Frequent Washing in the Winter?

[nicky]

Okay, I'm at my wit's end. I've been trying to wash my hair only once a week since it's gotten cold in Atlanta but my scalp HATES this. It is so ITCHY that I think I'm tearing up my scalp and making it raw-- and this is also leading to more shedding and breakage because it itches so much sometimes that I feel like I'll go crazy if I don't scratch and then I scratch so much that my scalp ends up sore to the touch! /images/graemlins/frown.gif

So this morning I broke down and washed my hair before work and pulled it into a bun. My scalp is happy now, but I'm wondering if I continue to do this, will I end up getting sick?

Don't want to use a blow dryer and don't have a hooded dryer (and wouldn't have time to use it if I did because I normally have to wash my hair in the morning or else it gets all tangled and matted at night-- I mean, if I go to sleep with it still wet). Oh and the other thing is, when my hair is wet and pulled up, it takes almost a whole day and a half to completely dry...

So for those of you who wash or wet daily, what are you doing now that it's winter?

nicky

 

[caramelbarbie]

Hi nicky!
I wash about every other day. And like you wear it in a bun. I found that if i wash/rinse it in the evening its almost try by bedtime except for the bun part. By morning its just damp. This is my first winter trying it out.
How long is your hair?? you could try just puting in a ponytail after washing in the evening and rap your hair in a bun when its almost dry to speed up the drying process.

 

[Honey Vibe]

Nicky, I try to wash my hair every single day. I'm in Minnesota where it can get to -60 degrees. It's a myth that water will dry your hair out; all it can do is add moisture and soothe your scalp. You can think of the cold air outside as a cold blow dryer, as opposed to a damaging, hot electrical blow dryer. At any rate, I suspect the infrequency of your washings as the real culprit for your itchy scalp.

The winter changes I've made is to put my hair under a hat (basically), and to coat the hair with shea butter.

 

[Valerie]

Dear Nicky
I have gone back to rinsing my hair every day. I noticed that after 2 weeks, when I stopped rinsing my hair started to feel very dry, now I have gone back to rinsing again, however I cover my head by wearing a hat, or head wrap.

 

[sweetcocoa]

Nicky I shampoo or rinse at night. Sometimes in the morning it's still damp.... when it gets real cold I'll wear a satin lined hat until I get to work....it usually dries quickly after I get to the office. I'm finding out if I don't shampoo the indoor heat is making my scalp dry and itchy also.

 

[Guest]

Nicky, I 've been washing almost every other day if not every 2 days. My scalp can no longer tolerate waiting a whole week to be washed, regardless of what time of year it is. B/C I'm washing so often, I'm using a natural shampoo so the SLS doesn't dry out my hair. But I think all the moisture is great for the hair!

 

[daviine]

Caramela----do you deep condition with every wash? What conditioners do you use...and are you also rollersetting every wash.

I think frequent washing is very key becasue my hair always looks and feels its best after being washed but I don't have a lot of time and my apartment isn't always heated.

 

[Silkylocks]

<font color="green"> </font color> Hi Nicky, I'm also in Atlanta and I simply have to wet my hair and scalp daily, either with a water bottle or in the shower. My scalp feels much better when I keep it moisturized this way. Usually I'll put a little jojoba on it too. Generally I keep the hair in six twists or a ponytail with four or five nylon bands down the length. Recently I went a couple days without much water on it, making it totally unmanageable.

HTH
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