

[Rustella]

Hi everyone! I've been reading this forum for months and just started finally posting. I'm learning alot about taking better care of my hair. Now I just have to actually start following some of this advice! :p

Oh how am I to stop washing my hair every day? Even my hairdresser tells me I need to stop. I'm just so worried about it being greasy and lifeless. I put the shower cap on with good intentions, only to take it off and wash away. It's really mostly greasy right around my ears. My hair is too short for a scalp only wash. I did manage to stop washing it on Saturdays since we usually stay home, but if we go anywhere I wash away. I'm paranoid about the oilyness, and like that freshly styled look, but I know I must change my ugly habbits. How did any of you deal with this?


Side note: Don't ask me about my blowfryer. Y'all will have to pry that from my dead cold hands until my hair is long enough to put up again. :luke:

[zift]

I don't think someone has to stop a routine unless they believe it's unnecessary. If you really believe you should drop off the washing numbers ,just try harder:lol: If not keep washing but with softer methods forexample you can try CWC or CO or WO. As for my hair,it loves being washed and conditioned everyday,if it didn't take ages to dry I'd certainly wash it everyday. :)

[Xanthippe]

You could try diluting your shampoo instead of cutting down on washings - that is how I first started and it helped a lot. No need to stop with the blowdryer if you like it! :flower:

[Morticia]

I wash my hair with shampoo and conditioner every day or every other day. It works for me.

[squiggyflop]

when my hair was short i had to wash everyday... and i couldnt really use any conditioner until i passed shoulder length.. of course i was a greasy teenager at the time so no matter what i did i was greasy... infact im still covered with the grease of adolescence... still pimpley too... anyway there is very little you can do with short hair to extend in between washes but you should use diluted shampoo if you wash every day

[amaiaisabella]

I also support the motion that if you're going to wash your hair every day, CWC or CO is the way to go. Plus, a little extra moisture will better protect your hair against the beloved hair dryer! :)

[Shadow Walker]

I wash mine every single day, mostly because mine gets very greasy very fast, and I work with chemicals all day so I have to shower anyways. I've never had any issues with it, and my hair seems to be doing pretty good.

[terriej]

Why do you need to stop? I wash my hair every day, sometimes with conditioner only, but still every day.

[camillacamilla]

I was washing mine every day, but it was always a hassle because it took forever to dry. I now wash every other day. In the beginning it was pretty greasy the second day, but now it is fine and doesn't need washed until the third day.

[spidermom]

Save the first empty shampoo or conditioner bottle and shake up your shampoo with some warm water. You can dilute it quite a lot, and it will still clean your scalp/hair. Experiment.

[ReadingRenee]

I think sometimes the shorter your hair, the faster it can get greasy because the oil has less far to travel to soak the entire strand of hair. I wouldn't worry about it for now but I like spidermoms suggestion of diluting the shampoo, that sounds like something to try. Or Co'ing.

The longer my hair gets, the longer I can go without washing it. Thats been my experience. :)

[Shermie Girl]

I wash every day or every other day. Especially right now, while my hair is short. I use shampoo and conditioner, sometimes a CO wash, sometimes I use diluted shampoo. Washing your hair every day isn't evil. You need to do what is right for you and your hair. :D

[AJoifulNoise]

Another (just about) everyday washer, here. I echo the suggestions in this thread. Check out CO and diluting your shampoo. Every since I took up both of those my hair has been fabulous and I've been working from the same bottles of shampoo I bought almost a year ago!

Not everyone can stretch washes.

[Shermie Girl]

Not everyone can stretch washes.

You can say that, again! :D Even when my hair was past hip length, I couldn't go longer than about every other day between washings.

[nomadhome]

Along with others' suggestions of diluting, CO, CWC, etc., you can try covering your greasy roots on off-days. I use neat fabric headbands.

[littlemiss]

I washed every second day when first coming to LHC, but Iv just got comfortably in the routine of washing ever third day CWC, it was a slow process but my hair and ME are adapting quiet well now, sometimes on the 2nd day I CO. I think you just build up to it slowly thats what I did and gave the hair and me time to adapt. worked for me!! Good luck

[Rustella]

Thanks for your responses, everyone. I guess I had the wrong impression that everyone seemed to think that washing daily was bad for your hair. I have so much to learn! I just bought some VO5 since a lot of people here seem to think its good. I also used less shampoo and diluted it this morning and my hair seems just as clean. I will carry on with my daily washings of my greasy hair, but I am going to try to alternate with a CO wash. Tommorow will be my first CO wash. Wish me luck!

[spidermom]

Thanks for your responses, everyone. I guess I had the wrong impression that everyone seemed to think that washing daily was bad for your hair. I have so much to learn! I just bought some VO5 since a lot of people here seem to think its good. I also used less shampoo and diluted it this morning and my hair seems just as clean. I will carry on with my daily washings of my greasy hair, but I am going to try to alternate with a CO wash. Tommorow will be my first CO wash. Wish me luck!

You can put conditioner on your length before you wash your scalp with diluted shampoo for extra protection.

[j4zzin]

What about dry shampooing? I've heard of some people combing cornstarch through the greasy patches to soak up extra oil. Is it too drying?

[loves2spin]

I rarely blow-fry my hair anymore, but if I have to, I try to schedule it such that my hair has time to nearly dry and then finish up with the blow dryer. Less heat, and the results are just as good (for me). There is no need to stop washing your hair daily. Just be gentle, and diluting the shampoo is a good idea. Use as little as you can get by with. Daily washing makes it possible to get "clean" with less shampoo. When you get as old as me (pushing 60) you won't need to wash as often. I guarantee it! :)

[Periwinkle]

Could you get someone (or do it yourself) to cornrow braid your hair? You can leave them in for ages without washing or brushing and it looks really nice too. I have a friend who had a scalp problem a while ago and had to stop washing her hair with anything but just plain water for about a month and that was what she did (her scalp was sore, so she didn't want to brush either). Maybe forcing yourself not to wash for a couple of days will help.

You could also try putting your hair up when it's drying so that you don't blow-fry it...I often find that my hair's a lot easier to put into new styles when it's wet, so you could experiment with something new and leave it that way while it dries.