How can anyone stand washing their hair with cold water?

[Schrei777]

I know it's much healthier to rinse your hair with cool water, but how can anyone stand it in the winter? Even when it's luke warm water it feels freezing cold to me. And I never blow dry my hair and it takes forever to dry, so I constantly have ice cold water dripping on me. How do you guys stand it?

[ellisbell]

I have a hand held shower attachment and that is the only way I can stand it. It works really great and I don't even really feel the cold water at all.

[Schrei777]

I have a hand held shower attachment and that is the only way I can stand it. It works really great and I don't even really feel the cold water at all.

Me too, but no matter how far I lean back, I end up ice cold, and I am someone who hardly ever gets cold :confused:

[ellisbell]

I rinse my hair upside down, so maybe that would work because at that angle the water only hits my hair. You could also get out of the tub/shower grab a towel and lean over upside down to rinse, that would get even less water on you.

[moon2dove]

I stopped using a cold rinse on my hair now it's winter time.. Tooooo cold Brrrr!!

[Amber_Maiden]

Won't even do it in the summer!!!! NO WAY! BRRRR

[pepperminttea]

I only do a cold final rinse, not the whole shebang, but I just arch my back. :shrug: I couldn't do it with a fixed shower head, but with a hand-held I don't find it any problem. It might just be because I'm used to it though.

[Dragon Faery]

I take very hot showeRs in winter, as it's FREEZING here. But if I overheat in the shower, I'll do a cool (not really cold) final rinse. Otherwise I'll just make the water a few degrees cooler for the final rinse.

In summer, a cooler shower sometimes feels good, as it's HOT here in the summer. But I will never be a true cold-water girL

[darkrose]

When I'm in Florida, I use cold water. However in England I will never do that, I hate the cold. I love my hair, but not that much to use cold water in winter! :)

[UP Lisa]

To my knowledge, there is no valid reason to rinse the hair in cold water. Therefore, I refuse to freeze.

[almond]

I only do that when I wash my hair over the sink, and even then I don't rinse my scalp with the cold water, just the length. That way my hair can get some of the benefits of cold water rinse, but I won't freeze.

[Georgies]

My hair much, much shinier if I do a cool water rinse for just 30 seconds or so. It's worth it if the shower head is angled just right. I often have to skip it when traveling because of the freeze factor, but at home I have the shower dialed.

[Mayflower]

I always step into the shower with my hair in a bun and wash my body (with the detachable showerhead) with very hot water. Then when I'm heated up I wash my hair -not just the final rinse- with cool or cold water. I just do that to not get dandruff from an over-dry scalp, and to prevent my colour from fading.

[Madora]

I use a handheld device and rinse in the bent at the waist position. The cold water is only used for the last rinse (and it is good for your hair because it closes the cuticles which were raised when I was shampooing with hot/warm water).

On a separate note: Schrei777, I use an Egyptian cotton towel on my wet hair, like so:

Bend at the waist and bring all hair in front of me.
Hold towel vertically and wrap it around hair
Using the palms of my hands, press them gently down the towel to remove excess water

Pin towel around my head and let sit for 10 minutes, then take it off.

I've written an article on gentle, quick air drying which can be found in the Articles area (see grey menu bar, above)..look under "Hairstyling".

[Oksana]

I only ever do a cool rinse in the summer, sorry hair but I hate the cold.

[vampodrama]

About 10 years ago I lived in uni dorms where there was no warm water for 8 months. Only freezing cold. After that experience I refuse to wash my hair (or anything else) in cold or even cool water. The feeling of my brain freezing from the cold water is forever etched into my memory. Never again.

[HairFaerie]

I have used hot water on my hair my whole life and I have had shiny, healthy hair. I see absolutely no reason to use cold water unless you just plain old like it! If you like it, go for it. If you don't....there is no reason to!

In the summer I might take the occasional cooler shower because it's so darned hot, but it's not for my hair, it's for my whole body to cool down.

[Kamama]

I also have difficulty with cold rinses in cooler or cold weather. I wish I could stand it, because it does make my hair seem much shinier! I try to not use hot water on my hair though, just warm.

My hair texture seems to be more and more wavy in texture in recent years, so the shine is more important now. I like the new texture but miss the regular shine. Still pretty happy to have hair due to thyroid issues!

[ellisbell]

I have used hot water on my hair my whole life and I have had shiny, healthy hair. I see absolutely no reason to use cold water unless you just plain old like it! If you like it, go for it. If you don't....there is no reason to!

In the summer I might take the occasional cooler shower because it's so darned hot, but it's not for my hair, it's for my whole body to cool down.
It actually helps to close the cuticle,just like rinsing with cool water or a toner helps to close your pores. Rinsing with cool water is a part of the curly girl method and tons of curlies and wavies use this method as a tried and true way to prevent frizz and encourage clumping. For me, rinsing with cold water has greatly reduced frizzy hair and I have seen a huge improvement with the look of my waves.

It may not be for you but there is tons of evidence that rinsing with cold to cool water makes a tangible difference in a lot of peoples hair.

[Amazinggrace]

I use a handheld shower, and bend at the wiast so my body doesn't get drenched in cold water.

A cold rinse really helps the shine for my hair.

[DarkSky]

I do a cold rinse with my hair/head hanging upside down. Without a detachable shower head I wouldn't be able to do it... No way!!

[LovingLife]

In the same way I stand arm aches from scalp massage :)
By envisioning long beautiful dream hair sprouting from my head :)

[Gothchiq]

I cut back to just warmish rather than hot. No cold water for me. Gah.

[bouclée]

I've been doing a last cold rinse for years, but I always wash my hair with my head upside down, so it helps a lot.
Where I currently live, there is no hot water so I don't have a choice, it's cold water only, for hair and body. And even if it's still about 18-20°C in the morning, it does feel cold!
I don't know if I will be brave enough to go on with cold hair washes when I will be living in a country with cold weather and hot water again though...

[RapunzelKat]

I manage this by using REALLY hot water to warm myself up before I do my cold rinse (I just hold my hair out of the way). Then I use cool/cold water to do just the final rinse on my hair. I lean back and mostly concentrate on the length.

It is a bit uncomfortable, but it does have a nice smoothing effect on my hair. And anything that makes my tangles easier to deal with is worth it :D :D

[Jessibear2854]

Won't even do it in the summer!!!! NO WAY! BRRRR
Me, either. I'm always cold and the shower is the only chance I get to be truly warm :)

[cheetahfast]

Tub washing makes it easier.

Though I do not wash in cold water, I just use it as a rinse at the end.
I think I read on here that shampoo and conditioner are designed to be used in warm water :shrug:.

[Buffy]

I don't only rinse, i actually wash my hair exclusively with cool water! I find it soothing and refreshing!

[spidermom]

I have a hand-held thingie, which makes it easy. But really - I've noticed no particular difference between results of rinsing in warm water and rinsing in cold. So I keep it warm. I do avoid hot water on my hair, although I like moderately hot showers. I keep my hair out of the spray when I use hotter water.

[summerstarlet]

I wash in cold water all year. Apart from making my hair easier to detangle, it makes it so much shinier. It's also good for my skin because I have KP and it helps to keep the redness down. I find it easier to wash in cold water because getting out of the shower isn't such a shock.

[Johannah]

I just can stand it, don't know why. I don't got a problem with it. In summer I always shower with cold water :')

[HairFaerie]

It actually helps to close the cuticle,just like rinsing with cool water or a toner helps to close your pores. Rinsing with cool water is a part of the curly girl method and tons of curlies and wavies use this method as a tried and true way to prevent frizz and encourage clumping. For me, rinsing with cold water has greatly reduced frizzy hair and I have seen a huge improvement with the look of my waves.

It may not be for you but there is tons of evidence that rinsing with cold to cool water makes a tangible difference in a lot of peoples hair.

Sorry, I am not trying to be difficult or argumentative, but I just never understood this theory. I want to understand it, really I do.

Let's say you rinse with hot water...the cuticle opens briefly - I can understand that. But, as soon as you step out of the shower and your hair goes back to room temperature and cuticle closes to it's original state. Same as if you used cold water. The cuticle will still open when wet, rather it's hot, warm or cold water.

I was under the impression that water in general (hot, cold, or warm) is what changes the structure of the hair.

Once your hair is completely dry, unless it is damaged from other things (dye, bleach, heat styling, etc.) the cuticle will close. I just don't see how normal hot/cold water can affect that. It's not like people are putting boiling water on their hair...that would probably not be a good idea. But regular shower temperature (even if on the hot side) shouldn't be a problem.

Hair dye REALLY opens cuticles. That's what allows the color to be absorbed. But water? I certainly don't think it is opening it that much and the degree of how much it opens from hot vs.cold water is probably miniscule.

There is no scientific evidence that supports the cold water theory, but hey, if people believe it works...go for it!


ETA:
Also, I don't think you can compare skin with hair (cuticles/pores)...they are two completely different things. The skin works in a totally different way and has a different function on the body.

But, if a comparison was made with skin...if you open the pores with hot water, as soon as it reaches room temperature again, the pores close. They don't stay open forever.

[kaned_ferret]

I LOVE doing the final wash-out and rinse with ice-cold water, even now in winter :) I have supe hot showers, the room gets all hot like a sauna, then I just flip over and do the scalp and hair with the handheld on ice cold. Then I wrap it in a towel on top of my head, stick the heat back up to hot for a lovely last hot blast on my bod, and done :) It's worked wonders for my hair and scalp, plus it just makes me feel so invigorated!

[kaiakai]

I LOVE doing the final wash-out and rinse with ice-cold water, even now in winter :) I have supe hot showers, the room gets all hot like a sauna, then I just flip over and do the scalp and hair with the handheld on ice cold. Then I wrap it in a towel on top of my head, stick the heat back up to hot for a lovely last hot blast on my bod, and done :) It's worked wonders for my hair and scalp, plus it just makes me feel so invigorated!

I agree, and also find there is a bit of inertia to it; when I do cold rinses regularly I start to crave it and the shower doesn't feel complete without it. Speaking of saunas, I'm actually back in Estonia and just had my first sauna since last year.... Ahhhh! Of course I finished with a nice cold full body rinse ;)

[coffinhert]

I take all hot shower, rinse my conditioner out iwth hot water. Then I pour a little vinegar in and rinse that out with cool water. Then I put my hair up in a claw clip and finish the rest of my shower with hot water. By the time I step out, my hair in the clip isn't dripping anymore, since I haven't put it under the shower since the brief cold rinse. I definitely have to follow the cold water to the head with warm water on the rest of my body tho, or brr! But finishing it hot seems ot take care of it for me.

[ellisbell]

Sorry, I am not trying to be difficult or argumentative, but I just never understood this theory. I want to understand it, really I do.

Let's say you rinse with hot water...the cuticle opens briefly - I can understand that. But, as soon as you step out of the shower and your hair goes back to room temperature and cuticle closes to it's original state. Same as if you used cold water. The cuticle will still open when wet, rather it's hot, warm or cold water.

I was under the impression that water in general (hot, cold, or warm) is what changes the structure of the hair.

Once your hair is completely dry, unless it is damaged from other things (dye, bleach, heat styling, etc.) the cuticle will close. I just don't see how normal hot/cold water can affect that. It's not like people are putting boiling water on their hair...that would probably not be a good idea. But regular shower temperature (even if on the hot side) shouldn't be a problem.

Hair dye REALLY opens cuticles. That's what allows the color to be absorbed. But water? I certainly don't think it is opening it that much and the degree of how much it opens from hot vs.cold water is probably miniscule.

There is no scientific evidence that supports the cold water theory, but hey, if people believe it works...go for it!


ETA:
Also, I don't think you can compare skin with hair (cuticles/pores)...they are two completely different things. The skin works in a totally different way and has a different function on the body.

But, if a comparison was made with skin...if you open the pores with hot water, as soon as it reaches room temperature again, the pores close. They don't stay open forever.
I wasn't saying that hair and skin are the same but trying to demonstrate a similar principle as it is not a good idea to wash your skin in hot water and go about your day or put makeup on. Of course the pores eventually close but people with acne will tell you that using a toner or astringent is beneficial to prevent pores from getting clogged.

With hair, using cold water helps to seal the hair shaft (http://www.ehow.com/info_8505747_process-seal-hair-cuticles.html) this is why some people experience decreased frizz. This article does cite a journal article and there are various other articles citing doctors and other journals. You can use other methods to seal the cuticle but like I said using cold to cool water is a part of the curly girl method and it is not just used to seal the hair but also create better clumps for the curls to form.

Again it may not work for you but a lot of people have seen benefits, including myself. I think that it is somewhat dismissive to claim there is no evidence to this method despite that fact many of us have seen an extreme difference in their hair after rinsing with cold water. As I said previously my hair is super frizzy and has terrible curl formation if I leave out the cold water rinse and this is evidence enough that it works for me.

[akilina]

i dont turn it on ICE cold. i just turn it down so its not hot but not cold cold. i dont mind it and i kinda lean back so it just hits my hair. i like to do it to seal the cuticle. or maybe even rinse it after youre out of the shower.

[dwell_in_safety]

I shower with very warm/hot water throughout most of my shower, slowly turning it to lukewarm as I scrub my scalp. I'll usually then either end it with a blast of ice water if I'm doing a WO wash or slather on the conditioner, fill the tub with hot water and have a nice bath before standing back up and rinsing out the conditioner.

Usually the hot/warm water at first raises my body temperature enough that the blast of cold water actually feels good at the end. I lean enough that it doesn't get anywhere on my body except my scalp, and when it's too cold outside for any cold to be all that pleasant I'll grab my length and hold it away from my body until I can get it wrapped up in a t-shirt.

[Darkessa]

I LOVE the way my hair feels when I rinse with cold/lukewarm water. But I just get SO COLD.
I need to train myself to stand the cold... I just cant bring myself to do it...
SO COLD:no:

[MoreWhenNuh]

I use the handheld shower attatchment and try not to get any cold water on my body. I think the cold water feels great on my scalp but not on my back. Then I'll usually blast the hot water right after to warm up, leaving my hair out. I like the idea of getting out and leaning over the tub for the cold rinse.

[Carissamarie08]

I do it sometimes...I will just rinse real quick in the cold water then take my head out of it and turn the hot water back on to get the warm cozy feeling again haha

[Mina17]

I do a final cold water rinse after I wash my hair. In the winter I kneel outside the tub, similar to washing in the sink, so I don't get cold water on the rest of my body. In hotter weather I just lean back in the shower as I don't mind getting some cold water on my back then.

There might not be evidence that it is beneficial, but I also have less frizz and more shine when I do cold water rinses.

[Darkessa]

I use the handheld shower attatchment and try not to get any cold water on my body. I think the cold water feels great on my scalp but not on my back. Then I'll usually blast the hot water right after to warm up, leaving my hair out. I like the idea of getting out and leaning over the tub for the cold rinse.

I need a handheld.... Bad.
For that I need money to remodel the bathroom.

But... THANK YOU for mentioning the leaning over the tub... For some reason I hadnt thought of that.

[jeanniet]

I've never seen a bit of difference between cold and warm rinses, so I do warm. Freezing my fanny off isn't my idea of fun. ;)

[Jeno86]

I only do a cold final rinse, not the whole shebang, but I just arch my back. :shrug:

basically what I do. I take warm showers so then the transition to cold isn't as bad.

[Revontuletar]

I don't even do it in summer!

[Fufu]

I do a 5 to 10 seconds cold rinse after rinsing out the conditioner :)

[AnimaSola3o4]

I'm a weirdo that actually prefers cool water, with a cold rinse after. In fact, when my brother and I (twins) were little, our mom used to bathe us together. But when I started throwing fits because the water was too hot (and there was no compromise, as my brother wanted it hot), she had to stop doing that.

But frankly IMHO, cool water rinses are overrated. I don't notice my hair behaves any differently if I happen to wash in warmer water or cooler water. :shrug:

[AnimaSola3o4]

To those of you having trouble with the thought of cold water rinses, what about spraying your hair with cold water after you get out of the shower? You could control more where it goes. And you could be in your nice warm bathrobe, so that the water won't hit your body. I personally love the way cold water feels on my scalp, but I think this could be a good compromise.

[Tapioca]

It helps if you scream.

[Herb]

A little while back, cold water running down my spine felt terrible. But I've gotten pretty used to it. It kind of feels good now.:p

[beautifulending]

I do a cool/lukewarm rinse in the winter I just can't do a cold rinse I'd die haha.:D but in the summer I do a cold rinse/shower(I live where it's really hot so I love me a cold shower in the summer)

[zombi]

I too use the handheld shower and either lean sideways and rinse the hair out that way or, I put it on cool -- but not COLD -- and arch my back to rinse out. In the winter I opt for cool often because it's just too plain cold.

I got in the habit of this when I used hella bright vegetable dyes because the cold water did help to preserve the colour. Now I henna I geuss I don't NEED it but I'm used to it and it seems my hair feels nicer when I do? Maybe it's only in my mind.

[Schrei777]

Wow thanks for all the great replies guys :D. Lots of great ideas, but it seems like for the most part Ill just have to bear with it because I do love how much better my hair feels with cool water. At least I have a detachable shower head, don't think Id be able to otherwise.

[sun-kissed]

It took me a while to get used to it, but I actually started ENJOYING cold showers in the morning. It felt good to not have the bathroom fill with steam, and my skin/hair really seems to like it, as does my family since we only have *so* much hot water for morning showers. :p

Of course, now that it's winter time, taking a freezing cold shower is literally insane. ;) So I've started taking warm showers, and then on wash-days I stand outside the tub and wash my hair upside-down under the cold water, with both heaters running full-blast.

[W2]

I need to rinse my legs with cold water in the winter anyways or they dry out completely - so using cold water on the hair is just one more thing. I do it upside down, squeese the water out and put it in a towel right away - then oiling my legs and arms before toweling my body - well, don't, just put a towel around.

[KwaveT]

I wash with slightly cool or slightly warm water. I do a cold rinse on my hair at the end of the shower. Being a little cold doesn't bother me since I just lightly towel my head and let my body drip dry. I notice my body heat eventually warms and dries me anyway in about five minutes.

[vanillabones]

I always rinse in cold, I stopped doing it for awhile in early fall and I notice a difference. I stand towards where the water starts streaming out of the shower head, under it, as if about to get out of the shower, and dip my head back into the cold stream. I then stand on the other side as far back from where the stream ends as possible and rinse off my face in the cold (it closes the pours and gets rid of the redness, my face used to be bright red when I'd get out of the shower but doesn't this way). I notice a difference in my hair, it looks shinier and has less tangles and flyaways for me. I get really sweaty so maybe this is why I don't mind it at all, not even in the winter. I just hate getting out of the shower in the winter because you get that rush of cold because your body is wet BRRR

[Monkey962]

As some others have suggested, I use a hand held shower head thing. I wash my hair upside down so that thing's is pretty necessary for me anyway. When I do my cold rinse, I only rinse the length, and maybe occasionally I'll get the scalp wet. It's always the last thing I do so I'm sure to lean back so the cold hair doesn't freeze to my back until I can get a towel on me.

[RapunzelsMaiden]

I wash my hair with cold water so that it can be nice and shiny :D I couldn't stnad the cold water at first but if you get your mind off of it and concentrate on something else it really helps. It's difficult at first (or was for me anyways) cuz i was like "holy shizah its freaking freezing!" but after awhile you adapt :)

[becks113]

I just arch my back & do a final rinse when I'm done showering, it seems to add so much shine... & I rinse my face in cold water too, to shrink my pores.

[bluesnowflake]

I wash my hair in warm water and then do a 30 seconds to one minute ice cold rinse at the end. I arch my back so it doesn't get on me and then towel it. After that, I put it up to dry because I find it makes it softer and less frizzy, so the cold doesn't bother me then.

[Sunny Elf]

I have shorter hair, so I just lean over the tub and rinse my hair upside-down, so only my scalp gets cold. To dry, I just put a towel or something around my shoulders so that I don't feel the coldness. The cold water rinse makes my hair really shiny!

[Jessica Trapp]

I love hot HOT showers. I kinda do a semi-cold rinse on my hair and hold it way away from the rest of me. It's about all I can tolerate. :P

[unknown]

Am I the only one here who can't stand anything BUT cold water? :D

[SoulOfTheSea]

I'm the same as a lot of other members who posted so far, I can only do them in the summer! In the winter it's just too cold! So instead, I wash my hair less in winter and do my final rinses with tepid water.

[Modarunner]

I always do a cold rinse at the end of my shower. Usually I'll try and turn the hot water way up first so I get really hot and the cold water feels really good. Also, I tend to bend really far back so only my hair and the backs of my calves actually get in the cold water. When I'm done rinsing I'll reach behind me and turn the hot water back on again and turn around really fast so my hair doesn't get in the hot water. It's a lot to do, but I'll do anything to try and get shinier hair.

[longhairedlady]

I wont lie, I HATE it! But my hair is so much more shinier when I rinse with cold water.

[littlestarface]

I rinse my hair with a jug of distilled water so what I do is bend over with my hair hanging in front of me then I put my body in the hot water behind me and rinse my hair with the cold distlled water and scream but the water touching my body is hot so it makes me heat up again so that cold feeling goes away, thanks goodness.

[NymphSpirit]

I always rinse with cold water, my scalp loves it and it makes me relax :) and luckily in winter my bathroom is always warm so it doesn't feel different from summer