A new TikTok trend has teen boys and college-aged men forgoing shampoo!
The viral hair care trend has inspired young men to stop washing their hair with shampoo in order to improve the health and appearance of their hair. But experts say cutting shampoo out of one’s hair care routine could have some adverse effects like scalp irritation, stunting hair growth, and causing dandruff.
Despite expert opinions, several TikTokers have adopted the #nopoo or #noshampoo movement, claiming that not using shampoo has only improved their hair. TikToker Kainoa Lam (@kainoalam) posted a video warning that shampoo robs hair of its natural texture, dries it out and adds unwanted chemicals. Lam claims that after 6 months of not using shampoo, your hair will significantly improve because its natural oils will create a silky, shiny appearance.
Another TikToker, Humza Islam (@humza.islam) posted a video sharing his experience going without shampoo for over a year. “The first month or two for me were really rough,” says Islam. “My hair was stinky, it was super oily.”
Then he says that after the two month mark, his hair started cooperating. “Before, I couldn’t get my hair to do what I wanted it to. It always flattened out,” explains Islam. “Now, I can place it anywhere I want and it’ll stay there.” Islam also notes that his hair even started getting less oily.
Commenters shared their experiences with the no shampoo movement.
One person said, “I tried the no shampoo before but I got dandruff.”
“I stopped using it after reading a research paper about shampoo. It has been over 2 years now and my hair has never been better,” wrote another.
In another video, Islam shares some of the products he used to get him through the initial months of going no shampoo. He shares that he got a boar bristle brush and a wooden comb. “The boar bristles brought oil all the way down my hair and brushed away any dandruff flakes,” he explains. “The comb helped me mechanically clean my scalp and get rid of any buildup that was causing dandruff.”
Instead of shampoo, Islam recommends just using water and massaging the scalp. He also says you could use a “cowash” which Islam says is “basically like washing your hair with conditioner.” He also says shampoo could be replaced with apple cider vinegar.
Regardless of the no shampoo movement’s popularity, experts advise against ditching shampoo to avoid scalp and hair problems. For example, forgoing shampoo could cause itchiness and irritation, and excessively scratching one’s scalp could cause hair to break off. At the same time, as sweat, oil, and dirt builds up they could block hair follicles and cause hair to not grow as efficiently as it could.
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