Washing Hair Once a Week: right or wrong?
The concept of less shampooing your hair may sound awful. But do you know that there are activists and anti-shampoo advocates who follow the NO POO movement? According to them washing your hair every day is not needed anymore and this can possibly cause harm to your hair and to the earth too. Shampoo has been in existence for centuries now, but it has just become an essential in the last few years. Before you expel some of the hair products you have, why you don’t find out the truth behind this new craze first and consider it if you find it useful.
Though, the no poo advocates claim that less washing of the hair is always better, yet some hairstylists and health experts are not yet convinced. Washing hair once a week depends on the condition of your hair; scalp and the effects of the environment you are in. washing, conditioning & styling will take much of your time before you go to work. If you will wash your hair once weekly, you will have enough time to do other things like morning exercise, longer sleep and others. Having more time to extend the time between your hair washings will enable you to have more flexible time for yourself.
Washing hair once a week is not just advantageous for your hair, but also for the environment. A lot of unknown ingredients on shampoo and conditioner labels are tagged with safety concerns. Probable carcinogen and hormone disrupter like DEP can help the hair products in holding the fragrance. SLS or sodium lauryl sulphate on the other hand is responsible for the foamy effect of the shampoo, but this is carcinogenic and may irritate your skin. Parabens are also included in the main component of shampoos available in the market these days and they were found to be linked to breast cancer and tumors. If you will wash your hair without these products often or you will wash your less once a week, you can spare your scalp and hair from these harmful ingredients.
Washing hair once a week can help in lessening water consumption, which is very beneficial for the environment. Lessening the amount of water plashed on your body from the shower is all you need daily; lessening the amount of water you splash on your hair is very good for locking the moisture, minerals and colors in it those daily washing strips off from the hair strands. If it is water alone, it is not responsible for fading more than 80% of your hair color. This is according to a hair expert. You are recommended to wash your hair with little amount of water only if possible.
Ancient people do not actually wash their hair for several months or so and they said that when they have stopped washing their hair daily, they have achieved a less oily scalp, known as sebum. The hair will be shiny, healthy and not greasy at all. Sebum is good for the health of your hair, but the oils in the scalp have natural protective quality and they are known the natural hair conditioner.
Washing hair once a week: essential things you should know
Shampoo is quite new
Modern shampoo for the hair has been available for 85 years now. They evolved as a better alternative to a bar soap, which leave the hair with scum when mixed with hard water that is so troublesome to wash out.
Americans shampoo more than once a week
According to a report given by Procter & Gamble, in the US alone, Americans shampoo their hair 4-5 times weekly on an average basis. This is double the rate of the people living in Italy, Spain and in some parts of Europe. The Australians are also into shampooing their hair and they love to lather all the time. Just in 2007, there were reports in Sydney about a man who have decided not to shampoo his hair for 6 weeks and he even challenged people to also try it. Well, around five hundred people tried it and 86% of them said that their hair became better afterwards.
People’s scalp is different from one another
It’s hard to tell who needs to wash weekly or who needs to wash their hair daily. Washing hair once a week is really a tough question, because the scalp varies from person to person. How often should you wash your hair? This depends on different factors like the uniqueness of a person’s physiology. For people with more sebum production, the scalp and the hair tend to be oilier and they need daily washing. Others might have lower sebum production and they might be better even without washing for days. The concept of daily washing can dry the scalp out or the hair follicles are not really true. For a person with a healthy and untreated hair, there is no evidence yet that proves that the act of shampooing daily can damage the hair. For as long as the shampoo doesn’t contain harsh ingredients.
Hair needs vary with hair types
The type of hair you have matters most. If you have a dry and damaged hair, it might look better or even healthier when you do not wash it for days. This is because the natural oil of the scalp has enough time to work on its own through your hair. People who relax and treat their hair often might be more prone to hair damage from washings daily. This is because the hair is spongier. Thick, curly and wavy hair might be better without regular washing as well than those with straight and think hair. This is because the oil builds up right away and becomes more visible.
Shampooing is not just about your hair
You shouldn’t overdo with shampoo and be sure you concentrate on the roots only. People used to say that they use huge amount of shampoo and they just scrub their hair, but this is not shampoo is all about. Shampoo is for the roots of the hair and it has nothing to do with your hair. You can divide the hair in sections and using shampoo on the roots and then by rinsing it thoroughly. This is just a simple activity that can make a big impact into the health of your hair. You will find this more natural with less shampoo even if you continue wash your hair daily.
Less shampoo, less greasy
Washing hair once a week can lessen the greasiness of your hair. According to the NO POO movement, shampooing daily can strip away the natural oil of the scalp, which will lead to sebaceous glands to overreact and produce more than needed. As soon as you stop using shampoo daily, the oil production will slow down and the natural oil will come out. You will suffer from few greasiness days only during the transition period, but your body will be able to balance everything again. But this is not true at all. The body’s sebum production is linked with other different things like hormones, diet and genes. But if you will wash your hair less often, it will not slow it down. It’s like when you shave your legs; the hair will not grow slower, though. There is no scientific basis for these statements anyway.
Once a week hair washing is just right even if you believe in the POO MOVEMENT. If you are not using a shampoo, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your hair is not cleansed at all. Rinsing the hair with water is being encouraged by the POO MOVEMENT. There are certain ways to cleanse it and that may be through baking soda or with apple cider vinegar. Who told you cannot rinse your hair nor have it blow dried? Using warm water with vinegar, you can rinse your hair and leave it feeling clean and fresh as if you came from a salon.
Who would think that baking soda can help and it will be a better alternative to commercial shampoo? But just because it is natural, it doesn’t mean that it is healthy for daily use. Baking soda has a pH level of 9 or even 12 when dissolved in water. It can cause damages to people with chemically treated hair and it can cause hair drying. Baking soda is also best for the teeth for whitening and it can help in eradicating tarnish from silver; eliminate rust and anything that needs cleaning. The POO MOVEMENT also suggest those who do not want to wash their hair daily to try the apple cider vinegar instead of baking soda. It is also a natural cleanser. It can bring back the natural shine and glow of the hair. All you need to do is to dilute a cup of water in ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar. It can bring back the natural glow of your hair by eliminating the chlorine build up and minerals deposited in the hair too. It’s just that people worry so much about the smell of the vinegar, but according to the movement, the smell of the vinegar will go away once the hair dries out.
There are lots of options available for you if you do not wish to wash your hair more often without compromising its health and glow. This article aims to be of help for you to know more about the essence of shampooing and why it is best not to shampoo the hair oftentimes a week. Some people do not realize that their scalp and hair also needs to be spared from harmful chemicals from shampoos that are chemically formulated these days.