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Can harsh shampoos / washing hair too frequently cause it to fall (temporarily)l?

Shampooing too frequently can definitely cause damage to the hair. This is especially true if you're using cheap (harsh) stuff. For the most part, it just dries your scalp out and causes the hair to APPEAR thinner. Years of mistreatment, I can imagine, would definitely cause hair to start actually thinning.

The lady who cuts my hair generally recommends washing every few days at the most, unless you are using really heavy styling products (waxes, pomades, gels), in which case you might have to wash every other day or even every day. I listen to her because I enjoy having my hair and her method seems to be working so far :biggrin:
 
+1 on not washing your hair every day. I've tried tons of shampoos, and paid all sorts of prices for them. Only a few have seemed to truly be gentle on my hair. But, it seems that almost every time I wash my hair, my scalp and hair gets dried out, causing my hair to be poofy and stick out. Even, when I wash in only cold water.

Unfortunately, I live in the south, and my job requires me to do hard work outside inside hot auto shops. So, during the week I was my hair every day, don't on the weekends.
 
im glad i found this thread. my hair seems to be thinning on the top. this just happened out of nowhere last summer or so. I was using the Suave 79 cent bottle, which is cheap and i guess harsh. i figured my scalp was too dry so i got some head and shoulders 2 in 1 for dry scalp. my hair still looks to be thinning though. during school i wash my hair everyday except maybe saturday or sunday. during the summer though it could be every couple of days. you guys think my hair is just falling out, or are there any products that can help this, or what? i would love some feedback. thanks.
 
Your hair naturally sheds lots of hair throughout the course of the day. There are something like 10,000 hairs on the human head, so even if you shed a couple hundred, you should be ok.

I looked this up a while back, because I was worried when my skin was littered with strands of my hair. It turns out this is fairly normal and that I just never noticed it before because my hair never used to be as long as it is these days.
 
im glad i found this thread. my hair seems to be thinning on the top. this just happened out of nowhere last summer or so. I was using the Suave 79 cent bottle, which is cheap and i guess harsh. i figured my scalp was too dry so i got some head and shoulders 2 in 1 for dry scalp. my hair still looks to be thinning though. during school i wash my hair everyday except maybe saturday or sunday. during the summer though it could be every couple of days. you guys think my hair is just falling out, or are there any products that can help this, or what? i would love some feedback. thanks.


Shampoos are a tricky issue, simply because many of the higher end salon products are no better than the stuff you buy at the drugstore. I've been using Aveda shampoo and conditioner for a couple of years now and my hair is noticeably healthier than it was when I was using cheap stuff. The bottles are a little pricier than others, about $9.00 a piece, but they should last you a good 3-4 months as you only need about a dime-sized amount to get the job done well. If you're interested, try out their "Rosemary Mint" shampoo, as well as conditioner. The rosemary strengthens your hair and the mint stimulates your scalp. A very nice product, in my opinion.

Also, if you use product in your hair, the same rules apply. Cheaper products are going to use cheaper ingredients and can damage your hair. Gels tend to be drying and harmful because they contain a lot of alcohol. If you need recommendations for products, try out American Crew Fiber or Forming Cream. Both are highly rated and really nice. Again, on the expensive side, but they will last a good 5-6 months if used properly. Aveda also has a grooming clay and a grooming cream that are good, natural products.

Anyway, I hope that helps!
 
Aveda also has a grooming clay and a grooming cream that are good, natural products.

+1 for Aveda. I know their products are probably overpriced but I like them, and like you say you don't need much.

I even get my hair cut at an Aveda salon. My major indulgence besides wet shaving. Completely unjustified and not even that great of a cut, LOL, but I like my stylist.
 
I have about half a bottle of neutrogena menthol shampoo or something, i love the way it felt but it didn't seem to be helping. I'll check out the rosemary mint stuff, although a dime size amount won't do for me. My hair is getting pretty long and now the small amounts don't do it anymore and i find my self just pouring shampoo into my hand with no regard to how much i should be using.
 
I have about half a bottle of neutrogena menthol shampoo or something, i love the way it felt but it didn't seem to be helping. I'll check out the rosemary mint stuff, although a dime size amount won't do for me. My hair is getting pretty long and now the small amounts don't do it anymore and i find my self just pouring shampoo into my hand with no regard to how much i should be using.

With Aveda shampoo, anything over a nickel is going to be unnecessary, trust me. When I first started using their shampoo, it took a little while for me to realize how little you actually need to get the job done.

Also, just a side note, the main goal of a shampoo is to cleanse the scalp and the area right around the base of the hair. While you can surely clean the tips and length, your main focus should be the stuff right near the skin.
 
Okay, I have been trying the every 2 day wash. :001_tt1:

I must say that I love the results; my hair looks so much better; looks great on the wash days; looks great on the non-wash days; it's shiny and healthy. (by the way I use styling products very rarely, maybe once a month)

Furthermore, it looks thicker; even the few thinning areas looks less thinning

You just have to get used to it, because every morning, in the shower, I don't remember if I washed my hair the previous morning
 
With Aveda shampoo, anything over a nickel is going to be unnecessary, trust me. When I first started using their shampoo, it took a little while for me to realize how little you actually need to get the job done.

Also, just a side note, the main goal of a shampoo is to cleanse the scalp and the area right around the base of the hair. While you can surely clean the tips and length, your main focus should be the stuff right near the skin.

Yeah, i never even think about that, i usually just kind of lather my hair up real good and don't worry about the scalp. Thanks, i can't wait to get this shampoo.
 
What is the best way to keep hair CLEAN, without washing it daily with shampoo?

Would it be fine to just use Conditioner everyday? or just a very small amount of shampoo/conditioner combo?
 
What is the best way to keep hair CLEAN, without washing it daily with shampoo?

Would it be fine to just use Conditioner everyday? or just a very small amount of shampoo/conditioner combo?

Honestly, unless you have exceptionally oily hair (or you work hard for your money), you really don't have to shampoo every day to keep the hair clean. A good minute of hot water in the shower will do the job nicely on the days that you skip shampoo.

As far as conditioner goes, it just depends on your hair type. Most guys can get away with using no conditioner whatsoever. If you shampoo your hair and it feels dry or looks dull, then you need conditioner. If you shampoo and your hair feels good and looks somewhat shiny, then you can probably do without. If you do choose to use conditioner, only use it on the days when you shampoo...if you condition without shampooing, you can cause buildup among other things.

Oh, one more thing. If you have some Jojoba oil lying around, try massaging a few drops of that stuff into your wet hair and then rinsing after about a minute. It will moisturize and clean the scalp. A really nice occasional treatment, definitely not for regular use.
 
I have been using Aveda's Pure-formance men line for two weeks now. I shampoo/condition every morning and really like these products so far. The conditioner has menthol in it, which leaves your head feeling nice and cool. Sometimes I use their liquid pomade also. It keeps the frizz down (I am letting my hair grow) and gives it a natural looking shine. It doesn't look oily or get that "crunchy" feeling. My g/f runs her hands through and can't tell there is any product in it.
 
As someone with oily hair, I wash my hair everyday, but I am careful as to how I do it and what I use. My choice nowadays is the Avalon Organics line of Shampoos and Conditioners. The ingredients used are good for the hair and scalp and when I use them, I do not vigorously scrub my hair/scalp. This can cause a little more hair to come out than usual, but a few hairs coming out during a shower is a perfectly normal occurance.
 
I bought some Johnson's baby shampoo to bathe my dog with, then started using it myself. It works just as well as the other stuff I had been using, and I think it is probably pretty mild.
 
I have an oil scalp. If I don't wash my hair every day, I feel itchy and dirty. I have about 4 shampoos and change off every other day. My hair has always thick and shiny and at 49, I still have a full head of it. A lot of this has to do with genes, but as for a daily hair washing, it hasn't hurt my scalp or head one bit.

I once had an old barber who gave great haircuts. He told me that it was the worse thing to wash my hair every day and that if I continued to do this, I would be bald by the time I'm 50. Sorry, didn't happen.

I would encourage people to find a few good shampoos and wash their hair every day.
 
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