what is the real reason?

[Inches411]

that we dont wash our hair that often.. today at work the topic of hair came up and it was three blacks girls and one indian girls.. and the black girls were talking about their getting their relaxers done and the indian girl asked what does our hair look like naturally and i was like curly kinky wat have you and she asked why dont we wear it like that and then the other black girl said because its kinky and the indian girl said why dont you braid it.. and no one said anything. this topic all arised from the indian saying that she got a perm before and seh washed her hair a day later.. and another black girl said oh i heard ur not suppose to wash you hair after you get a perm( i thinks he was referring getting her hair curly) anyway the indian girl was like why wouldnt u wash it. what happens when you sweat thats digusting.. and then she pointed to the other girl who works out and she look at her she works out all the time what is she suppose to do and she basically said i dont wash it and i started laughing purposely because i didnt want to hear it arise to anything else cause this topic kinda bothers me. So im saying all this to say.. whats the real reason that some of us... dont wash our hair that often...as other hair textures.. is it because of the whole dry hair think... i doubt it cause many cowash...and that seems to work for them.. and just like when we take a shower if we have dry skin u put moisture back in afterwards...so i was wondering why cant i do that with my hair.. i know many of you will say you can but personally i feel it would be nice to be able to wash and style my hair within an hour instead of the whole long process of three hours or longer and to always be limited to protective styles annoys me sometimes..i would wash my hair everyday if styling wasnt such a big problem. My hair does not look the same if i just wash it and dry it. i have to do something to it... its not wash and go capable... and this goes for both relax and natural b/c i know some naturals dont even wash everyday either. so whats ur reason?

 

[cococutie007]

I have participated in discussions like these with non blacks. They just don't understand why I can't just wash everyday like they do. Honestly I think it's because they can wash and blowdry everyday and still have hair on their head. I know if I did that I would slowly lose mine. My hair is just not strong enough to handle that kind of heat and manipulation every day. Not that it's weak but definitely not hercules. Now I could do it if I'm airdrying in a braid but if of course non blacks usually wear their hair down (for us straight) everyday.

I'd love to be able to get up in the morning wash my hair and go to work but I know it'll still be wet when I get off and frizzy as all get out. Not a good look.

 

[JustKiya]

Because the way that most black women choose to wear their hair does not lend itself to daily washing.......

 

[sensiblesista]

I used to wash my hair every day or every other day when i didn't get my hair relaxed. wash n goes were my friend.
But I just got a relaxer last saturday and i haven't washed it since then. It's been about a week. I try to stretch out the period of time that i wash my hair after i get it done because it NEVER looks as good after i wash it as it does when i leave the salon. I can never quite achieve that swang and bounce that the stylist can achieve, so i like to keep my hair looking like that as long as possible. Once i wash and it and style it doesn't look the same.

 

[RegaLady]

I cant speak for other women, but I really thought it dried your hair out. Also if our strong, yet fragile hair can break with the smallest thing(hence look at ALL the things we have to do to retain length), then shampooing everyday with harsh shampoo, can do some damage. I think! Our hair is just different, no apologies here!

 

[KEWLKAT103]

I used to not wash everyday, because I though that I could'nt. Now, I know better, so I do.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I cowashed 4 times this week. I am wearing my hair in a ponytail or pinned up though. If I straightened it I probably would try to keep that style for a few days (up to a week) w/o washing. Shampoo everyday is not something I'd do to my hair but cowashing works.

 

[LilBrownied]

I used to wash my hair every day or every other day when i didn't get my hair relaxed. wash n goes were my friend.
But I just got a relaxer last saturday and i haven't washed it since then. It's been about a week. I try to stretch out the period of time that i wash my hair after i get it done because it NEVER looks as good after i wash it as it does when i leave the salon. I can never quite achieve that swang and bounce that the stylist can achieve, so i like to keep my hair looking like that as long as possible. Once i wash and it and style it doesn't look the same.

Exactly! When my hair was relaxed I avoided washing because it always looked BLEH when I washed it myself. I didn't know what magic they had at the salon because they made it look so nice! Even when I got perms at home, a wash would ruin the "fresh relaxer" look. With new growth-- forget it! I could never wrap it to look "perfect." It's really sad because there was a lot of peer pressure to look as straight and fresh as possible (high school ).

 

[hairmaster]

Black Hair Care Companys don't want you to do your hair the same way the
hairdresser does it.. that way they make more money all around, the cosmetology schools were segargated, now they are not. Proffesional companys found out how much money is being made in the black market, many biracial children are being taken to white salons and asking what to do??? Grown up biracial started using name brand product. Think about it if segargation had not worked or come about blacks women would still be using grease and harsh chemicals to do their hair.

 

[discodumpling]

When I was relaxed I washed often now that I’m nappy my hair is under water every chance I get! Even though people say I’m being a y/t girl by doing so. My hair likes it so I can’t give any energy to other peoples opinions…they don’t have my hair.
I keep my hair in simple styles that lend themselves to daily wetting.

 

[LadyKaypnyc]

I cowash my hair every night, without fail. When I have it in a protective style, I use dry shampoos. Both my hair and my scalp love it​

 

[natstar]

Too much work and manipulation for my fine hair. My hair will end up dry with MAJOR shrinkage. I have to keep it stretched to avoid tangles and breakage.
After my 1x a week washing, it takes my hair a couple of days to get it where I like it which is moisturized & stretched.

Also- I actually do not like washing my hair a lot. It annoys me cause it takes up a lot of my time.

 

[Inches411]

thanks guys for the responses.

 

[LadyEuphoria007]

I think it is now more of an issue with style. When I was relaxed I didn't want to lose that fresh bouncy look either.

As a natural I wash my hair often and it gives me that balance I need...not too dry, not to wet lol.

 

[Pheonixx]

Well...for me it was always a styling preference issue.

I like a smooth wrap and if I washed my hair every day there'd be no way for me to get that every day without flat-ironing---every day.

Trust me I could not possibly wash my hair, wrap it and then wear it like that or expect it to behave WITHOUT flat-ironing. I've tried it.
LOL
It would be massive and once my hair in that state hits TX humidity...it will swell and frizz. I'll be walking around looking crazy.
So when I wrapped, I'd wash weekly.

These days I can cowash every day because I'm in these braidouts.

 

[SohoHair]

If I'm in the shower, than my hair is getting washed (w/ conditioner). My hair is thriving because of it, kinda like a plant...

 

[LadyKaypnyc]

If I'm in the shower, than my hair is getting washed (w/ conditioner). My hair is thriving because of it, kinda like a plant...

Exactly!!! ITA

I have fine hair too, but washing daily doesn't mean that I detangle daily, b/c I don't, I just like how my hair feels after cowashing.

 

[tycoles]

I had a twa for two years, and washed every single day. I loved it. Now that I am relaxed, I am dcing 2x per week. I can't wait until my hair gets long enough to bun because I will probably co-wash 4-5x per week. I agree with everyone who mentioned the styling issue. When I got my hair done professionally, sometimes I would go 2 weeks without washing in an attempt to maintain my style.

However, I think whites, and Asians probably wash everyday because...well they have to. Yes they have natural oils that help them grow out their hair, but those same oils have a tendency to build up real quick. One night a friend of mine (white) invited me over to her house, but warned me that her hair was greasy because she hadn't washed it that day. I just laughed it off thinking she was exaggerating. Turns out she wasn't. Her hair was really greasy! She had only missed one day of washing and her hair looked like she'd gone a week without washing. I can wash my hair tonight, and if I don't use a lot of products or curl it, I can still smell the shampoo tomorrow. They can't do that.

 

[anon123]

Too much work and manipulation for my fine hair. My hair will end up dry with MAJOR shrinkage. I have to keep it stretched to avoid tangles and breakage.

this is exactly it. i know for my hair at my length, the only way i can wash all the time is if i have locs. for my texture of hair, i could also do it if it were really short. as it is now, when i wash my hair it shrinks and therefore tangles on itself. at that point i have two choices: 1) detangle or 2) don't detangle. if i follow option 2, with each wash it gets worse and worse and if you've seen my youtube videos you know that even after the first wash it's worse than it is for most people on this board. if i follow 1) i lose hair each time no matter how gentle i am. if i want to have long lose 4b hair, washing every day is just not something i can do, at least not that i've figured out how to do.

 

[Afro-Indi]

Because the way that most black women choose to wear their hair does not lend itself to daily washing.......

Well, that's it right there!


When I was relaxed, I didn't wash often because it was that old myth many of us bought into of "Black people can't wash their hair everyday or else it will dry out"

Nowadays, I co-wash 3-4 times a week and lately I've been contemplating co-washing daily.

Black Hair Care Companys don't want you to do your hair the same way the
hairdresser does it.. that way they make more money all around, the cosmetology schools were segargated, now they are not. Proffesional companys found out how much money is being made in the black market, many biracial children are being taken to white salons and asking what to do??? Grown up biracial started using name brand product. Think about it if segargation had not worked or come about blacks women would still be using grease and harsh chemicals to do their hair.

This is an interesting take on the topic; especially since many Black women still use harsh chemicals and grease to do their hair, so please excuse me for being retarded, but I don't get your point.
Are you saying segregation is the vehicle to which we owe thanks for better hair care practices among black women??
Again, sorry to be so slow

 

[DeepBluSea]

Because the way that most black women choose to wear their hair does not lend itself to daily washing.......

That's they way I saw it. I know it's a sterotype, but a sista can't get water near that fresh 'do and gotta damn near sleep standing up to keep it looking tight. Honestly, hairboards are the only place I know of black women who wash their hair on a daily basis. Most of the people *I know* wash the magical every 2 weeks.

 

[MonPetite]

Black women tend to fight their natural texture to a greater. Or it can seem that way.

I'm not judging, mind you, I was relaxed for 20 years and just BCed 4 months ago and transitioned for only six months. I'm HARDLY "enlightened" and the texturizer calls me every time I shop.

When I reach HBL natural...I may flat-iron to see my length and if I do I will totally be washing ONCE a week. Maybe two if I can truly get away with it.

I can't speak for the group, but when I was relaxed it still took so much work to blow-dry and flat-iron my thick hair after washing I needed help and only did it every two weeks...or longer. erplexed

Now natural...I WASH AND CO-WASH daily. My hair and severe acne prone face love it.

If 94% of Black women wore TWAs or Afros instead of straightening it, these conversations wouldn't happen as the "style" of a TWA or Afro is more conducive to daily washing/ co-washing.

When texlaxed I co-washed daily and my hair loved that too.

It sealed the deal for me beginning a two year long journey from bone "strait" relaxed, to very texlaxed, to not so texlaxed, to natural. I may tex my ends in the future. I don't know, but being able to wash and conditioner my hair has been heaven for me.

I look forward to it every evening.

I agree with the above posters: some of our hair types can't take the manipulation, the need to keep upi "yo' doo", having to do much more than others to get it straight (relaxer + blow dry + wraps + flat-iron + pin curling) when you total all together what many Black women do to their hair.

Not to mention the added work that can (sometimes) come with weaves and extensions.

That said, ALL women of ALL races jump through many a hoop for our hair.

 

[hairmaster]

This is an interesting take on the topic; especially since many Black women still use harsh chemicals and grease to do their hair, so please excuse me for being retarded, but I don't get your point.
Are you saying segregation is the vehicle to which we owe thanks for better hair care practices among black women??
Again, sorry to be so slow[/QUOTE]

I was only saying desegregation allowed black and white/others to attend
same school and use same products leading to the use of products that are not as harsh, most of your black products are coming from korea and you don't what if they follow the practice of balancing the P.H. How many of you still use GREASE(petroleum Jelly) to close off the pores of your scalp, slick down your hair?

 

[chickory_bee]

In high school, I washed my hair everyday, and it was fabulous...then I stopped when I moved State Side, and my hair health retarded...I'm back on the grind, and wash it at least every other day, and it's healthy again!

I use ACV instead of shampoo most days. And use a DC but rinse it out.

 

[TRYING2GROW]

I think because most of us rock straight styles, and getting that look after being wet; takes awhile.

 

[Oasis]

I don't wash my hair as much I should because it takes too long to dry and because my hair is extremely dry and I've yet to find a good moisturizer. Even co-washing doesn't help.

Also, sometimes, I just don't feel like it.

 

[JustKiya]

I was only saying desegregation allowed black and white/others to attend
same school and use same products leading to the use of products that are not as harsh, most of your black products are coming from korea and you don't what if they follow the practice of balancing the P.H. How many of you still use GREASE(petroleum Jelly) to close off the pores of your scalp, slick down your hair?

On this website, not many. In the overall black population - a hell of a lot. It's pretty colors of blue and green, and scented to smell like something, but it's STILL vaseline.

Shoot, I think my momma still uses AfroSheen....

 

[shinyblackhair]

Honestly, hairboards are the only place I know of black women who wash their hair on a daily basis. Most of the people *I know* wash the magical every 2 weeks.

This is my real life experience too. I can't tell anyone that I co-wash every day or they'll think I'm crazy.

 

[Connie]

Black women tend to fight their natural texture to a greater. Or it can seem that way.

If 94% of Black women wore TWAs or Afros instead of straightening it, these conversations wouldn't happen as the "style" of a TWA or Afro is more conducive to daily washing/ co-washing.

As I'm contemplating transitioning after relaxing over 20 years myself, I know that the main thing that's making the decision tough for me is the desire to maintain and achieve even more length. Once that changes, any potential transition journey will be that much easier for me.

Um...what's a twa and a wng?

 

[JustKiya]

As I'm contemplating transitioning after relaxing over 20 years myself, I know that the main thing that's making the decision tough for me is the desire to maintain and achieve even more length. Once that changes, any potential transition journey will be that much easier for me.

Um...what's a twa and a wng?

TWA = Teeny Weeny Afro
WnG = Wash & Go