No more shampoo?

United States
March 29, 2009 6:49pm CST
Although I continue to wash my hair practically every day, I have often wondered about shampoo and any detrimental effects it may have... Turns out, Americans shampoo their hair approximately 4.59 times per week. Hair stylists and dermatologists say that is way too often. When we wash, we strip our hair of its natural oils. In 1908, washing hair once per month was the norm. By the 1970s, daily washing was the "thing to do." How often to do shampoo? What are your thoughts on the "anti-shampoo" movement? :)
5 people like this
30 responses
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
30 Mar 09
I have baby fine hair so I had to wash it every day before I started coloring it or it would be limp and oily. My stylist told me the same thing about overwashing my hair so, now that I'm able to hold off for a day, I normally wash it every other day.
@Jennlk84 (4206)
• United States
30 Mar 09
My hair is EXACTLY the same way!
• Philippines
30 Mar 09
I do shampoo everyday specially if i go outside and got my hair polluted with dust,smoke and dirt. But when i am just at home, and there's no reason for me to go out, i wont be using my shampoo but instead use a hair conditioner. Shampooing is bad when you do consider it on chemicals and not using herbal shampoos or natural herb shampoo. But since washing hair would really strip the natural oil in our hair, it is better for me to consider conditioner on my hair rather than using shampoo everyday.
1 person likes this
@xbrendax (2662)
• United States
30 Mar 09
There's nothing wrong with washing your hair everyday if you want to, just try to put some of the natural oils back in now and then, (this is what my dermetologist said)! I asked him because I do shampoo my hair every day and I just use a cheap generic dish liquid to do it, in fact I use it all over my body! It is great and gets me and my hair squeaky clean! I have been doing this for over 20 years and my hair looks great and I must have saved thousands of dollars by not buying shampoos!
1 person likes this
@BlueGoblin (1829)
• United States
30 Mar 09
I only shampoo my hair maybe once a month. I shave my head so I don't really need to do it. You save a lot of time in the morning by not even having hair.
1 person likes this
@Jennlk84 (4206)
• United States
29 Mar 09
I shampoo my hair once a day. I find that if I don't, my hair looks so yucky! I'd rather have better looking hair and shampoo it daily! lol
1 person likes this
• Virgin Islands (British)
30 Mar 09
I'm in the 1970's every-day washing bracket.
1 person likes this
@blueunicorn (2401)
• United States
30 Mar 09
Although I shower every morning I only shampoo about once per week. I don't like the way my hair acts when it is freshly cleaned. I know that sounds backward, but it's the truth.
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
30 Mar 09
Hi, consciousliving112! I shampoo my hair once a week. I don't wash my hair everyday, there is now way that I can do this. I don't follow others regimens, I just do what fits me and suits me.
• India
30 Mar 09
weekly twice
@maezee (41997)
• United States
30 Mar 09
4.59 sounds a little too often considering what I do myself. I guess I'm a little greasier than most . I wash it about every 2 days. I guess that would bring my total down to an average of 3.5 times per week. I hate shampoo and trying to use organic when I can - although it's so expensive. It's distressing to even read the back of our shampoo labels & see that all we're pouring into our hair is a bunch of chemicals and artifical ingredients that we cannot even PRONOUNCE let alone understand what it is & the effect it will have on our hair & body. It's a little scary.
• China
30 Mar 09
I wash my hair every 2 days too.
@arshuuu (60)
• India
30 Mar 09
i prefer to use alternate days...
@CJscott (4187)
• Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
30 Mar 09
Almost daily if not, then every other day. Also, I try to use natural shampoos and such that are also bio-degradable. Sigh, I can't stand it if my hair isn't washed in a while it gets so, greasy. I would rather have it soft and fluffy and damaged, then have it greasy.
@kyle32 (65)
• United States
30 Mar 09
omg I feel the same way i hate it when my hair is too greasy it feels like every where you go that grease is gonna let stuff get stuck in your head. i would rather just leave it without any grease
• United States
30 Mar 09
I wash my hair every other day sometimes every three days, I use conditioner only once a week, I was told by my hairstylist that if you shampoo two times when you wash your hair the lather is thicker. I like the way how my hair feels better when I wash it this way.I switch shampoos often also. my hairstylist recommend this trick to me too. try it see how it works for you.
• United States
30 Mar 09
I have naturally curly, and very dry hair. I had seen a huge improvement cutting down my shampoo. I used to shampoo 3 times a week, Now I do it once. I skip the shampoo and only apply conditioner. I had noticed how beautiful my curls turn when I do this. This is because I am not stripping my hair of its natural oils. I notice also how easily my hair freezes after I had shampoo my hair. I think skipping the shampoo once in a while is great for people with hair like mine. Dry, brittle, damaged.
@tammytwo (4298)
• United States
30 Mar 09
My hair doesn't do well if I don't wash it daily. I'm not so sure I could go even one week without washing it. Let alone an entire month. I'm sure that is why we are damaging the environment like we have. We use many more things now than we did in the 1970's.
• India
30 Mar 09
I don’t know about movements, but I wash my hair twice or thrice a week. It really depends on how my scalp and hair feels…in the height of summer with dirt and grime all round, its best to wash hair at least thrice a week as dirty scalp leads to more hair loss. However, I always use a mild herbal shampoo…I have heard that they are better with the hair than the cosmetic detergent based shampoos…I hope that’s true.
@subha12 (18441)
• India
30 Mar 09
applying so much shampoo is not good. I know it. But I can't stay completely without it. so i shampoo once in a week.it feels good
@silverglint (2000)
• Philippines
30 Mar 09
I shampoo my hair everyday, I have no idea how else am I suppose to take the dust and dirt off my hair. I tried using soap before when I ran out of shampoo accidentally, and my hair felt so dry and stiff. I think that is why conditioners were invented, to make sure that even though we use shampoos often, our hair's natural moisture gets protected or renewed.
• Philippines
30 Mar 09
I think it also depends on the condition of your hair. I mean if your hair is rather oily I think washing it once a day would be normal but if your hair is dry then I think 1-2 times a week would suffice.
@thina12 (94)
• Philippines
30 Mar 09
I shampoo my hair two times a week,that's the advised of my hair stylist...He said,in everyday we shampoo our hair the damage it will be.Maybe because of the chemical of every shampoo.But everyday i used conditioner to make my hair soft and smooth.