Washing hair...

[Gillian S]

Anyone ever managed to stop using shampoo on their hair? Once stopped, it's supposed to take two to three weeks for the scalp oils to balance and then hair stays healthy thereafter only needing an occasional warm water rinse. Whilst getting there, it's so oily.

Is this new territory for everyone or is there anyone who has made it work?

Thanks,

Gillian.

[Petra Susan]

Most Rastafari, with dreadlocks, thats how they get the matted so much. I couldn't go more than 3 days without washing it, I'd feel dirty.

[Evette]

its every other day with my mop :)
wouldnt dare risk leaving it 3 or 4 days lol

[Gillian S]

Day four at the big brother house....

Well it's coming to the end of day four and it's not as bad as I'd feared. Still a bit uncomfortable but it's stopped getting worse. Frequent brushing helps and very glad I'm not going anywhere special before the weekend ;-) I'll report back at the 7 day mark with the latest. Then we'll all know if I've stuck with it or wimped out with a "number one" and a nice new wig!

Gillian.

[Gillian S]

Day six on the "Poo" free zone....

Still sticking with it. Last night's wash with baking soda did my scalp a world of good and it feels much better. It is a bit severe and does take a layer of skin with it though - not something to do very often.

Now need to go shopping for some Cider vinegar. Diluted with water 8:1 it cleans out the excess oils and leaves the scalp slightly acidic. Skin is slightly acid and the constant use of soap makes it base and increases infection. Should keep dandruff at bay too, not that I've noticed any. Rinse, apply, rinse and dry. Hair does take much longer to dry than before - must add a hair drier to my shopping list.

On the whole, my hair feels quite thick and not too oily though a good brushing helps with that. Even noticed it start to curl which it never did before.

I'm sticking with it ;-)

Gillian.

[Jan]

Good luck Gillian.

I read about this awhile ago and all the evidence suggests it works. After all shampoo is a recent invention of the marketeers. Apparently you need to keep it up for at least 3 weeks but rinsing regularly with warm water to get rid of the daily airborne grime.
It seems that once the natural oils start fighting back your hair becomes natural, clean, and the itching stops.

So keep it up. I'm fascinated to read about your experiment and how it progresses.

Just one word of warning though. Don't go cooking kippers in the kitchen. Especially not with cider vinegar on your hair. You might find people at your front door asking "is this harry Ramsden's" whilst looking hungrily at your scalp.

Seriously though, good luck.

Jan

[Gillian S]

Day 11 of the "poo" free zone...

Seems to be going reasonably well especially after another baking soda rinse the other day. Hair feels a little heavy at the back but it's manageable. I seem to be over the worst of it and one of the most surprising side effects has been my forehead has been remarkably oil free of late. I might even have to resort to moisturiser if this caries on like this.
Hair could do with a condition but still not managed to get out anywhere that sells Cider vinegar. Nowhere local does so I'll have to try Southport or Ormskirk.
I'll confirm how much I end up smelling like a bag of chips after using it. If rinsed well and dried the smell is suppose to disappear. Unfortunately, nobody has ever said if it comes back when it gets wet and it rains quite a bit round here ;-)

Apparently, Cider vinegar can be used as an appetite suppressor - two tablespoons to a cup of water before a meal. It can be used as a mild bleach for clothes too. hate to think what is does to ones stomach. When i find out, I'll let you know.

TTFN,

Gillian.

[pauline]

I had a friend Didn't wash his for years, was always shiny, never greasy and it was all over his head!

Pauline

[julieblack]

cider vinegar is usually sold in the vinegar section of condiments, try Morrison's they usually sell cider vinegar not cheap though


Julie

[Jan]

Julie's right,

Most places sell cider vinegar these days, Tesco, Co-op, Morrisons etc.
Sorry for being nosey but what sort of hair did you have to start with? Was it fine or thick. I'm asking cos I'm thinking about trying this myself. Also, I wonder what happens if you revert after a month or so and use a shampoo. Do you go back to square one?
It's good that it's having a good effect for you so soon.

Jan.

PS. I was only joking about the fish, chips and vinegar but you mustn't mix cider vinegar with baking soda. As a kid we used to mix large quantities of my mum's baking soda with equally large quantities of vinegar. Wow, what a reaction - fire extinguishers, "bombs" and all sorts of foamy things. Don't go too mad with the quantities. I have this picture in my mind of you running down the street with "big (white and uncontrollable) hair". When it came to birthdays and summer salads, we all stood facing the wrath of my mum, with innocent expressions wondering just where all those ingredients went!

[jackiejones]

Well i wash my hair ever 3 DAYS not working at the moment so no sweat so it stays OK for days.

When i was working and running it was Washed twice a Day!(but one shower was just water to save it drying up! these days i look like the guy with long hair on shameless when i have not shaved or washed for days not a pretty sight! LOL

Why do the call it Wash and Go? i washed and it went!

Did you knw that an Irish guy invented the Shampoo timotei say it in an Irish accent and you will get it LOL

They discovered that a Girl who was killed by a Shark did not have Dandruff...they foung her "Head and Shoulders" on the beach

[Gillian S]

Hi Jan,

You can be an nosey as you like as I don't have to answer all the questions ;-)

My hair is still relatively short at about 9" or so which is fine for the bob I'm aiming for. It's a bit thin in places but I am putting that down to the daily washing I used to do with Shampoo.
It was when I had my hair cut and permed recently, the comment was made that my hair was "fine" and very easy to comb. That was the kick I needed to finally go "poo" free.

Ok, I'm still washing it daily in warm water but am more gentle with it and not rubbing the hair together as I used to do. The way things are going, I should be able to stretch this water wash to every other day quite easily. Now been over two weeks since stopping using shampoo and my hair is starting to feel great. It's bouncy, has nice curves and curls it never had before and the heavy matt look is slowly going. I have used a baking soda rinse to wash out the heavy "wax" that forms at the back otherwise it's water only.

My quest for cider vinegar continues - tried Teso at Kew and all they had was Malt. I'm in Ormskirk tomorrow and will give H+B a try too. If anyone has definitely seen it - please let me know otherwise it's Morrisons or Booths in Preston in the afternoon.

As for reverting, I expect you could wash with poo from time to time, be gentle and don't wash all the oils out of your hair. It's those that make all the difference. The scalp will keep producing oils - the more you wash out the more it produces.

If you're going to start it yourself - pick your time well. Don't start the week before the REN party ;-)

Gillian.

PS. I need to find the vinegar to test out the smell and as for using baking soda and vinegar together - anyone for self expanding hair mouse ;-)

[Gillian S]

I think I can stop posting on this subject as it has started to look a bit like a blog ;-)

It's been four weeks now without using any shampoo and my hair is starting to feel lighter. I still have to rinse through from time to time with baking soda solution but only once every week to 10 days. The waxiness has now gone and I'm even able to go several days without the water rinse I usually do. It just needs plenty of brushing to keep it bouncy. There are fewer flakes and the scalp feels much better and less irritated. An unexpected bonus is my forehead and nose much less oily than before and my neck has improved too. The only thing my hair lacks is shine but even that too is slowly coming back.

It's been uncomfortable along the way and being honest, I felt like giving up on several occasions. The first week was an oily hell and all I wanted to do was wash but I'm glad I stuck it out as the results are worth it. I went from washing once or even twice a day to an occasional rinse in 4 weeks. Others who can wash less frequently may find the transition easier. My hair heels so much better.

Who else dares to enter the "Poo free zone" ?

;-)

Gillian.

[jackiejones]

Is it possible if you have a Sweaty daily job? many times in my life i have had to swower twice a day on a regular basis.

Would this work for a coa lminer for example?

[Gillian S]

Is it possible if you have a Sweaty daily job? many times in my life i have had to swower twice a day on a regular basis.

Would this work for a coa lminer for example?


I have absolutely no idea. It really depends on what sort of sweat it is. If you drink plenty of water then it should be mostly water and salt. If you are dehydrated or stressed then it will contain lots of oils.
Daily washing in warm water will sort most of it out and keep it smelling sweat and an occasional bicarb rinse to wash off any build up of oil which is a problem in the beginning. I've perspired quite a bit digging the garden and doing heavy work but not on a daily basis. Just a warm water Rinse seems to work for me.

Still not managed to find any apple cider vinegar, but that's supposed to help too and it's a lot less aggressive than bicarb. So until I try some out I can't say how it might work either. Vinegar is great for windows so should rinse any surface oil off the hair. The acidity is also good for the scalp and skin in general. I doubt it will make any headway with coal dust. I think a coal miner might just have to use shampoo. I can see the oily phase at the beginning being particularly bad as the dust clogs with the scalp oils and wax. That's the theory, the only way to truly know is to try it out. Oh and don't forget to dilute the vinegar 1:8 with water if you want to keep your hair ;-)

Couldt be worth trying the "homeopathic" solution. Buy your last bottle of shampoo and keep topping it off with water as you use it. Use the same amount each wash and by the time it's almost pure water, your hair will have adapted. Have not done this myself but it sounds quite sensible.

Give it a go - if you don't like it just stop and carry on with your "Poo" ;-)

Gillian.

--
I have absolutely no idea what I am doing wrt. hair and transition but I'm having great fun doing it.

[jackiejones]

Thank you for an intelligent answer Gillian,it never accured to me that sweat is mostly water,so water should be fine

Having thought more about this when you see tribes in the amazon that have never seen a bottle of Poo there long hair looks fine and lovely to me.

[Gillian S]

When I though I'd run out of useful things to say, I wander down the local village co-op at five minutes to 10 Sunday evening, the way you do, and they had Apple cider vinegar on the shelf. I was pleased as punch. £1.49 a 350ml bottle is steep for vinegar but not too bad. It was filtered after all!

So I mixed up a tablespoon in a cup full of water and had my shower. I wet my hair and besides a strong smell of vinegar, it's just like water and after massaging into scalp and hair for a minute, rinses off nicely.
Note to self: Don't dilute with cold tap water - use warm shower water instead. Works quicker and is much less uncomfortable when pouring on head - Brrrrr, shiver!

The one thing I noticed was the hair felt smooth, even when wet and it combed easily. Much less tangle than with just a water rinse. The faint smell went as the hair dried and it seemed to dry noticeably quicker than usual. Definitely faster than a water rinse but still slower than if I'd used "poo". The best thing is my hair looks and feels shiny and smooth. Exactly what I'd been missing since stopping using Poo.

Other than finding out if the smell comes back when the hair gets wet again - always a hazard in these parts. I'm made up. A "condition" once a week or as needed with ACV should do the trick. Even those who are wedded to "poo" might want to try it as it will clean off all the residues that "poo" leaves on your hair. It cleans out the rough hair surface and allows it to close up and become smooth. That's what makes it dry quicker too. The slightly acid vinegar should also help keep bacteria at bay and stop scalp itch and dandruff.

I'm going to have a serious look at uses for ACV. It does seem to suppress appetite and I've read may help arrest some kinds of hair loss - subjects many on this group are interested in. One word of warning - don't use it neat and definitely don't get any on your best dress ;-)

LOL

Gillian

[Gillian S]

Hello all from a very sunny and warm Bangalore, Inda.
Hair seems to be holding up well and doesn't feel anywhere near as "hot" as I'd feared. One can do "hot" in longer hair ;-) Even with perspiration, it's not clumping much. A simple warm water rinse brings it back to life. Forgot to bring my hair dryer but at least air drying is quite quick. About 15 mins of light brushing and it's quite dry. A good job too as we have had yet another power cut and I couldn't use a dryer anyway.
Still in male mode while I do some work but Gillian is bursting to get out and about. Off shortly to check out some laser salons. Might be going out to the Bangalore club tonight - a bit swish but it's a nice place to watch the world pass by. Will see if Gillian has any problems. As long as I follow the strict dress code then I should be fine. The rules go on for ever but there is nothing to say a trans can't go. Wonder if I should offer to pay Churchill's unpaid bar bill while I'm there ;-)

Lol Gillian.