What happens if you stop washing your hair with shampoo for six years?

What happens if you stop using shampoo on your hair? Wendi Tibbets, who hasn't for six years, explains 

Tuesday 03 May 2016 17:31 BST
Comments
(Rex)

I haven't used shampoo for six years, myself. If you don't use shampoo expect results.

Be forewarned! Your hair will grow!

I am talking be-prepared-for-spending-money-on-hair-accessories-growth because you're going to need to put that awful thick mop up just to get it out of your face. It will take off like a monster. Let me also warn you that people are going to stop you. Ugh. Strangers on the street. They are going to constantly comment on how thick and long your beautiful mane is. Some will even want to touch it! Yuck. Strangers touching your hair!

Also, in the same vain be prepared to remove your braids. People will accuse you of wearing a "fall" and ask you to prove its authenticity. I can't tell you how many times I have had to untie and re-do my braids for skeptical viewers. What a pain it is just to keep the peace!

I am 47. I harvest my hair for Locks of Love cancer charity.

Here is my selfie from today:

Locks of Love is a children's cancer charity which collects hair to build wigs for children undergoing chemo and who need custom wigs built for them to build self-confidence during their illness when they have lost their hair. Locks of Love accepts all hair types (grey, dyed, curly, straight-doesn't matter- they can sell it to offset expenses if they don't use it in a wig.) I have been donating for nearly 12 years and this year marks 86" inches! I grow faster when not using shampoo because shampoo dries out your hair and causes breakage.

Is my hair dirty?

Heck no!

My hair is very well maintained.

People ask me this question all the time. I buy Finesse conditioner because it smells so good. It is expensive but I sleep on that mop and like the fragrance. Choose something nice, having a lot of hair is a pain in the ass sometimes, but hey..it's for the kids! Worth it.

Instead of using shampoo I vigorously scrub my scalp (using my fingernails) with conditioner instead of shampoo (which contains sulfates-SALT!) People always respond with the excuse that they have oily skin. That using conditioner to wash their hair would give them greasy hair. I call banderdash. These people wash their hair in shampoo then always follow up with conditioner, don't they? Why not skip the shampoo part entirely?

(Wendi Tibbets (Wendi Tibbets)

Once in a great while I will use a sulfate free shampoo. Perhaps once every three months, and then only on my scalp and very sparingly. The point is to grow it not dry it out. My hair is quite resilient and stretchy. It does not break and very few split ends. I do not blow dry much, either. Let it dry naturally after a good towel blot. It smells good, looks good and makes me look younger. Ready for another harvest as we speak. As for the co-washes...I have tried them. They are expensive and I noticed a great deal of hair loss afterwards. Best to just stick with conditioner and a good thorough scalp scrubbing in my humble opinion. It is only recent history we started washing our hair everyday, afterall. And look how unhealthy everybody's hair looks today! Remember the old excuse, "Sorry, can't make it to your event Friday because I'm washing my hair?"

Sheep gets a massive hair cut

Shampooing was a weekly event back then. When Jan and Marsha Brady were hair-flipping their perfect, shiny beautiful locks. Everyone had them. That's because they weren't shampooing every day!

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in