Trying not to wash...

[Messyhair]

Hi all you longhairs!

As I grow my waist-length hair back from an itty bitty pixie cut, I'm trying some new things to improve it even more. I've tried washing less often before and my hair gets so greasy!!! So I have some questions for all of you who don't wash daily.

1) How long did it take your hair to adjust to not being washed every day? My scalp has always been super oily, so I hope this changes.

2) What, if anything, do you use on your hair on your non-wash days?

3) How often do you wash your hair?

Today is day 3 (day 1 being wash day) and my scalp hair is extremely oily. Unforunately, my hair hates a BBB, so I'm not sure what to use to help it out. Thanks in advance for the info!

ETA: In addition to my hair being extremely stringy, my scalp is flaking like mad today!! This is gross and scary... is this normal? And is it normal that my hair is still super greasy starting the day after I wash it, considering I've only been washing every second day for months?

[ravenreed]

My hair never got used to stretching washes and using a BBB on my scalp makes that area look oily even if I just washed. I switched to CO and switched to washing every 2 -3 days, but I don't go longer. The SLS was causing rebound oiliness so going CO helped cut down how oily my hair gets.

[spidermom]

Trying to wash my hair less often made me miserable. I believe in washing my hair whenever it needs to be washed. When the scalp area gets oily, I oil the rest of my length, comb it all through very thoroughly, braid, and then wash my hair the next morning.

Try diluting your shampoo in some water when you wash. This will clean without stripping.

[ReadingRenee]

I wasn't able to stretch my washings to 7 days until it was waist length. I got to 3 or 4 days when it was below APL. I think just the longer it is, the longer you can go without washing. That was the way it was for me anyway.

There was a little adjustment period but my hair did eventually get used to being washed less. :)

[Katze]

well, for years and years I washed every other day, then wondered why my hair was always breaking and dry. As a finehair, every 3 days is about max for me - more often and my hair gets dry.

In your case I suspect some dermatological issue could be the case, since you describe what does sound like an unusually oily scalp and a bad dandruff problem. Do you dye or bleach or straighten your hair? I would consider going to a doctor in your case.

Do you use a lot of leave-ins, products, etc?

I always had a very oily scalp and dry length/ends so I washed with harsh shampoos and did not use conditioners, in the hopes that this would help. It didn't, of course. I had severe dandruff/SD, but dry strawlike ends. Ultimately, stopping bleaching and dyeing helped, as did cutting off most of the damage and doing weekly SMTs.

The other thing was getting used to my hair *feeling* different. Could it be that you are used to your hair being squeaky clean?

What about a WO wash? Getting hair wet is not always good for it, but a nice WO wash always gets my hair clean for a couple of days - not as much as sulfate washing does but in a nice moisturized way so that day 2 hair is often very good hair.

hope something here helps!

[spidermom]

Just wanted to add that my hair needs to be washed about every 4 days, with water rinses between washes because I work out and get sweaty.

[JamieLeigh]

When you wash often with shampoo, your scalp works overtime to produce more sebum, so that it can try to maintain a good balance on your head....so when you stop shampooing everyday, you're going to be oilier for awhile because your scalp hasn't figured out yet that it doesn't need to produce so much oil. If that makes sense to you.

Your scalp will eventually get used to the difference and even itself out, but for some people it can take weeks and for others, months. A lot of people aren't willing to wait that long. I took the plunge, and found it to be totally worth the routine change, but then again my hair is long enough to be worn up daily, so the increased oiliness didn't bother me as much as it would someone with shorter length.

Congrats on having a length goal! And I wish you much luck in getting back to waist. :flower:

[LadyLongLocks]

As my hair got longer I wash it less.
At classic I was washing it every 3rd day and shampooing it 3 times! (bad)
I did this for years since I maintained my hair here for a long time.I always use conditioner after.
Then I started washing it less when I learned more and my hair got longer.
I was overdoing it and my hair was too dry at the ends.
I gradually stretched out the washing and cut way back on the shampoos at each wash.
I now wash every 6 days and only shampoo one time. If I feel the need to shampoo twice I only do the scalp area the second time.
The shampoo only runs down the length ONCE.
My hair does start to get oily on the 4th day, but I wait it out.
In between washing I condition the last 12-18" in the sink. I don't do it daily, only when it feels it needs it and more in the winter.
I also spray the length with conditioner and water mist between shampoos.
I have finally come to a balance of what the ends can take and the scalp needs!
Less washing also means less wear and tear from combing and just handling the hair in general.

[Anje]

My hair has never been extremely oily, but for me, the process of stretching washes has been as simple as washing my hair when it needs it, not before. If it's looking oily 2 days post-wash, I wash again, always using a mild method like CO.

I've found that my oil production varies considerably with the seasons. This also makes it easier on me and my hair to wash when needed rather than on a schedule. Typically, that's about a wash every 3 days in the winter, and maybe once a week in the summer.

[bumblebums]

I successfully transitioned from washing every other day to washing once a week, with a water-only rinse four days after a wash. I have been on this regimen for about three months now.

It took a month to adjust from washing every other day to washing once a week. I did it gradually, by adding a day between washes every week.

What helps:

- Wearing my hair up as much as possible. If I think it's getting a bit smelly and I don't have time to wash, I massage some lavender oil into the scalp, and it takes care of the smell (and, strangely, of the grease).
- Using gentler washing methods. I haven't touched shampoo since October. I no longer use conditioner, either. If you don't want to give those up, perhaps look for a shampoo without Sodium Lauryl/eth Sulphate. They have gentler alternatives at natural foods stores. You can also skip a wash every so often in favor of a water-only rinse; it is surprisingly effective at reviving the hair.
- Not using a brush. I used a BBB until I came to LHC but then realized that it was not doing my hair or my scalp any favors. It makes the scalp greasier, and it makes the length frazzled and tears my hair. So I only comb with a wooden comb now, and as infrequently as possible.
- Not massaging the scalp. Massaging has the same effect as brushing for me, so I gave it up.

In general, handle the hair as little as possible, wear it up, and if it needs a rinse, rinse it.

[misspriss]

I only wash about every 5-7 days now. I can only do this with CO washing.

I wear my hair up almost all the time, and you don't tend to notice the scalp as much when it is up.

It's very dependent on the person, some people can stretch, some can't. I would reccomend trying CO washing, varying CO washing with shampoo, or doing WO washes between shampoos.

[Kris Dove]

Dry shampoo (I use Lee Stafford's) helped me transition from every day to every other day. I can now get away without using it on day 2 so long as my hair is up, and sometimes even make day 3 so long as I do use the dry shampoo.

Also, try using another (wet) shampoo for washing your hair... my hair can go longer without a wash using my Lush shampoos, than it can using my Original Source coconut shampoo where a wash only seems to last a day.

[Benjamin_T]

So far, I've been consistently washing mine everyday. (But I don't recommend it.)

For the case of my hair, it seems to be perfectly alright, although it does indeed get dry like weed.

[Medievalmaniac]

I C-W-C once a week, with an occasional CO on a second day if I need to. Mostly, yes, my hair gets oily, but I wear it up all of the time so that's not such a problem for me.

1) How long did it take your hair to adjust to not being washed every day? My scalp has always been super oily, so I hope this changes.

My hair gets oily about two days into the time period, butI also work out, so I'm not sure of this one.

2) What, if anything, do you use on your hair on your non-wash days?

I alternate between coconut oil, olive oil, and Nightblooming's anointing oil, which is a wonderful mix of herbs that smells great. Just a little bit of each.

3) How often do you wash your hair?

once a week.

[Messyhair]

Ick, I had to give in and wash today because of all the flakes. I managed to loosen most of them off my scalp, but I had to use a brush to do it and that plastered my oily hair against my head even more.

Shampooing my hair every day doesn't do it any harm, I just want to have to wet my hair less because it takes too long to dry. Unfortunately, that makes water-only washes no good for me, either. :( I once tried CO washings when my hair was long before and it left my scalp super greasy. I'm guessing it takes a while to adjust to CO, too..?

[tralalalara]

1) How long did it take your hair to adjust to not being washed every day?
I don't know, I started out by not showering out of laziness or necessity(waking up late so I throw it into a dutch braid). But then I realized my hair felt really dry on wash days and still looked good down on the second day.
Now I CWC.

2) What, if anything, do you use on your hair on your non-wash days?
I use my BBB in small sections and I lift the sections so it doesn't flatten my hair out.

3) How often do you wash your hair?
Every 2-3 days (I'm trying to stretch it more.)

[countryhopper]

I used to wash daily with shampoo. My hair was super oily if I didn't. I haven't used shampoo or conditioner since Nov 1,09. It took a good 2 weeks for my scalp to adjust. During that time I washed with an egg and that took care of the waxy greasies. I now use about 1 tablespoon baking powder dilluted it 1 cup warm water and apply to my scalp. I massage that in, rinse, and rinse again using brewed tea (I use lemon or black). i now only was twice a week (Thursdays and Sundays). If I have any greasies between washings I use a little cornstarch to soak up the excess. Just apply it to your hands as if you were a gymnast and run your fingers through your scalp hair. I also like doing this because it makes my fine hair feel much thicker.

[Monsterkitti]

I wash every 7 days or so, soemtimes more, sometimes less depending on how it feels and if I have a special occasion I was clean hair for.

I clean my scalp with shampoo and then condition the ends. I stretched the time between washes gradually so I didnt get overly oily really.

[elina333]

1) How long did it take your hair to adjust to not being washed every day? My scalp has always been super oily, so I hope this changes.

I've never washed my hair everyday.

2) What, if anything, do you use on your hair on your non-wash days?

Sometimes I use dry schampoo, if I feel like I cant leave the house with such oily hair :p

3) How often do you wash your hair?

Every 2-4 days depending on my schedule and what Im doing.

Good luck! ;)

[funnyface]

How are you drying your hair? I find leaving it in a towel to dry rather than having it air dried makes it more oily. I'm a once every three or four days kinda girl. On holiday I won't wash it at all!

Could you wrap it up in a scarf and just leave it on your day off? Eventually it will just adjust to the new routine, I totally agree with the poster who said about shampoo stripping your hair of sebrum so that it goes into overdrive trying to compensate. What shampoo are you using?

xxx

[Svenja]

It's funny. I used to wash my hair every second day. Monday-Wednesday-Friday, then Monday again (unless I was doinf something important over the weekend). So Monday i washed, and yesterday i thought "wow my hair's not yet flat and oily", so i wore it down (usually it's already up on Tuesdays) and this morning I combed it and thought, it does not need a wash either! So I am wearing it in a ponytail. How weird... i don't know what happened there. Usually on Wednesdays my hair's already all oil and icky...

[krn2891]

It took me a long time to strech out my washing to once ever 7 days. For about 6 months I had to wear my hair up on Day 5 and Day 6 but now Its fine. ALthough there is still one week a month were my oil production goes crazy, not sure if anyone else here has noticed that. During that week my hair just stays in a braid to make my life a little bit easier.

[Sammich]

I think the routine is very slowingly working for me...
I used to wash about 3 times a week, it'd get so horrible on the second day I couldn't stand it! :p so I had to put it up on the one greasy day. My hair gets greasy very easily... but since I switched to SLS free and cone free, it seems like it's working. :D SLOWLY. A month now.
I'm now on 2 times a week... and then I'mma try next week or the week after to once a week.
Sundays and wednesdays for me! ;) There is hope!

[phistash]

I did the full recommended 8 weeks of water-only last year, and it never worked. My hair has never transitioned like everyone said it would. I can go three days max between washes. Days 1 and 2 I wear it down, and day 3 I brush it carefully with a bbb and wear it up in some nice twist with a hair stick. I used to wear scarves all of the time, but they really hurt my poor head, even tied loosely, so I only wear them once in a while. I use all-natural shampoos, shampoo bars, conditioners, sometimes baking soda and water, all manner of things. I try not to use the same thing for too long, since I get buildup otherwise. I'm trying to get my hair to last for 4 days, but it just gets so greasy! It's so frustrating!
Anyway, your hair may never "transition".

[GoddesJourney]

I don't use any styling or dying products in my hair, but my scalp reacted exactly like yours when I tried to wash even every other day. What eventually helped me was that I switched to a no cone/no sulphate S/C regime. This is infinitely gentler on my hair and scalp. My hair was quite happy with it because I could wash every day and be way happier with it. Over time, I started noticing that my scalp was less oily and that it wasn't really so bad on the days that I was late washing. About a week ago, I sarted CO. Last night I did my first shampooing with diluted, suphate-free shampoo. Honestly the CO cleaned the scalp better. Mostly, I'm just trying to find a way to cut down on product and time because I'm within 60 days of leaving for the military. For you, I would suggest a path similar to mine. Do it gently and slowly so that your scalp doesn't just rebel. That's the last thing you need.

[Messyhair]

How are you drying your hair? I find leaving it in a towel to dry rather than having it air dried makes it more oily. I'm a once every three or four days kinda girl. On holiday I won't wash it at all!

Could you wrap it up in a scarf and just leave it on your day off? Eventually it will just adjust to the new routine, I totally agree with the poster who said about shampoo stripping your hair of sebrum so that it goes into overdrive trying to compensate. What shampoo are you using?

xxx

I just pat my hair dry with a towel, detangle it, and let it air dry. I don't put a towel on my head at all. I use some diluted Pantene shampoo and give myself a nice scalp scritching before washing (which I'd been neglecting, so I assume that's what led to the flaky build up). I can't really wrap it up when I have to work, but I'd be okay to do it for the next two weeks of maternity leave. I think putting it up should help with the oilies. Or at least help me to ignore the oilies.

Today is day 3 and my hair is in MUCH better shape! Maybe it's finally adapting! Yesterday it was great - my husband even commented that it looked like freshly washed and styled hair. Wow, he never comments on my hair! Maybe that batch of flaky scalp was a final shed of offending skin cells and it signalled my hair's transition to every second day washings? It was really horrible - so much skin came off! EWWW!

[Katze]

Ick, I had to give in and wash today because of all the flakes. I managed to loosen most of them off my scalp, but I had to use a brush to do it and that plastered my oily hair against my head even more.

Shampooing my hair every day doesn't do it any harm, I just want to have to wet my hair less because it takes too long to dry. Unfortunately, that makes water-only washes no good for me, either. :( I once tried CO washings when my hair was long before and it left my scalp super greasy. I'm guessing it takes a while to adjust to CO, too..?

How do you know shampoo isn't harming your hair? The flakes seem like a warning signal to me...


I just pat my hair dry with a towel, detangle it, and let it air dry. I don't put a towel on my head at all. I use some diluted Pantene shampoo and give myself a nice scalp scritching before washing (which I'd been neglecting, so I assume that's what led to the flaky build up). I can't really wrap it up when I have to work, but I'd be okay to do it for the next two weeks of maternity leave. I think putting it up should help with the oilies. Or at least help me to ignore the oilies.

Today is day 3 and my hair is in MUCH better shape! Maybe it's finally adapting! Yesterday it was great - my husband even commented that it looked like freshly washed and styled hair. Wow, he never comments on my hair! Maybe that batch of flaky scalp was a final shed of offending skin cells and it signalled my hair's transition to every second day washings? It was really horrible - so much skin came off! EWWW!

oh, you're PREGNANT! That explains quite a lot! Mine was much much oilier at the beginning of pregnancy, then settled down (and was nicer, and thicker, than it had eer been before). Hormones do a lot of weird things, could this be the root of your problem? :)

[Messyhair]

Ah, I never thought of the hormone changes affecting my hair's ability to adapt to less frequent washing! I'm actually post-partum now, but maybe that's why it took so freaking long for my scalp to give up oiling me up so much... I've used Pantene before with no problems, and this was the first time this massive flake invasion happened. I'm on day 3 hair now with nowhere near the oil and zero flakes - I definitely had some strange issues last time. Hopefully they'll stay under control now.

Every second day washing for me!! YAY!!!! I'm so excited! Maybe I'll be able to stretch it out even more as time goes on. I picked up some new leave-in conditioner yesterday to try out when I wash tonight. We'll see if it's a keeper or not - I'm trying to find myself a better routine.