You may not care too much for retaining length so perhaps that bit is irrelevant to you, but more than likely, you care about the health of your hair so consider that each time you wet your hair the strands must expand to accommodate the moisture giving rise to cracks in the outer cuticle layers.
Essentially science shows that constantly wetting and drying your hair can weaken the strands, causing the health of your hair to deteriorate.
While your hair might not immediately show the symptoms of the damage, over time the hair may get weathered and dull. We also know that leaving our hair out leaves it vulnerable to the elements which can do a number on them as well.
Since many women are drawn to the wash and go style because it cuts down considerably on the time that they take to groom their hair, if you plan to continue using them in your regimen it would probably be best if you cut down on their frequency.
There are those of you who lead quite a hectic lifestyle inclusive of aerobics, spinning classes or other athletic activity and this may pose a challenge for you.
Instead of washing your hair after each of your workout sessions daily (one in the morning and one to close out the day), get creative instead. Try to find ways to avoid the wet-dry cycle so that you can allow your cuticles to close up as your hair rests. Also try to find ways to make your wash and go’s last longer as this will also dramatically reduce single strand knots.
Another option is to alternate your wash and go with a different perhaps more stretched style like a twist out every other week. Twist outs and braid outs don’t take a great deal of time to do and if you can wash your hair in the evening before bed your hair will dry as you sleep.
Dry cleansing can freshen your scalp so you do not feel sticky (not to mention eliminating any lingering odors- eww!). Granted, you may have become accustomed to your way of doing things, but consider it a sacrifice for the health of your hair.
If your schedule does not involve daily hectic workouts, it should be a little simpler, but dry cleansing could work for you too. Additionally, it would help if you style your old wash and goes by bunning or wrapping and pinning it into simple, stylish up-dos.
Sure, it would require that you take a few minutes to get it done but if your style is set on the foundation of an old wash and go, it shouldn’t take more that five minutes. Besides, if you care about maintaining the optimal health of your hair, a few minutes will be well worth it.
Bottom line is that wash and go’s are an easy styling option but they are definitely not the best choice when it comes to optimum hair health or length.
Kari Fousheé says
Let me be great…
Natasha Robinson B says
Ugh I do this mostly oh well…
Trina Hawthorne says
We cant do anything to our hair let them tell it.. don’t wash it… don’t comb it… don’t press it… lol
Lena Scott says
I mean seriously though. I fell in love with the wash and go because I had read that water was the best moisture for my hair…now getting it wet too often is bad?! GAWD lol
Siedah C. Holmes says
I do what I want.
Sarah Nicole says
Boo. I love wash and go but guess I’m gonna have to not do then so often.
Zay Zay says
About right… Noticed that already no I do twist out
Shavonne R. Boyd says
No wash n gos on this head… Period. I know my hair’s limits.
Generous Dawn says
How does one determine hair type?
Anna Ogonji Smith says
Wash n go doesn’t work with my hair type or I’m doing something wrong. I end up with a frizzy mess.
Esther Williams Jordan says
I can and I do!!
Vernell Bristow says
Interesting article. I like wash &go styles but i don’t wet my hair everyday. I can get a wash &go to last 3-4 days with low manipulation.