'Poo-less hair

No shampoo? Sounded crazy to me when I first read about the idea at Mark's Daily Apple. Still, some of the commenters called me to action when they said, they could grow longer hair, got rid of dandruff and found their hair healthier than before. I have given up on having long hair years ago, having become frustrated with the spider web-like texture it obtained once it got to my shoulder blades.


I took the plunge and it is finally time to tell my story.

The method:  I wash my hair with plain water in the shower.  At the end, I rinse it with cold water only.  I do not know whether this second step is necessary, but it feels so good afterward! My scalp awake and tingling. Occasionally, I rub a teaspoon or so of baking soda all around and rinse it off to eliminate any potential smells.

Weeks 1-2.  My hair turned super-oily. Though contrary to expectations, I liked it.  Because it was short, it held its shape so much better than before. There seemed to be no dandruff. I was excited!

Weeks 3-4. The oiliness let up slightly. Hair would have looked fabulous if its newly strengthened body did not accentuate the horrible Fantastic Sam's haircut! It was clear, I was on the right track. Even my husband, who was understandably skeptical about the whole adventure, was surprised.

Month 2.  I was disappointed. My hair went back to exactly the way it was! No longer oily, it didn't have the super-body I observed earlier and the dandruff was back! Still, there was no reason to give up yet. Looking back to the poo-less resources, I learned that Apple Cider Vinegar is good for dandruff and purchased a bottle.

Month 3.  Results! There is nothing special about my hair any more. It has a normal amount of moisture, looks healthy and strong, and the dandruff is gone.  I never opened the Apple Cider Vinegar. The nasty dandruff that I have been living with since early childhood, torturing my hair with all kinds of horrid chemicals, always itching, always snowy nevertheless - just disappeared! I love the waves and curls that are now part of my hairdo maintained by the stronger strands of hair.

I am now looking forward to having long hair for the first time since the year 2000. My kids were thrilled to switch away from the irritating shampoo process, too. I think, I see a difference in their hair as well - it just stays looking clean and healthy even when we go several days between washes.  The process is so simple, I recommend it to any parent of a bath-resistant toddler. The clear water doesn't bother or scare them like shampoo did.  And they love rubbing the baking soda - I use it more often on their hair than I do on my own - because they are always asking for it!  After years of hair-washing tears, we have peace at bath time.


So how does it work?

Have you ever changed the frequency with which you wash your hair?  Gone from daily to 2-3 times a week or vice versa?  Note what happens.  On a daily regime your hair becomes oily and demands a wash on the second day.  If you switch to going longer between washes, it protests at first, but overtime adjusts to the new schedule. I guess, it is just that simple. Natural hair oils will act to restore the balance upset by the environment or hair products. Daily shampooing dries the hair out so profoundly, natural oils rush to rescue what is left of the moisture on your poor dried out scalp in a way that it would if you were walking through the desert. By day two, another "desert" treatment, complements of Protein ProV is necessary to combat the overflowing oils. Stop shampooing and the hair slowly learns the new chemical equation - the one evolution had taught it to work with. It will produce more oils when the air is dry, fewer in humid weather and rush to offer special defenses after a chemical attack of a chlorinated pool.  Fresh water serves as a catalyst to start the process and the rest is evolutionary history.  :-)

If you would like to try this, please read through Going poo-less article in Mark's daily apple including all the comments.  It's a good overview of why, how and use-cases.  I wish you the best of luck.  Enjoy your beautiful hair!  And tell me how it goes.  Please!