This trend isn’t cuttin’ it.
The #nopoo and #noshampoo movement that’s been prevalent on social media in recent times appears to be gaining steam amongst teen boys and young men.
But experts are warning that flaking on shampoo could cause dandruff, irritate the scalp, stunt hair growth, and worsen scalp problems.
“Conditions that make the scalp itchy can mean that individuals scratch, breaking hair off on the roots,” Dr. Anastasia Therianou, a dermatologist and scalp specialist based in London, told the Every day Mail this week.
“But additionally, if sweat, oil and dirt block the follicles, you’ll find that the hairs don’t grow as efficiently as they may,” she added.
Therianou said forgoing shampoo may lead to inflammation and flakiness that may must be treated with an anti-fungal shampoo.
“For those who’re not cleansing your scalp properly, the microbiome, or the gathering of bacteria and fungus that survive the scalp, can grow to be unbalanced,” she explained.
“That’s when a yeast called malassezia can proliferate,” Therianou continued. “Malassezia causes dandruff since the yeast feeds on the oil produced by your scalp and this process releases a by-product that irritates the scalp.”
A 2021 study published within the Skin Appendage Disorders journal found that individuals who wash their hair less face an increased risk of hair loss.
Still, several TikTokers claim that not using shampoo has improved their hair.
Kainoa Lam, who goes by @kainoalam on TikTok, posted a video in the autumn saying that his hair got thicker after he stopped using shampoo seven months prior.
“After I began doing no shampoo my hair became super wavy, it also got thicker, more textured and it began to smell loads higher,” he said.
But some TikTok commenters said they tried the no-shampoo method — and so they don’t wish to repeat it.
“I began losing hair and got dandruff,” one person claimed.
“Bro i did it and almost got bald (i did no shampoo for 1year),” one other shared.
“Been doing it because the start of January, got dandruff, hair thinning, and frizzy + dry. My hair just isn’t made for it apparently,” a 3rd lamented.
The Post reached out to Lam for comment.
Humza Islam, who goes by @humza.islam on TikTok, posted a video last 12 months teaching his followers find out how to stop using shampoo.
Within the clip, he instructs people to make use of a clarifying shampoo to thoroughly clean the hair and scalp — before tossing it, together with their conditioner.
He advises buying a board whistle brush, a picket wide-tooth comb, and a shower filter.
He said individuals who go this route should use water as a substitute of shampoo and conditioner and must also spend numerous time massaging their scalp.
In a video posted in 2022, Islam said the start of his no-shampoo journey was “a living hell,” but now his hair is far healthier.
The Post reached out to Islam for comment.
His method is named “hair training.”
“The concept behind hair training is that you simply ‘train’ your hair and indeed your scalp to only must be washed occasionally — for some this may mean per week, for other advocates of the practice it means a month,” Sam Carpenter, global educator at haircare company EIDEAL, told Healthline in November.
“It stems from the idea that chemicals comparable to sulfates (present in lots of haircare products) dry out the strands which causes an overproduction of natural oils and that by training the hair and scalp, it can return to its natural, healthy state,” he explained.
But Carpenter warned that not washing hair enough can result in hair loss.
Dermatologists also advise against ditching shampoo out of your routine.
“This approach is predicated on the speculation that if you happen to just wash your hair with water, your scalp will adjust and produce exactly the fitting amount of oils to maintain your hair in optimum condition. But I can’t find any evidence that that is the case,” Dr. Angela Tewari, a London-based dermatologist specializing in hair, told the Every day Mail.
“Furthermore, your scalp and hair collect dirt, oils and sweat — and with the intention to remove those effectively, you would like surfactants [i.e. cleaning detergents]. Water alone won’t remove that dirt and oil,” she added.
Docs say that shampoos are less harsh on hair than ever, and if you happen to’re reacting negatively to shampoo — you’re using the improper one.
