Cold Water ?

[Branwen]

My father claimed recently that "cold water destroys hair". I had never heard that before (to the contrary, I read that cold water is good because it "closes" the hair, making it smoother).

Has anyone else heard of this ?

[marzipanthecat]

No, I have not heard that at all.

I found that rinsing my hair in cold water makes it rather nice and gives it an extra shine - I do like HOT water though, so I don't do it very often!

[vampodrama]

Haven't heard of it...

However, once upon a time I was forced to wash my hair with ice cold water for 5 months straight because the dorm I lived in didn't have warm water. I can't remember what it did to my hair, but it felt very, very awful anyway.

[Sunny_side_up]

I like to give my hair the occasional blast of cold water in the shower during the summer, its invigorating and refreshing.
I have read that it helps seal the cuticles of the hair shaft 'trapping moisture in the hair'
Read elsewhere that it constricts the opening of the sebaceous glands, helping moderate sebum production on the scalp.
Not something i do often really to notice any harm?!:bluesmile

[Branwen]

He claimed it would make the hair cells burst. But to my knowledge, it would only do that if it was below 4 degrees Celsius (or rather, if i used water of a slightly higher temperature while the surrounding temperature was between 4 and 0 degrees celsius, so the water would get cooled to that temperature while inside my hair), and the water doesn't get that cold. It also certainly isn't that cold in the bathroom.

Using some cold water as the last thing that runs through my hair before I get out of the shower is one of the few things I've still been doing, otherwise I haven't been very nice to my hair recently(no vinegar, no oils, often not even conditioner). My parents just don't get that my hair doesn't look as nice because i'm not doing enough for it, not because I'm not blowdrying it ...

[berr]

If frozen hair is bad, then I'm in deep doo-doo. I never dry my hair before going out. That means in the winter, too. I'll often arrive at work with my bun 'crispy' with ice or my braid will be frozen.

[Loreley]

I've heard it's good for hair... As you said, it makes hair smooth and adds extra shine. It works for me.

[Capybara]

Cold water makes my hair more shiny. I find, though, that the harder the water is, the worse it will feel (especially if it's cold.) It just coats my hair :eek:

I've only heard that cold water can be beneficial (i.e. a blast of old water at the end of a shower/washing, to seal the cuticle.) I've also heard that cold water directly on the scalp causes the scalp to not produce as much sebum the first day after the wash, and hot water causes the scalp to produce more sebum (maybe because it makes you sweat?) I don't know if this is true, though. My hair is shinier with cold water, but I don't have greasy hair when I use hot water.

[Liave Ekeli]

I've never heard that - on the contrary, I've also heard that cold water is good for hair and scalp. I'll occasionally finish off with a cold water rinse if I'm pampering my hair, and I think it makes it feel better...refreshed and 'lighter' sort of. I'm sure it's individual what effect cold water has on your hair, just as every other hair routine has individual effect, but I've never heard of cold water being damaging, and I've never noticed any more damage to my hair if I've used frequent cold water rinses. Just my two cents.

[xoxophelia]

Cold water would only be damaging if it freezes. When water freezes, it expands which yeah, could damage the fibers in your hair.

[Forever_Sophie]

I religiously do the cold water rinse at the very end of my shower, thank goodness for the hand held shower head! LOL

I heard it seals the hair shaft, so it'll be less prone to damage from towel drying, combing after, etc. I'm not positive it's done anything for me, but it can't hurt, and my hair stylists always confirm that it's great for hair.

[2peasinapod]

I heard it makes your hair shinier, and it works for me! :)

[walterSCAN]

He claimed it would make the hair cells burst. But to my knowledge, it would only do that if it was below 4 degrees Celsius (or rather, if i used water of a slightly higher temperature while the surrounding temperature was between 4 and 0 degrees celsius, so the water would get cooled to that temperature while inside my hair), and the water doesn't get that cold. It also certainly isn't that cold in the bathroom.

Using some cold water as the last thing that runs through my hair before I get out of the shower is one of the few things I've still been doing, otherwise I haven't been very nice to my hair recently(no vinegar, no oils, often not even conditioner). My parents just don't get that my hair doesn't look as nice because i'm not doing enough for it, not because I'm not blowdrying it ...

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the only way cold water could destroy the cells in your hair would be if it froze... And you can't very well rinse your hair in ice! :wink: I think you'll be fine with what you are doing with the cold water rinse.

May I ask why you haven't been using those things? (vinegar, etc?)

[Nilithyana]

I always rinse conditioner out with as cold of water as I can stand (even in the winter), and I have for years. My hair is in pretty good shape.

[Cirafly24]

I rinse with cold water at the end of almost every shower...it makes my hair shiny, and it seems to make my hair feel lighter and dry faster for some reason. I can't see how it could be harmful unless it froze on your hair.

[o0sarah0o]

does anybody wash their hair with only cold water? what did it do? I'm going to try it, just started this morning.

[Esme51]

I don't wash in cold water but I do like to condition and final rinse in cold water. I can tell a difference when I don't. If I rinse with warm water my hair will frizz more as it dries.

[tokidokichi]

The only water I let touch my hair is cold water. I like to baby my hair, and I'm trying to recover my damaged ends. I can definitly tell a differance since I stoped using warm water on my hair. I shampoo and rinse with cold water, then condition and rinse with VERY cold water. My hair is always shiny when it dries! :)

[o0sarah0o]

That sounds good. My hair felt a lot stronger and healthier after using only cold water. So this will be my new routine then.

[Aditi]

I usually do final wash of my hair with cold water so it closes the pores which warm water had opened.

[lilalong]

I had to wash my hair in completely cold water for a short period of time last winter (now fun!) and I've never had such glossy hair again like during that period.

[eternallyverdan]

I once spent 4 months living somewhere with no hot water at all, and my hair looked fine then, though I didn't notice that it looked particularly spectacular or anything. Like others have said, it's probably not an issue unless you actually let your hair freeze.

[09robiha]

Personally, I always heard that cold water was benefical for the hair as well as the skin and circulation. I cant stand it though. If I'm having a shower, I want my shower hot thank you very much, especially at 6 in the morning!!!
I'm always a little wary that if i did wash my hair in cold water, it would wash the conditoner out fully, and besides it never did anything for me as far as reducing tangles or adding shine.

[clairenewcastle]

Although I'd never wash my hair in cold water I've done a final rinse with cold water since the age of 15. Whether it makes my hair shinier or not, I don't know. With me it's a habit now.

[anrems]

Like many others have said, I always thought it was good for your hair, providing it wasn't freezing. I usually do a cool rinse on my hair before I get it out, and I've found that it makes my hair shinier :)

[aef231]

I'm another one who's only heard that it's beneficial. I usually give my hair a cool rinse at the end of a shower, I feel that it makes my hair a bit smoother and less likely to snag when I comb or brush it.

[Angela_Rose]

I've been cold-washing for years, even through brutal New England winters, and have yet to see my hair explode... so... I'm going to keep using nice cold water on my hair.