Scalp Wash Success?

[MsBubbles]

(If you're not sure what a scalp wash is, here's a link to Amoretti's article)

I want to try scalp washes but am too afraid of getting my hair into such a knot that I will sustain a lot of damage. My hair is thin enough already.

If scalp washes worked for you, what length did you start doing them?

If they didn't work, please tell me why (tangles, scalp didn't get clean, etc.).

Please specify also how regularly you do them vs. a full length wash?

[Loviatar]

I've done the odd one or two. I like them, but I dont do them regularly because my hair doesnt seem long enough and I always get it wet.

I put a bit of oil (coconut) on my length, but only a bit - then I secure it in a crown ponytail, and cover it with a grocery bag (plastic bag). You could also use saran wrap I guess. Then I mix some water and shampoo into my squirt bottle, shake it up and squirt the resulting foam onto my scalp. The bottle has a good nozzle which gets under my canopy.

My scalp got clean and my length got wet but not soapy. I then air dried and once it was totally dry I brushed so the oil was nicely spread.

Once my hair is past BSL I can imagine doing these regularly. I would rather do this than a full head wash any day. Even though the bagging part is a bit of a faff.

ETA: I just read Amoretti's article. I am SO going to do it that way from now on! Genius. and no icky faff-worthy plastic bags.

[Longlocks3]

I've done a couple scalp washes. My length was TB+ when I first did one to now classic. I hang my braid on a plastic clothes hanger in the shower to do mine.

The first one I did, didn't work out so well. It is a little tricky but practice makes perfect!

I wash everyday. I sometimes replace a full wash with a scalp wash, but the next day I do a full wash.

[MsBubbles]

Thanks for the elaborations! I wonder how long a person could go just doing scalp washes?

I'd love to find something that's less wear & tear on my hair than full shampoo. I may finally try a scalp wash this weekend, that way if it all goes pear-shaped I can just wash it later as usual.

"Faff-worthy". LOL!

[burns_erin]

I don't quite do it like that, but I do only shampoo my scalp. I just don't worry about the length getting wet.

I have a couple of ways I do it, but essentially I just wet my hair, dilute shampoo in a sprayer bottle, spray my scalp, hold my length up, and rinse, either with shower head or under faucet. Sometimes I keep the length dry, but really, there is alot of pollution in this area so my length typically does need to be at least rinsed.

[Arctic]

Aisling does them regularly and has talked about them in her blog. I remember reading that it did take some getting used to before she learned how not to make her hair tangle.

[pinchbeck]

I tried it even though my hair is only BSL. Wow...what a challenge. It was hard to get under the hair that was tied and I felt I was catching my hair and ripping pieces of it despite my gentle approach.

I have decided this is not for me maybe due to my shorter length. Thus I will continue to protect my length with pre-oiling. So far it is working.

Scalp washing is a neat technique if it when done successfully.

[windinherhair]

I tried it but never did it again. I usually wash my hair standing up in the shower. So when I did a scalp wash with my head over the bathtub, and trying not to get my other hair wet was a hassle.

I try to just go for as long as I can without washing my hair, which really depends on how long before my scalp starts to bother me, and then I wash my scalp and condition the rest of my hair. I can usually make it to anywhere between 5 to 7 days.

[Carolyn]

When I had bangs I used to do something I called a "bang wash". I'd stick my head in the bathroom sink and shampoo and rinse just my bangs. The rest would be pulled back in a knot. My bangs would get horribly greasy and I could get by with an extra day if I washed the bangs. That didn't allow me to wear my hair down. It just made for decent enough bangs to go out in public.

I don't do scalp washes anymore because I like to get all of my hair wet. My ends need to be wet at least every 3rd day, if not every other day. I can smooth my hair back in a low bun and make it look good enough.

[MsBubbles]

Thanks for the replies! Interesting answers and just what I was looking for/wondering about.

My dilemma is whether it's gentler on my hair to just wash the whole lot every other day (C-W-C), or to do a scalp wash every other day with a full wash once a week. I anticipate tangles. It may not be worth it just yet at BSL. But may be a great idea at hip + beyond.