Washing your hair without using any type of shampoo has become something of a trend over the past few years but Tony Maleedy is urging people to rethink
Advocates of No Poo claim it’s beneficial because:
There is no need for shampoo because the hair cleans itself.
You can clean hair with warm water or conditioner.
Shampoo strips the hair of all its natural oil and makes it dry.
Shampooing makes more hair fall out.
Shampoos contain harmful chemicals.
But Tony says: “It might sound like a natural, healthy way to care for hair, but this really is a very bad idea. If you don’t wash your hair, you are not washing your scalp either and this can cause big problems, including dandruff, sebohorric dermatitis and increased hair loss. The scalp is seven per cent of the total area of the skin – about the same as the arm below the elbow. Imagine not ever washing that!”
“I have seen many thousands of people with hair and scalp problems, and in the vast majority of cases the disorders, particularly those of the scalp, have greatly improved as soon as the scalp is either washed more regularly, or better, more appropriate, products are used on it.”
No Poo claims and the reality according to Tony:
Claim: There is no need for shampoo because the hair cleans itself.
Reality: “Hair cannot clean itself.Sebum, the natural oil of the skin, travels along the hair shaft to have moisture retaining and protective effects on the hair.But this oil also allows debris such as dust and dead skin cells to adhere to the hair, making it dull and adding considerable weight, and in the case of fine hair, causing it to become limp. The only way to remove this debris properly is by using a shampoo.”
Claim: You can clean hair with warm water or conditioner.
Reality: “If you ‘wash’ your hair with warm water or conditioner the bulk of the larger dirt particles are generally removed from the surface of the hair but sebum is not. This is because oil and water don’t, of course, mix so the oil continues to adhere to the surface of the hair and in a very short time more debris will stick to it.Conditioner can’t clean the hair as it does not have the ability to interact with oil and dirt as shampoo does, allowing them to be removed from the hair and scalp.’
Claim: Shampoo strips the hair of all its natural oil and makes it dry.
Reality: “Sebum has an excellent effect on the condition of the hair, its ability to lock moisture into the hair is second to none. Having said that, it is a magnet for dust, dirt and debris, which will, over time, leave hair looking lacklustre and dull. Hair conditioners these days are so sophisticated and effective it is far better to wash your hair frequently and use a conditioner afterwards. Another important point is that some shampoos are very harsh, but these are the poorer quality ones.
Good quality shampoos are designed to only remove excess oil from the hair and scalp leaving the intercellular oil within the scalp tissues and in the spaces between the hair cuticles.”
Claim: Shampooing makes more hair fall out.
Reality: “This could not be more wrong. When you wash your hair of course you notice more hair falling out, but these are only hairs which are ready to come out anyway. Not washing your hair will not prevent this, indeed, leaving your hair unwashed is likely to result in a greater hair loss in time.”
Claim: Shampoos contain harmful chemicals.
Reality: “The EU Cosmetic Directive regulations covering this are very strict, and no harmful chemicals are allowed to be used in any shampoo formulations. From a cosmetic point of view the use of shampoo to remove dirt and excess oil is very important as shampoos affect the hair in a number of ways. They give hair a more appealing feel and texture, improve its condition and usually leave it with a pleasant smell. In addition, by removing debris from the hair’s surface they allow light to be reflected more easily, so improving shine on the hair. Clean hair also shows in hair-on-hair interaction, the way hairs move and flow alongside neighbouring hairs – which is a major factor in the appearance and appeal of hair.”
