I think that is pretty gross, but that could just be because I have pretty greasy/oily hair and I feel disgusting when I go a day without soaping it. Why don't you just shave your hair off, then you won't have to worry about it at all.

Dalguno

United States2446 Posts

February 07 2012 05:35 GMT

#44

On February 07 2012 14:14 operwolf wrote:
So did you ever get dreads? DO you still have them?

No, never got them.

On February 07 2012 14:22 scarper65 wrote:
I think that is pretty gross, but that could just be because I have pretty greasy/oily hair and I feel disgusting when I go a day without soaping it. Why don't you just shave your hair off, then you won't have to worry about it at all.

I'd look terrible without hair.

Pawsom

United States928 Posts

February 07 2012 05:39 GMT

#45

My friend doesn't wash her hair, or maybe does about once a month, and not with shampoo, some other kind of soap product. She has great hair.

From http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/scalp-care/tips/hair-washing.htm

Frequent shampooing can actually be counterproductive. Because you're trying so hard to get rid of sebum, your body reacts by producing even more of it.

Gamegene

United States8308 Posts

February 07 2012 06:11 GMT

#46

Between you and me and everyone else in this thread...

Ever since I read somewhere that putting chemicals in your hair every day is bad for you... I've been only using shampoo every other day.

My hair is less dry, but it doesn't feel oily or dirty o:

Golgotha

Korea (South)8418 Posts

February 07 2012 07:34 GMT

#47

On February 07 2012 12:15 TechnoZerg wrote:
I haven't shampooed my hair in 4 years. My hair is very clean and I was it using the "water-only washing" method that people used before shampoo was invented. I like it (:

they used the water only method cuz that is the only method available to them. lol

Torenhire

United States11681 Posts

February 07 2012 07:46 GMT

#48

I have fairly long hair and I usually only shampoo it every two to three days. On long weekends where I just lock myself away and don't go outside I'll go four but I don't think I've ever gone more than four days without shampooing it. :p

TheAntZ

Israel6248 Posts

February 07 2012 07:54 GMT

#49

My hair looks way better if I dont shampoo it. I wash it almost everyday, but I only use shampoo/conditioner every 2-3 weeks, because without it my hairdo makes itself when I get out of bed. With it my hair is flat and lifeless, as if it wasn't sentient.

Dirkzor

Denmark1944 Posts

February 07 2012 09:28 GMT

#50

Funny how most people think that lice prefers to live in unclean hair when its the exact opposite. Huh.

As long as you wash your hair with water and the end result is the same as using shampoo do whatever you feel like. I don't use shampoo very often - once a week maybe - and my hair is the same is if i shampoo'd every day.

Wortie

Netherlands212 Posts

February 07 2012 13:42 GMT

#51

I thought about doing the same once, but then my hair got very greasy.. :S

Is there any way you can stop the feeling that your hair feels so gross? Also, I have the feeling that if I stop shampooing, all the skin of my head will be stuck in my hair.

Dalguno, the hair expert!

Thorakh

Netherlands1788 Posts

February 07 2012 14:02 GMT

#52

On February 07 2012 11:16 judochopaction wrote:
as long as it doesnt smell, look greasy as hell, or feel weird, i guess whatever?

^

As long as your hair doesn't get nasty, what's the problem? My sweat doesn't stink so I don't use deodorant. People find this absurd, but why would I use it when no one smells me anyway? And besides, I get headaches from the terrible parfume stenches which are on every freaking body product these days. I'd rather smell someone's sweat than some horrible chemical stench.

OpticalShot

Canada6330 Posts

February 07 2012 14:19 GMT

#53

I shampoo everyday, but I don't have a problem with others as long as it doesn't smell terrible. One girl in my high school was nicknamed 'fish' because her hair smelled like bad fish (like 3-month-old-rotten-fish-YUCK). She was known not to ever use shampoo...

I know a few others who only shampoo few times a month, and don't smell noticeably bad (unless I plug my nose into their hair and take a giant sniff). So yeah, it all depends I guess.

Skilledblob

Germany3392 Posts

February 07 2012 14:28 GMT

#54

i got so bad hair if I wouldnt wash it every morning I'd look like I rubbed a stick of butter in it plus I got lots of scales ( dunno if that's the right word here )

so not using shampoo would certainly not work for me

QuanticHawk

United States32139 Posts

February 07 2012 14:29 GMT

#55

Shampooing too much is bad and I myself only do it like twice a week max, but rest assured op, your hair is gross as shit, your shoulders probably look like the swiss alps, and you just don't notice it or don't care

On February 07 2012 23:02 Thorakh wrote:

Show nested quote +

^
My sweat doesn't stink so I don't use deodorant. People find this absurd, but why would I use it when no one smells me anyway? ]

smokers also never notice that stench that everyone else does homie

Thorakh

Netherlands1788 Posts

February 07 2012 14:31 GMT

#56

smokers also never notice that stench that everyone else does homie

I asked other people, obviously.

QuanticHawk

United States32139 Posts

February 07 2012 14:38 GMT

#57

Saying no is a lot quicker response than having to stand in the vicinity of a stinky dude to explain that yes, by not wearing deodorant, you do have a unique smell that is oddly reminiscent of an old and unkept Parisian subway car in the middle of July

Maybe it's not as strong as some other people's sweat, which is certainly likely, but you've definitely got a bo. All sweat smells.

Servius_Fulvius

United States947 Posts

February 07 2012 15:13 GMT

#58

On February 07 2012 11:09 Dalguno wrote:
What do you guys think? Completely nasty, or ok if it looks/smells/feels good?

As long as you're clean (i.e. at least rinsing your hair, which you say you do) then you should be ok. You're right when you say that shampoo hasn't been around too terribly long. Using an alternative method seems like it would be just fine as long as you're consistent and don't have dandruff issues.

It's been my experience that if you have an unusual bathing habit you really shouldn't share it with too many people. I used to tell people that I didn't shower my entire junior year of high school. This is true - the shower couldn't build pressure due to plumbing problems and I had to take baths. Some people even think baths are disgusting and say things like "OMG, you're just sitting in your own filth, how unsanitary!!!". Sparing them the discussion of how soap actually works, there's a bit of a stigma in our society when it comes to bathing.

To some people, if you don't shower every day at least once then you're not very clean. It took me until I was 22 before I stopped getting the "OMG SO GROSS" comments when I'd tell someone I was on an "every other day" schedule, something that becomes more common as our lives get busier. I've known a few people who think it's gross if they can't shower twice a day and can't understand why someone like me would go every two days.

I'll compare your hair to something else: laundry. The Wall Street Journal reported two years ago that the washing machine agitator did most the work, so detergent may not be necessary. I could try and explain all the independent tests afterwords, but you're probably better off trying it yourself. Most say the smell is different (smelling like water), but the clothes are just as clean.

Back to the original point, it seems like you're doing something similar to the laundry - gaining the positive effects of water treatment and light agitation without the added effects of shampoo. If this works for you then keep it up. Keep in mind that there are many who won't understand, so it's probably not worth making it public information. Some people are just weird about alternative methods. My girlfriend, for instance, refuses to drink water I got out of the bathroom sink "because the bathroom is unsanitary", even though the pipes are identical to the tap on the sink. With that being said, your friend's perceptions aren't logically-based (especially the comment on lice since lice will live on any head it can land on), so if I were you I wouldn't bother telling anyone unless you know they're open-minded enough to handle it.

DarkPlasmaBall

United States45973 Posts

February 07 2012 15:29 GMT

#59

Shampoo is used to remove shit from your hair (dirt, dandruff, skin particles, oils, sprays, environmental crap, etc.). Unless you're living in a bubble, your hair is being bombarded with stuff, the same way that the rest of your body is (although hair is what captures it). If you have no problem cleaning your body, you should have no problem cleaning your hair. Washing your hair without shampoo is like washing your body without soap or body wash. It doesn't actually get rid of the smell or do a superior job of cleaning you.

Angel_

United States1617 Posts

February 07 2012 15:32 GMT

#60

I wash my hair everyday when I keep it short (like under two inches short). My hair just gets really greasy really fast and looks and feels disgusting.

As it's gotten longer though I'm okay with just washing it 2-3 times a week, and it looks fine and feels not greasy or anything.

I think conditioner is kind of disgusting though.
The only time I've ever used it was during the period where I used to bleach the fuck out of my hair (it's basically black, so I had to bleach it and turn it gross greenish, wait a day, and then bleach it again for another hour).