After Not Washing His Hair For Six Years, Man Recommends We All Do It

Lex Gabrielle
hair
Unsplash | Miguel Constantin Montes

Hair and beauty care are extremely important to many people. For some, keeping and maintaining healthy and luscious hair is a struggle. Some people have a lot of issues when it comes to the look, texture, and even the condition of their hair altogether.

Some undergo traumatic experiences like hair loss and breakage, while others deal with dandruff and dry scalp. People all over the internet are constantly looking for ways to deal with their hair.

One TikTok user Nick Coetzee shared that he struggled with his own hair for years.

Man Doesnt Wash Hair 6 Years
TikTok | TikTok l _nickcoetzee

Coetzee shared that six years ago, he started to notice his hairline was receding and it started to fall out in giant clumps. Obviously, that's hard for anyone to handle, especially a young male who is nowhere near the age where people start to go bald (at least on average).

Coetzee says he used to take an "extra shirt to class" because the hair would fall out all over himself.

dog hair blowing in the wind
Giphy | Nat Geo Wild

He said a "theory" he had was that the hair loss that he was suffering from was due to the chemicals he was putting in his hair from traditional shampoos and conditioners.

So, he stopped using them altogether.

hair in a bun
Unsplash | Kasia Serbin

Coetzee said he decided to stop washing his hair altogether with shampoo and any other products that used chemicals. His hair began to get thicker and stop falling out as much and, 6-years later, he has a full, healthy head of hair.

For many, not washing your hair for six years seems insane.

For many people, giving up shampoo and conditioner for six full years seems like a huge impossibility. Some worry about the smell of their hair, while others worry about it being greasy and oily. Coetzee says that it does get greasy at first, but once your hair balances out with the oils, it gets pretty much "normal" again.

Coetzee shared a lot of tips and tricks with TikTok commenters who had tons of questions.

One commenter asked Coetzee if he still uses any gel products in his hair not that he goes "chemical-free." Coetzee says that he does use gel to style his hair but specifically uses ones that are water-based. He says that it's important to read the labels and look at the ingredients in all hair products.

Others asked if you can stop using shampoo if you have dandruff.

dsa
TikTok | TikTok l _nickcoetzee

Many people experience dandruff or dry scalp that causes flaking on their heads. It can be a real hassle whenever you wear darker clothing because the flakes can fall and be very noticeable. If you also have darker hair, dandruff can be embarrassing when you can see the flakes in your hair.

Coetzee said that a commenter on his Instagram said that no shampoo actually helped his dandruff.

Coetzee shared a screenshot from a comment he had received on an Instagram video that he shared that showcased someone had tried his method of "cutting out" shampoo and that it helped his dandruff. After he stopped using shampoo and conditioner, his dandruff cleared up.

Many people also wanted to know if he uses anything to wash his hair at all.

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TikTok | TikTok l _nickcoetzee

Many were curious if Coetzee uses any type of product to wash his hair, as it does get dirt build-up and can smell a bit, too. No one wants to be the person who has a scent coming from their head in the office—no way.

Coetzee says he does use some products to help wash it from time to time.

However, all of these products are not the traditional shampoo that may be loaded up with chemicals. Instead, Coetzee uses baking soda to wash out the product he had used in his hair before, like gel. Then, to rinse that out, he does a quick apple cider vinegar soak.

But remember: swearing off shampoo and conditioner doesn't mean you can't use anything though.

The key is to make sure everything is water-based so that it can easily rinse right out in the shower.

As it turns out, he's not the only one.

Since going viral, Coetzee says he's happy that he can see there are other people in the world who also swore off shampoo and conditioner and say they would "never go back." Here's to trying it out for ourselves!