One Lucky Soul: Advice For Men Who Still Have Hair

Friday, 11 July 2014

Advice For Men Who Still Have Hair

One thing I remember from the years I worked in hotels was the long shifts. Sometimes after the PM shift (2/3 to 11/12), I would go home to sleep then barely wake some hours later for another AM shift (7/8 to 4/5) the next day. This lifestyle would occasionally force me to skip showering before going to work. And even though I was always relatively clean and shaven, but staying more than 24 hours without a shower was something I never enjoyed. After all, I was brought up like that; shower everyday and obviously also shampoo everyday.   

This daily hair washing stayed with me for 35 years, until a while ago when I decided to go to a barber in Toronto for the first time in nine years. A friend of mine used to give me a cut every once in a while for the first five years; then in Canada I would cut it myself — though I did not do it often because I always preferred it long. At least half of all the men I know are bold by now, so if I still got some then let it grow… that’s my mottow.  

I found out later that, apparently, our hair is part of our nervous system and is of spiritual nature. It keep us sensitive and receptive as explained in this really interesting Article. No wonder I always felt a certain relationship with my hair. And no wonder my ex-teachers and ex-bosses always wanted me to cut it.

So when I finally made it to the hairdresser/barber shop and talked to the guy there, I told him how I routinely wash my hair every single day since the day I was born. Also how I’ve been lately using Head & Shoulders since sometimes I get dandruff.

First, the Head n Shoulders. He told me it’s so potent that they use it to remove the hair colouring in women, and to stop using it.

Second, he said you can’t use those chemicals everyday and expect your hair to be fine. I remember looking at him in terror and blasphemously saying:

“But it will get oily!  
Yeah you rinse it with water, use shampoo once every 3 days,” he calmly replied. 

Of course the idea of showering without shampoo had somehow never crossed my mind until that moment. Washing your hair everyday with chemicals is probably a REALLY stupid thing to do, now that I think about. It is so unnatural; our hair is definitely not designed for that. And the wily women knew it all along.  

Since that visit, I changed shampoos and use it only once every three days in significantly small amounts. My hair feels healthier and I'm not losing it while showering or brushing as I used to. So for those of you who still got some hair and want to keep it as you age, listen to those experts ― they do know what they’re talking about.    

Oh, and that disturbing video about Head & Shoulders which was circulating on social media lately, it's not true: On Head & Shoulders Video.

EDIT [March 12, 2015]:

Seeing the results of less chemicals on my hair made me reduce shampoo even more. I use it once, then two days of just water, then one day of conditioner, then another two days of just water, then shampoo again. This cycle works our great.

Check the sequel Further Advice For Anyone With Longish Hair written three years later in 2017.