Stretching Washes on Children

[carolinaberry]

I think I read on here that children don't produce sebum...is that correct? I'm just wondering because my 7-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son (as of tomorrow) pretty much never "look" like they need to wash their hair. They both want to grow their hair really long, so I told them not to wash it too much, and I don't let my daughter brush or style her own hair b/c she is too rough. The thing is, how long do I let them stretch washes? I've let them go days (they still bathe) and only have them wash their hair when I notice a sour smell on their scalps from sweat or whatever. Is this ok? I just think it is odd that their hair never looks greasy the way mine will when I skip washing for too many days.

[Rufflebutt]

Children's hair lacks sebum. To combat this, save their feces and apply it directly onto their hair to make their hair soft and beautiful.

[Bene]

Children's hair lacks sebum. To combat this, save their feces and apply it directly onto their hair to make their hair soft and beautiful.



Um... sure. That makes perfect sense :D

[carolinaberry]

Children's hair lacks sebum. To combat this, save their feces and apply it directly onto their hair to make their hair soft and beautiful.

I really don't see why you felt the need to be so rude. If you think it was a stupid question, fine, but your lack of manners is appalling. If it was a joke, you should learn that despite what Family Guy, South Park, etc would have you believe, rudeness does not equal funny in real life.

[Rufflebutt]

I really don't see why you felt the need to be so rude. If you think it was a stupid question, fine, but your lack of manners is appalling. If it was a joke, you should learn that despite what Family Guy, South Park, etc would have you believe, rudeness does not equal funny in real life. I'm eating a bag of chips.

[Beckstar]

They could use just conditioner on nonshampoo days. It will keep their scalps clean and their hair moisturized. How long is their hair right now? Maybe a damp washclothe rubbed/run over the length of the hair can get rid of dusty/surface dirt without drying their hair out.

[Beckstar]

I'm eating a bag of chips.

Did you rub them with feces first to keep them from being too dry? and enhance the favor?

[Bene]

Did you rub them with feces first to keep them from being too dry? and enhance the favor?


Fecal chips FTW!!!

[caadam]

I know a lot of people who do this same thing (allow their children to not wash their hair due to not having sebum to worry about like us adults do), and I think stretching washes while they're younger is a great idea. I've heard of some parents using diluted castile soap when the scalp and hair need some refreshing, or use a very diluted BS rinse to do the same thing. Using too much BS in a rinse might cause dryness, though, because it's very clarifying.

[Rufflebutt]

Did you rub them with feces first to keep them from being too dry? and enhance the favor? Why yes. I swear by feces.

[Jesabel]

I agree with Beckstar about the CO or water to get any dust or whatever else they might get in their hair out, without needing shampoo. Though if you think it doesn't need it, then no point washing extra just for the sake of it imo :)

[caadam]

I really don't see why you felt the need to be so rude. If you think it was a stupid question, fine, but your lack of manners is appalling. If it was a joke, you should learn that despite what Family Guy, South Park, etc would have you believe, rudeness does not equal funny in real life.

*cough* don't feed the trollin' *cough* Because that's exactly what her comment was.

[darklyndsea]

There are three things to be considered for hair washing frequency, in my opinion: presentabillity (when buildup of sebum/dirt/etc. makes hair look or smell bad, most people wash it); scalp health (some people's scalps get unhappy if they go too long without washing, while other people's scalps are just fine with it); and social convention ("Everybody else washes every day, so I should too"). As long as the scalp is healthy, it's perfectly fine to not wash until the hair starts to look or smell bad.

[carolinaberry]

They could use just conditioner on nonshampoo days. It will keep their scalps clean and their hair moisturized. How long is their hair right now? Maybe a damp washclothe rubbed/run over the length of the hair can get rid of dusty/surface dirt without drying their hair out.

My son's hair is only about ear-length/neck length (front and back). He knows we will have to trim as it grows to fend off a mullet. His hair always looks and feels great. My daughter's hair is not quite APL after a cut in April and her hair also never looks bad. I do oil her ends sometimes when braiding, so her hair needs washing more often.

Also, I'm not necessarily stretching washes to make their hair grow...I just noticed their hair doesn't seem to "need" washing as often, so I figured extra washing would actually be detrimental. I guess more frequent CO washing would be a good idea since they play outside and all.

[Bene]

Also, I'm not necessarily stretching washes to make their hair grow...I just noticed their hair doesn't seem to "need" washing as often, so I figured extra washing would actually be detrimental. I guess more frequent CO washing would be a good idea since they play outside and all.


If it doesn't need a washing, then don't wash it. If it's not all greasy and smelly, then why bother? Some people can get away with not washing their hair every day. Some can't. If they're lucky enough to not have an oil issue, then let them enjoy it.

[Beckstar]

Why yes. I swear by feces.


Why don't you troll on to a scat ****** board and let us alone? I don't see why you feel the need to post useless, nasty posts about a sincere, serious question.

[GlennaGirl]

Children's hair lacks sebum. To combat this, save their feces and apply it directly onto their hair to make their hair soft and beautiful.

Oh, thank God, I've been doing this right all along. :p ETA: It's funny to read this now as tonight was the first night I ever COd my sons. Their hair is so dry, and I only shampoo it once every three days. (More than that and it begins to smell, or I feel like I notice a smell.)

I am getting them a sulfate-free shampoo to see if that helps.

[Bene]

Oh, thank God, I've been doing this right all along. :p


I've been spitting into my hair all this time, only to find that poop is the secret! I feel so enlightened. Hallelujah!

[Beckstar]

A lot of people use the no 'poo method, not the poo poo method.

[GlennaGirl]

A lot of people use the no 'poo method, not the poo poo method.

OMG. That is funny. :cheese:

[HairStickler]

My 10yo daughter hates washing her hair, so I let her go without until it starts to smell bad, which takes several weeks! I sometimes oil her hair, to make brushing easier, but then the oil will pick up lint and will start to smell on its own, so I tend not to use oil until it is almost time for another wash. It never looks greasy.

[ladonna]

I was doing co on my kids, but just recently I noticed odd sweaty smells so we are back to shampoo once or twice a week.

[carolinaberry]

My 10yo daughter hates washing her hair, so I let her go without until it starts to smell bad, which takes several weeks! I sometimes oil her hair, to make brushing easier, but then the oil will pick up lint and will start to smell on its own, so I tend not to use oil until it is almost time for another wash. It never looks greasy.

This is really interesting. I keep her hair in braids a lot and I've noticed that it never looks greasy unless I've oiled it a couple of times between washes. I use only a tiny bit of coconut oil on the ends but I think it creeps up.

[carolinaberry]

Also, I only mentioned sebum because I was wondering if lack of sebum production is what makes their hair not look like it needs washing.

[auburntressed]

I have never heard that children do not produce sebum, and I am relatively certain that I did. I have pretty horrible memories of my mom berating me for having such greasy hair and preening about how SHE didnt need to wash her hair so often, but I had to.

That started when I was at least under the age of six, so the beginnings of puberty had not even been a shadow yet.

But my opinion is that adult or child - if the hair does not need to be washed, then don't wash it till it needs it.

[SerinaDaith]

My DS is almost 11 his hair gets greasy fast so he washes often, he does not want long hair so I don't worry about it. My DS 2 is almost 3 and does not get greasy at all, my DD is 15 months and is finally getting over cradle cap with the help of some of the wonderful people here! I oil her hair lightly after every very diluted washing.

[prettykitty]

When I was a kid we only washed our hair once a week, and I don't really remember it ever feeling dirty or oily until I hit puberty - then everything was oily!

[Katleen]

I sometimes go two to three weeks without washing my daughters hair... I never tell anyone that though :-)

It doesn't get greasy, they hate washing it, and I brush the dust/dirt/whatever out with a BBB in the evening. Oldest daughter is 6 and has earlength hair, middle daughter is 4 and I put her hair in a braid for sleeping. Youngest one is almost 2 and she couldn't care less about her hair at the moment, but needs the most washing, because she gets food stuck in her hair :-))

When it starts smelling, I wash it, put a mask on it, and do lots of girlie-pamper-stuff and that's something they love...

I remember as a kid, my hair was washed only once a week, until I hit puberty...

[jeanniet]

I think it may mostly be a hormonal thing. Kids don't have the hormones, so don't produce the adult oils. Although my younger son needed his hair washed fairly regularly when he was little because his head sweated up a storm, and that was stinky!

[anime_length]

I say wash with low-poo or a SLS-free alternative. Since kids do tend to get messy, it's probably best to keep their hair clean without over drying it.

Also, someone mentioned social norms and I clearly remember tell my friends [in middle school] that I didn't like to wash my hair that often & they made fun of me mercilessly for smelling.

[Mya]

When I was a kid we only washed our hair once a week, and I don't really remember it ever feeling dirty or oily until I hit puberty - then everything was oily!
Lol me too - especially my face.

[firegypsy]

I wash my dd's hair once a week. It's never needed more than that. If she's been running around and sweating like mad then I do a CO. My boys have shaved heads so they just use soap.

It was NOT a dumb question. Kids don't produce oils like adults do. That changes as they get older, towards puberty and clearly some children can be precocious in this regard.

As always I'd say watch the kid. If the hair looks dirty or smells bad, wash it. If not, you're good!

[LaFlor]

Agree with previous posters. I just wash my kids hair occasionally... like once a week. The rest of the time it's just a water rinse or a co-wash if they get smelly.

[Arden]

Children do produce sebum, it's just less than what we typically encounter once our hormones change during purberty... Hormones have alot to do with the amount of sebum we produce....

As for me, I tell my boys they need to wash thier hair when it starts to "smell" ....I know that sounds bad but really my boys hair never really looks dirty so I just tell them they need to if it starts to get that "hair smell"

....and I wash my daughters hair maybe once a week.... sometimes I just CO wash her because her hair tends to lean to the dry side.... but when I CO wash it looks kind of "oily" to me so I dont do it all the time... only when she seems really dry

My pet therory if that overwashing your hair has a child may acctually contribute to excessive sebum production as a Teen.... We'll see what happens.... My boys are 10 and 12 so not much longer to see for them... My daughters had a few years to go though

[firegypsy]

exactly...my post was unclear. when I said they don't produce oil like adults do I meant the amounts. they do produce sebum, just not in the volume adults do so they can get away with more time between washings in general.