Do 4ab long hair ladies shampoo less?

[Prettymetty]

I shampoo every 2-3 weeks. Low manipulation is the key to retaining length for me.

 

[myhairgrowstoo]

My hair is 4a and MBL and I shampoo 2x week and primarily wear low manipulation styles. I apply shampoo to my scalp not length and prepoo the day before each wash day, however.

 

[beingofserenity]

I'm on water only again, I'm on my 3rd month and loving it so far. I will clarify this weekend with an herbal powder or clay. I use a little Shea butter on the last bit on my hair and do not add anymore until I've washed again. I have to wash my hair at least 1x a week ideally. I notice that I get some tangles between wash days, but with water only most of them are detangled easily under running water, I don't use a comb and my coils clump, even my tighter patches clump more and more over time. I'm mbl probably because I haven't been babying my ends and I cut/trim at will. Since it's hot as ever, I've been spraying my hair with water whenever I pull it back into a puff between wash days.

Shampoo can be alright, depending on how soft it is if that makes sense, I personally have not cowashed for years because my scalp thrives on being pretty clean. I was previously shampooing my scalp and the length of my hair to remove old butter/oil and my hair was doing quite well with that. I like water only because it's a faster wash process for me.

Can you share pics of your hair? I keep wanting to try water only but I produce a negligent amount of sebum unless i massage a lot and drink oil.

 

[L.Brown1114]

I'm 4a/3c (mostly 4a) and I shampoo at least once a week. My hair despises build up and so does my scalp. I think it's less about curl size and more about texture of hair and your porosity when it comes to how much your hair likes being shampood

 

[periwinklepeach]

My hair is about BSL, and I shampoo once per week, and co-wash once per week. So I'm wetting my hair twice per week. My scalp gets flaky if I co-wash without using shampoo reguarly. I tried water only washing, which seemed to work okay, but after a while my hair started smelling weird, so I went back to the shampoo.

 

[blackgurll]

A clean scalp is pretty important to prevent itchies (and hair loss), so at least once a week.

 

[Aggie]

4a/b here but I'm between apl and bsl at the moment and I shampoo my hair once a week. My scalp itches a lot when I don't use a shampoo often enough and let me tell you, I'm one of those people that would scratch until I bleed...not good.

So once a week is good enough for me but I can stretch to about 3 weeks without severe itching. Besides I like my hair smelling great all the time. I have a hugger type personality so I like my hair smelling sniffable plus I live in the tropics. It is hot a lot of the time and sweat can easily become a problem - I don't like that either.

 

[Anaisin]

I actually think not washing your hair is why black women struggle with their hair. Going months without doing it wearing braids/weave. You have to clean your scalp just like you clean your body, brush your teeth. It's basic hygiene.

 

[snoop]

For the longest time I was clay washing weekly then shampooing when I thought my hair needed it (2 - 3 months?) I've gotten lazy and a bit broke so I have been shampooing weekly with a gentle shampoo. I think my hair prefers the original routine.

 

[GGsKin]

My hair prefers clay washing over shampooing. I don't use butters or other heavy products so I use shampoo (diluted) when I feel my hair needs a heavy duty clean (no schedule- say every few months), otherwise I use clay.