In praise of cold water washes!

[saskia_madding]

I have to admit that I was a total skeptic. I love long, hot showers, so washing my hair in hot water seemed like a logical extension of that. But I lose A LOT of hair in the shower; last three times I counted, I lost 86/79/92.

Today I had just done a step class at the gym and I was still boiling hot from exertion. I decided to have a cool shower, and so I washed my hair in the cool water also.

I lost 17 hairs. 17!!!!! That is a huge difference. I lost about 1/2" circumference recently when I went off sulfates and before I started using borax as a shampoo, so I'm trying to get that thickness back. I am totally, 100% sticking with cool water washes.

For all other hot shower loving skeptics, give it a try!

[girlcat36]

I was wondering about this. It seems as though when the water hits my scalp, my hairs just fall out.
I lost 112/143/77, then a few days later a shocking 243. Yes, I count. I have to my hair just gets thinner and thinner, and I don't know why(well I have a few ideas).
For a while I thought it was the chlorine in the water, so I got a filter, but it didn't help.
Then I started thinking that perhaps it was the hot water, so I went to warm and the shedding did lessen(to under 100 per wash), but maybe I'll try cold if it can reduce my shedding even more. Brrrrrrr.....

[elina333]

Really? I thought it was the other way around... That cold would make your hair fall out? Due to the resticted blood flow? Hmm... Maybe not then. Im losing a lot of hair in the shower as well, but I figured that because I never brush it and the only way the hairs can fall out is in the shower. Have to try this!

[Angela_Rose]

I take hot-hot-hot showers but don't put my hair under the heat. When it comes time to wash my hair, it's cool water to wet it down and then cold water to rinse it out. Cold-rinsing improves shine, too.

[cmnt831]

Maybe the cold water helps to close the hair follicle (?) and the warmer water relaxes it, letting the hair slip out? I'm just guessing here . I know nothing about the physics of hair follicles.

[saskia_madding]

That was exactly my guess too, actually. That warm water opens up skin pores is definitely true. So I just sort of rationalized that the warm waters loosens up the follicles and then when I brush my hair it is more likely to come out.

I don't know what it is, but it's working. I'll post again next time I have a shower to see if there is still a difference or if it was a total fluke.

[Angela_Rose]

/mini-hijack/ GirlCat, your new siggy photo is gorgeous! It looks like you're thickening up!

/end mini-hijack/

[Dreams_in_Pink]

i started to wash with cold water too, and it helped with frizz and dandruff.It's also very relaxing to feel cold running through your roots I don't have an idea about shedding though.

[camirra555]

I want to try these cold rinses, I really do but I just can't bring myself to do it. I might try in the summer when its really hot outside. After reading this thread, I think I'll try warm rinses for a while.

[Tangles]

I'm not surprised; beauty usually involves some degree of discomfort.