Does hair really clean itself?

Or is this just a myth? I was sitting behind a bloke on the bus who didn't have dreadlocks so much as just one big clump of matted hair and it fucking reeked. I had an American friend when I was at school and round his house he had this popcorn machine that was regularly used but never cleaned and smelled of old oil and burnt popcorn. That's what stinky hair on the bus smelled like. I've tried Wikipedia but can't find anything on the self-cleansing claim.

if you leave hair unwashed for long enough, the scalp will eventually produce oily shit that's meant to keep it 'clean'. really not adviced for starting dreads off with, as only clean, dry hair matts effectively, and they should be kept clean, if only for the benefit of others.

All I know is that my hair is really itchy if I don't wash it every day so I have no idea what kind of itchiness someone with hair that dirty must go through!!

Apparently it's only itchy/oilly/lank for the first 4-5 days, but then kind of gets back to normal

Don't feel much like trying it though.

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your biology teacher sounds like one sick fuck.
eugh... lettuce

Well, a guy or Gal who has self cleaning hair, probably experimented with self cleaning skin. Wonder what they smell like that after six months in the hot summer sun?

your biology teacher sounds like one sick fuck.
eugh... lettuce

hahahahaahahahaaah!!!!

when I was about 15 I tried to get my hair to dred... didn't wash or brush it for over six months (except for water in the shower every day). It didn't really work at all - I have naturally wavy/curly hair and it just got curlier. Then a youth group I was involved in won a national award and I was chosen as a rep to go to the fancy do in London complete with an embassy reception (and free Guinness bar YAAAAAY!) so I thought I'd better make an effort as I was representing other people. So I brushed my arse length hair out. The brush went through like a knife through soft butter. My hair never matted in those months. It was in the best condition it ever has been. It didnt' itch and I still to this day only wash/condition it every 7-10 days. I've never been accused of being smelly either so there!

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yuk!

It's a myth that people with dreads don't wash their hair. They do (well most of them), but they have to use a special shampoo that doesn't leave any residue. They sell it at that wig shop on Mill Rd. Most shampoos have conditioning agents which stay in your hair even when you wash it out. Many people with dreads just use water.
Some people with fine straight hair have to use wax to make their hair dread. It works better with people with thick curly hair.

It is true that hair cleans itself. It takes about 3 weeks of looking like a drowned rat before it settles. Once it's self cleaning then you have to be careful not to get it wet because then it just produces grease and looks like crap again. Some people think not washing means not using shampoo - you must keep it dry and not try and rinse it with water.
It also doesn't work with anyone with danduff because then it all just builds up. Yucky.
I had a Kurt Cobain phase at Long Road when greasy hair was considered cool. I also had dreads briefly in my Back to the Planet phase but combed them out before they really took.

I blame the turtles, an influence bad.

I think (I know alot of people tell me not to) it's alot more to with not keeping your head clean rather than the hair it's self.

hey Pod74 my main man.. did you see the thread about mushrooms growing on the cambridge stagecoach bus. i do love your websight by the way.not tellin

i have dreadlocks and i dont wash them. they dont smell and they're not greasy or anything - they itch very slightly but i think that's more the way my hair lies (as i fiddle with them quite a lot). i think hair can definitely clean itself - you just have to make sure you dont get crap in it (that's when it starts to smell). rain and seawater are good for hair that isn't washed a lot. i think...

I didn't wash mine with shampoo for 10 years. Apart from occasionally being accused of smelling like sheep when it rained, I got away with it, hehe :-)

Even if it does clean itself it really stinks though. I hate it when a head smells of oil & cold tobacco :)

I went out with someone with dreads for a bit, they really stunk, and when they'd been anywere smokey they kind of absorbed the smoke and it was nasty.