How long do you go between washes?

[Glib Gurl]

Lately I've been washing my hair (pre-condition, shampoo, and condition) 1-2 times per week (usually after my hair gets soaked after a good workout). This got me thinking - back in the day, I would go for WEEKS without washing my hair . . . and I'm not talking a week or two . . . I'm talking about four weeks and up. In fact, the only reason I would wash my hair is because my head would start to itch! (Ewww, I know. But what can I say? I was a busy college student who hated washing hair in the nasty dorm showers . . . also I wasn't that big into haircare . . . I usually would just pull my hair back into a bun or braid and be done with it.)

These days, I look at washing my hair as a chance to "start over" style-wise.

I'm just wondering how long others stretch? (BTW, I use the term "washing" loosely. It could be between co-washing or swabbing for those of you with braids/dreads . . . . whatever you consider to be "cleaning" your hair . . . . )

 

[naturallylovely]

i ended a four week stretch last night...i was dreading washing my sew-in, but now i'm glad i did, lol

 

[SweetCaramel1]

it's been 3 weeks today. i normally wash every week but i put more time in between while stretching.

 

[RubyWoo]

1 week---I wash my hair once a week.

 

[CAPlush]

Now, the max I'll go is a week, and that's when I have my hair flat-ironed or set. Otherwise, if I've got my goofy bun in, 2-3 times a week. However, I just shampoo, deep condition, oil and bun.

 

[Divalicious]

I wash my hair twice a week. I used to do it almost everyday, but I found that my hair was getting damaged.

 

[MsAngie]

I wash twice a week. I co-wash on Wednesdays and shampoo wash on Sundays. It works great for my hair since it's easier for me to detangle while it's wet.

 

[guesswho]

I wash once a week usually on sundays and I co-wash 2 or 3 times during the week, I must co-wash if I don't I have alot of tangles and breakage

 

[B_Phlyy]

I wash everyday, but the longest I've ever gone was 22 or 23 days because I didn't want to ruin my braids.

 

[firecracker]

I usually wash everyday or every other day. Starting this week I am going to start doing it once a week because I want a color rinse. Usually it bothers me not to wash daily if my hair isn't straightened but this week was great.

 

[firecracker]

Guesswho is that your beautiful hair in your avatar?

 

[Cleve_gryl]

The longest I can go is 5 days, or I'm an oily stinky mess I typically wash and dc twice a week (every 3-4 days)

 

[guesswho]

Guesswho is that your beautiful hair in your avatar?

yep that's my hair I was now looking at your fotki your hair is beautiful really thick....

 

[lejardinier]

Before stretching my touchups-which I started 4 years ago I would CWC
twice a week. Since then at least 3-4 a week. Two of those times I DC
first, the other two I just CW. I would never think of waiting more than
a week to wash. What with oils and leave-ins to keep it strong and moisturized I also have a lot of growth. My scalp needs to stay clean
at all times. I can't work out and have daily perspiration and build-up
sit on my scalp. Besides it's not healthy and I know that my hair grows
faster as a result of it. Right now I have at lease 2-3 inches of ng on 4A/B
hair and haven't had a t/u since 12/21. I thought I'd go crazy dealing
with it but it hasn't been bad at all. Thinking of waiting until 5/1 to do my t/u.

 

[creolebeauty]

I usually wash once a week, but lately it's been every two weeks. The longer my hair gets, the more tangles I have and the more difficult it is to comb when wet.

 

[locabouthair]

i wash every week, i think it's best for my hair.

 

[Incredible1ne]

Recently I change from every week to every two weeks. So far so good.

 

[sholly6]

I wash my hair 2x a week and 1 is a con-washing.

 

[Str8~Curly]

I shampoo and condition 2x per week or else my hair gets very dry.

 

[Ms Red]

I wash & condition once a week and co-wash once a week.

 

[Vshanell]

Every 2 weeks.

 

[Cichelle]

I cowash daily or every other day and use shampoo maybe once a week or every other week...it depends. I have dry, fine hair that cannot take going a long time with being conditioned and detangled. I get terrible knots really easily even though I keep my hair up. And if I don't get the shed hair out, my hair mats up even worse and then I lose A LOT of hair and get breakage trying to get those tangles and knots out. A few months ago I tried going several days without cowashing and detangling and my hair really paid the price. There was breakage when I finally detangled it, no matter that I combed as gently as possible. I can still see the results of it today. So, I won't be doing that again any time soon.

 

[IrisDaVirus]

I go about three to seven days between shampoos. I tend to wash more often in warmer months because my hair has to tendency to get grimy and stinky if I don't. Even on days when I don't shampoo, I often do conditioner washes.

 

[Energist]

I was washing my hair twice per week, but noticed that it started to feel dryer at the ends, so for the past few months I've been washing once each week. It's working out great

 

[gradygirl]

Every 2 weeks atleast for now. It seems to work best with my transitioning I guess because its less manipulation.

 

[thiccknlong]

Now, it's 2 weeks.

My hair gets tangled when it looks at water. So, this reduces breakage from tangling which alot of ppl sleep on. Tangling causes alot of the clipping we have to do.

Also, all that additional manipulation, especially when it's at it's weakest which is, wet, adds up. My mother always said your hair is weakest when wet. And she's right cause when it's wet, it snaps easier than when it's dry.

 

[Desert Skye]

I was my hair once a week because I just dont have an 1-1 1/2 hrs everyday to deal with my hair.

 

[misskris816]

GG, I'm the same as you were. I would go 6 weeks without washing my hair...because that's how long I went for relaxers. I used to be terrified of washing my own hair but since I joined this forum, I am now washing on a weekly basis.

 

[HoneyDew]

I have been doing it 2 times a week, but as I get more NG, I don't really have time to deal with the detangling. I think I am going to try weekly and see how that goes.

The only problem is working out. If I want to do some major cardio, my flatironed texlaxed hair reverts may too much. I may just stick to walking and pilates during the week and a major cardio on a weekend shampoo/condition day. I don't know.

 

[Tee]

I was twice a week durning the warmer months and once a week during the colder months. I also co-wash. My hair loves it.