I can't stop washing!

[Mahars]

Ok, I seem to be having a lot of hair issues this month. Lately I've been washing my hair way too often even though it's been cold out and it dries out my hair. For the past few weeks, I've been washing almost every day. Sometimes I'll hold out and wash every other day!

Part of the problem is that my scalp gets oily quickly, but my ends are still super dry. Has anyone else had this problem where you're addicted to washing? Did anything help you stop?

[Ursula]

Have you tried CWC washing? Apply conditioner from your ears down. A little shampoo, just to clean your scalp. Rinse the whole thing. Condition the whole thing.

It sounds from what you describe as if that might address your dry ends/oily scalp issue, and help gradually cut back on shampoo and reduce the problem of your scalp over-producing oil as a result of constantly having the oil stripped from it.

[Mahars]

I do like to CWC wash. It helps quite a bit with my dry ends. I have to put conditioner on top (at my roots) though, because otherwise I get a ton of frizz like a halo around my face (I'm a curly girl). I've been thinking of experimenting with CO though, but I think I really need to just wash less.

[Ursula]

I do like to CWC wash. It helps quite a bit with my dry ends. I have to put conditioner on top though, because otherwise I get a ton of frizz like a halo around my face (I'm a curly girl). I've been thinking of experimenting with CO though, but I think I really need to just wash less.

For the final conditioning of CWC, I'd assumed you'd put conditioner on top. It is just for the washing you don't do that, since it would get in the way.

It might also work to try diluting your shampoo before you apply it, and using a bottle with a tiny squirt top to apply the dilute mixture. (So you can squirt small amounts to specific areas of your head, rather than trying to work it thorugh your hair.) That would let you cut down even more on the amount of shampoo being used.

[Anje]

Try CO washing out. You might have some adjustment period if you're very oily, you might not have any. It can be done quite often though without much wear and tear on your hair, though, and I think in time your scalp will reduce oil production a bit if it's not always getting shampooed to strip the oils off entirely. If you're washing your hair when you don't need to, just wet it down in the shower or wear a shower cap to fight the urge to wash a little.

Some people get into feedback loops where their scalp gets oily, so they wash it more. This drys the skin on the scalp, so it increases oil production to compensate. Sometimes a person's basic body chemistry and hormones feed into this and further increase oil production, which only complicates the problem. If you can stand it for a little while, let your scalp get a bit oily -- in a few weeks it usually figures out that it doesn't have to be producing gobs of oil to stay moist.

[Mahars]

Thanks for the ideas Anje and Ursula. I think I would like to try diluting my shampoo and CO washing. Do you know of any natural conditioner that would work for CO? I've tried VO5 and something in it makes my scalp itchy. I've also tried Trader Joes Refresh, but it has parabens in it. I'm so picky!

[wolf girl]

You could also try just a scalp only wash while holding your length out of the way. My routine consists of 2 washes a week. One scalp only wash and one total wash. I've heard some that can bun their hair while doing this but I haven't mastered that yet.

[Katze]

my hair gets like you describe when it is dirty (i.e. too oily). That makes me think that you are probably washing too much and your scalp is producing too much oil.

For me, one set "routine" is too stressful and rigid. So I have learned (through trial and error) what my hair "wants". At the beginning, I tested the limits by "stretching" my washings - which might be a good idea for you to try, just to see how often you "really" need to wash. When you do this, you can see if your hair is really dirty or just more moisturized.

After trying almost every method here, I settled on mostly CWC or CW washing, occasional WO washing, and sometimes a SMT treatment either as part of a shampoo washing (W then SMT) on its own (no shampoo or wash beforehand). WO washing, while it doesn't deep clean like I need, helps "reset" my oily scalp and makes my hair very shiny, but it doesn't "last" as long as a CW or CWC wash. Oh yeah, I only ever "C" my hair from the ears down now.

Oh, and in December I discovered that 'cones really do make my hair softer, ends less dry, and overall make my hair look better with less tangles. Maybe you might want to go back to 'cones?

It may in fact be that you're washing too much, but until you have tried different methods, shampoos, conditioning, stretching washes, etc. you won't know. This can be frustrating - as it sounds like you're currently experiencing - but you won't know until you try.

good luck!

Katze

[BlndeInDisguise]

My hair started to get really oily every day, and I thought it was just part of being a teenager--until I started reading about long hair care. Then I saw that my shampoo had SLS, and so I stopped using that and started using a shampoo bar. I still wash my hair every other day, but it doesn't get AS greasy as it did when I was using the harsher shampoo.

[serenitygal]

Mahars,

If you want a more natural conditioner for CO-ing, try Naturelle's fragrance-free conditioner. I'm not sure where you are, but here in the US I get it at Sally's. I think it may also be available at some other places, too. It has worked really well for this curly girl. I use a 50% diluted solution of it for the "wash" part of CO, and the regular strength for the conditioning part.

I'd also recommend Stoneybrook Botanicals unscented conditioner. It has a lot fewer ingredients than the Naturelle stuff, and I find that it works well, too. Out of laziness (I'd have to order the Stoneybrook online rather than run to the store for it) I usually get the Naturelle, though.

If you like fragrances in your products (I don't, but everyone's different) you might put some essential oils in either of the conditioners. The Naturelle has a faintly pleasant smell, while the Stoneybrook doesn't really have one.

HTH!