So, the hair dressers think people shouldn't shampoo every day. Not a real study, not real science, just anecdote and pseudo history, and open comments from everyone with an opinion. I'm sure there are many people, those with thicker, curlier, dryer hair than mine, with a good natural bristle brush applied, would do just fine washing their hair much less. But workers out in the dirt and weather, and those of us with thin, fine, oily hair, really like not having an itchy scalp.
Some of the skewed observations? That humans never before washed their hair daily. Didn't bathe daily either, but had skin diseases and parasites and itches. People in parts of Europe don't wash their hair every day. Neither did my mother, nor did I when I was a child, not allowed to. As soon as some gentler shampoos came out, and I was allowed to, my itchy scalp and stringy hair went away. A decent conditioner wouldn't come along for a few years, but that kept away the knots and tangles.
Oh, and how women would pile their hair on their head. Yes, and braid it and hide it under a hat. Daily brushing sessions, sure, for the middle to upper classes. The lower workers made do with much less, and weekly baths. Ever notice how little a problem dandruff is these days? Used to be ubiquitous. Simple daily washing away of dead skin works a treat. A few of the photos on Shorpy show how some women's hair used to look when washed rarely. Pretty obviously greasy, plastered down, and for many - stringy - as I remember my own as a child. The ones with thicker hair, different story. The directions from photographers taking school mug shots were not to wash hair that day. I had many ugly photos taken until I was responsible for my own shampooing, and ignored the instructions. May work just fine for kids with different kinds of hair, but for me, completely wrong.
Not to mention that I wash my OR hats every time I wear them, and I can smell which ones I've worn. I'm hardly going to go a day without washing my hair, since I am in close contact with patients. That area of skin doesn't need less cleaning, just because it's covered with hair, quite the opposite. At least for my hair.
I realize that different kinds of hair takes different care, and that is my point. I don't wash my hair every day because I'm told I must, but because I have discovered I must. Just as cats don't need water baths, but clean themselves and with a little brushing for the long hairs, there are probably people who could always just brush and that would be clean.
I do wish someone would do some genuine research into this. Because the anti-shampoo league is bringing out the Green stick of environmentalism. That makes me feel like I should reexamine my habits. But hairdressers? I've heard some ridiculous off the cuff advice from them, so that doesn't count as anything but irritation.
All for Green, but not for retro-nostalgic anti-clean.
10 comments:
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my hairdresser says the same thing. my hair is dry. i wash mine 2-3 times a week. using too much conditioner can make hair look oily and leave it flat to the scalp so i use that sparingly - just a tiny bit to prevent tangles and to soothe any heat damaged hair. my hair is thinner on top as i age but thick in back below the crown. i think it all depends on the kind of hair, the degree of oily skin, etc. my hubby has to wash his hair every day due to the oil his scalp produces. within 24 hours he is aware that his hair is getting oily. he can't stand it. i just don't have that problem.
In my childhood I had a cascade of dark auburn hair. My mother insisted that it was washed in rainwater with green soft soap (in a tin,I can still smell it!). It then had to be rinsed in rainwater until it squeaked (or I did). It then had a final rinse with rosemary infused water, and was left to dry naturally. After drying it was polished with a length of silk. Can you imagine how often all that happened?
yup I am the opposite end of the spectrum with hair so thick dry and frizzy that it never looks as though it needs washing, but feels as though it needs washing every 4 days...
My hair is rarely longer than 4mm and usually around 2mm, I tend to wash it every two to three days. I can appreciate based on your post your need to wash it daily, but as you say, different people with different hair will obviously have different needs.
Very apropos word verification: derti
Don't tell Edward, but tomorrow is his bath day!!
Exactly.
RR,
Oh, my. But I remember the 'squeak' part.
PT&E,
(Won't say a word.) But my Aunt Alma's poodle loved it, would jump into the washtub and wait for the attention.
I wash my hair every three days - if I wash it more often the scalp seems to get used to this and want it more. I didn't find those photos so off-putting. We are just used to different kinds of hygiene these days. My youngest brother washes hair every day, but just with warm water so as not to strip the natural oils away.
RthS,
I found *feeling* that way off-putting when that *was* the norm. The photo is simply for illustration that the esthetic was different.
I had an auntie who was reputed to wash her hair in Persil (laundry powder) in pre-shampoo days. makes my head itch just to think of it.
2 day hair here.
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