Adjustment time?

[FluffSpider]

I've been trying to stretch the time between my washes for some good months now... I wash it once a week. the wash day, and following 3-4 days after that are just dandy, then it gets greasy:confused:... Rumour has it that the hair will finally adjust, but how long does it take? I haven't seen any improvement in greasiness the past 2 months or so(first 2 months it was better by the wash)-I'm wondering how much is habit and how much genetics? How long did it take you to adjust to very long wash stretches?(bear in mind that I have a relatively oily scalp)

[Avital88]

I also tried washing once a week for 2 months and always on the 5th day my hair got really greasy!
Dryshampoo was my remedy, but i now am back to twice a week,because i didnt think it was going to adjust at all.
Maybe it takes longer than 2 months,but i couldnt stand it longer..

[FluffSpider]

I've been doing it for close to...well, half a year.started last summer.Dryshampoo is awkward to clean out, and I need massive amounts for days 6 and 7

[teela1978]

My hair never adjusted to sls free washes, co washes, water only washing, stretching washes, etc... it doesn't work for everyone.

[pepperminttea]

It might be easier to try it gradually, rather than all at once; so once your hair can go four days, try five, then six, and so on. Some peoples' scalps just don't adjust, but it's worth a try. :) I tried to stretch it to weekly washings six years ago, failed miserably, despite trying for nine months; my oily teenage scalp was having none of it. I tried WO for almost six months the following year; not my best idea, but a good attempt. Now however, my scalp's quite content being washed weekly, sometimes more or less by a day or two.

[Vorvolaka]

I'm another who just never adjusted to stretching washes. Every second day works for me, so I'll just be happy with that.

[KittyLost]

I could do twice a week, sometimes 3times a week when my hair was longer, now my hair can only last every other day before needing a wash, and on the rare occassion I straighten my hair it needs washed the next day. I used to be able to stretch a salon visit cut and blowdry 4days too but not anymore. I think it's due to my increased use of conditioner.

I think the products you use can sometimes effect how long you can go before needing to wash your hair as well as your hair being in the routine of being washed in so many days. And how much you handle your hair.

[spidermom]

My hair/scalp didn't adjust either, but I didn't give it a long time to do so. I got disgusted with a greasey, itchy scalp pretty quick. Washing (CWC) every 3 days (give/take a day) is just fine with me. Of course, maybe that is why I can always find plenty of split ends - who knows.

[Paula Auguste]

As a teenager, I washed once a week, except during summer, when a quick lake WO was sometimes thrown in.

Now, 15 years later, after a couple of wild years with harsh SLS-cone-laden-shampoos (which resulted in dry ends and a very oily scalp and every other day washing), I am back to once week. Just so, without training or adjusting. And, I get itchy scalp when I do not wash after 8 days.

So what I am going to say: do not force it. There are scalps out there which are very happy with weekly washing and others which need every two days. Every five days is a fine rhythm, so nothing to worry about. Just make sure you do not strip your hair too much.

[pinchbeck]

My hair/scalp didn't adjust either, but I didn't give it a long time to do so. I got disgusted with a greasey, itchy scalp pretty quick. Washing (CWC) every 3 days (give/take a day) is just fine with me. Of course, maybe that is why I can always find plenty of split ends - who knows.
My scalp gets itchy too and I get that white powdery stuff (not to be confused with dandruff). I cave in after five days and have decided to wash my hair twice per week.

[Juneii]

I manage to stretch my washes to every two days by putting my hair up in a bun and pinning all of my bangs out of the way. I struggled for a long while because my hair is so oily but I managed to "forget" to wash my hair and my scalp adjusted a little bit but it feels really gross by the end of the second day.

[Lianna]

I wash everyday and I love it. :cheese: I could probably go 3 days, but I live in a hot tropical climate, why would I want to walk around with a sweaty scalp?

Why do you find so necessary to stretch washes? The longer I go without wetting my head, my roots look oily and the ends dry.

[Juneii]

I wash everyday and I love it. :cheese: I could probably go 3 days, but I live in a hot tropical climate, why would I want to walk around with a sweaty scalp?

Why do you find so necessary to stretch washes? The longer I go without wetting my head, my roots look oily and the ends dry.

It reduces the amount of damage your hair will get. When I wash my hair I leave it down to air dry and it tangles easily when wet and gets caught on things. If I can cut down on the chances of it getting caught and ripped on something it will get less damaged and brittle. My scalp gets pretty sweaty and gross during hot days so I end up washing my hair every other day. It's not a big deal if you do or don't stretch your washes.

[MrsGuther]

I tried stretching washes to once a week, and it didn't work out for me that well. So I went back to washing about every 2 or three days. The greasies aggravate me too much! I want to enjoy my hair and not feel greasy for it! :) I think it's wonderful if people can "adjust" to the greasies that come along with stretching washes, but I can't stand it! My hair seems to get very tangled (even with careful finger combing) if I don't wash it every couple of days.

[Artsy]

As a teenager I was washing once a week, my hair was super greasy after day 3 or 4. It never adjusted over the 15 years and gave me bad breakouts on my skin. There is no way I would start stretching washes again. Some people just can't

[Noula]

When I started stretching washes intentionally I had already been washing every second or third day for a couple of years since my skin gets so dry from showering (I'd wash my hair every time I showered, I just didn't shower daily), I had a head start. I stopped using shampoo and started stretching washes at the same time so that might influence things a bit, but it took a month, a month and a half maybe, for the hair to stop getting oily after a few days and now it's not oily after a week so I could probably stretch it further.


On a side-note, I can't remember thinking my hair was greasy since I was in my late teens. When I switched to WO and started stretching washes it got *oily*, sure, but it never looked greasy to me. Maybe my scalp produces very little oil (could explain why my scalp is always dry), but I think it has as much to do with expectations as anything. These days my hair isn't oily after a week of not washing, I don't think it looks worse, it doesn't look dirty or anything, but it looks different and it doesn't look like it would freshly washed.

I think that if you're not prepared to have your hair look anything but freshly washed you might not be able to stretch washes more than a few days. Some people just produce a lot of oil, but you probably can't know your limit (as you define it) until you've been trying, gradually, for a long time. I've technically been stretching washes for years and it's still changing.

[FluffSpider]

Thank you for all the replies- The first times I started stretching, I noticed it would delay the greasies, and gave me more volume after the wash. Also, air-drying is a bit of a problem for me, so I also minimise heat damage this way.But I think 4-5 days is the most I'll ever get with my gene pool :p

[sibiryachka]

If you have an oily scalp, being able to stretch washes to every 4-5 days sounds pretty impressive to me! I can't go more than 3 days myself; the oily look and itching get intolerable if I go longer.

[phistash]

I tried to go WO two years ago, and it was an epic failure. I actually damaged my scalp in a couple of spots. I stuck with it for 2 months, but my scalp never did transition. I can go at most 3 days without washing, and in order to get that far, I have to wear my hair up for days 1 and 2, to keep it as clean as possible. If I wear my hair down on day 1, it will invariably be a greasy mess on day 2.

I CWC, though, and use shampoos that are sulfate free.

What works for one person may not work for another. I really do wish I could stretch washes, as I hate the hassle of it all, but I just can't get away with it. I can't even do CO washes.

I do, however, often wear head wraps on day 4 or 5, if I can't bother with washing.