I Washed My Hair for 10 Days, Here’s What Happened

Is it cliche of me to say my hair is a point of pride? I lost all my hair when I was 3 from childhood leukemia. I had a competitive collection of '90s hats for covering my baby hair. I’m grateful to be able to say that I beat cancer, and these days, I like to think it’s God’s joke on everyone else that I have such long, thick, and healthy hair.

Also, as of this week, I am just over 3 months pregnant with my first child. I’ve heard all the horror stories from women who’ve suffered from pregnancy dandruff and/or postpartum hair loss. The thought brings me back to a dark corner of my childhood that I don’t revisit often. For me, thinking about losing my hair surpasses a point of identity. I work out regularly. I obsess over dry shampoo—admittedly too much—so I’m no stranger to product buildup and an itchy scalp. I’ve also been dying my hair a couple times a year…for the past 15 years, and yes, I’m one of those girls who thinks I have my hair trained [insert hair flip] [omit eyeroll].

Yet here I am—unwashed yet eager—embarking on a 10-day hair wash challenge to see how it transforms my hair, my scalp, and most importantly (or at least depending on how you look at it), my pride.

Just a little selfie moment pre-challenge. The last time I washed my hair 2 days in a row, I think I was 16?!

DAY 1: To double cleanse, or not to double cleanse? I just washed my hair 2 days ago, so washing again so soon feels extremely foreign to me. I actually did a lift at the gym earlier today, but instead of opting for my beloved dry shampoo, I’m going for the trifecta—mask, shampoo, conditioner—to jumpstart my challenge.

Sorry if hair in the shower icks you out—but this is a journal entry about hair. 

DAY 2: The last time I washed my hair 2 days in a row, I’m pretty sure Regis Philbin was still hosting Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Something I noticed was that there was less hair fall (shedding) compared to when I wash my hair every few days. I’ll take it!

More shower hair art – but can you believe the difference in!?

DAY 3: Throughout the workday, especially if I hit the gym that morning, I’ll find myself scratching at my scalp. I’ve felt zero urge to itch since starting this challenge, so this is definitely something I want to pay more attention to as the days go on. I’m continuing to see less and less shedding with each wash and my husband and shower drain are grateful.

DAY 4: Whoops - day 4 journaling completely got away from me, but you already know this hair was washed.

DAY 5: NO scalp itch and I’m absolutely loving the way my hair has been air drying. It feels like the no makeup makeup look equivalent (except you actually didn’t put effort into achieving the effortless glam). 

Literally woke up like this.

DAY 6: So I took my first “everything shower” of this challenge AND applied heat to my hair AND got full face ready. Feeling more queen and less troll. Sidenote: I spent all day in the sun and my scalp didn’t get irritated or dry whatsoever. Moisture, is that you?

DAY 7: Second day in a row of washing and applying heat to my hair. I have to say, things are looking pretty fresh over here. Also, it was fast AF! I literally straightened my hair in 6 minutes. I won’t lie, the act of washing and heat styling daily doesn’t feel sustainable for me, but this itch-free scalp is certainly a feeling I don’t want to let go of.

DAY 8: Long day, and unlike the rest of female America, the last thing I wanted was a hot shower. I just wanted to lay and rest in my fifth, but nevertheless-she-persisted (aka showered). OK, I’ll admit it. It felt nice. Also, It’s crazy how few strands I am shedding these days. Today, I think I counted 6 hairs?!?

Making minimalistic hair art because my shedding has significantly increased

DAY 9 Woke up and straightened my air-dried air. It took another 6 minutes. With this length and thickness, that’s freaking astonishing.

DAY 10 Last day!! I've started to like this journaling practice. Should I stick with it? Anyway, for those who have stuck with me these past 10 days here are the results...