Anish Vij
A bloke who has gone eight years without using shampoo has shared the surprising results in a new update.
The YouTuber - who goes by the handle Garden of Aidan - has opened up about the downsides he has found with traditional hair products.
Taking to the video-sharing platform last year, the content creator previously showed what his scalp looked like when he used anti-dandruff shampoo regularly before giving it up entirely.
In his first video, titled '7 years no shampoo results', he said he would 'deliver the long overdue scalp update on the no shampoo lifestyle'.
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"As you can see, we had a pretty grotesque flake infestation on my scalp. Now of course, I had to fix that problem quickly," he said when showing what his scalp looked like previously.
"And the solution I chose was to try quitting shampoo completely."
In a September 2024 update, Aidan further explained how giving up shampoo helped massively with his dandruff - as he says his scalp is in 'pristine condition'.
He told his 20k+ subscribers that the 'number one reason' that shampoo can supposedly cause problems is due to the 'existence of sulfates', which is a type of detergent common in shampoos.
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"Now, sulfates are excellent for cleaning hair, but the problem is they are absolute overkill." he continued.
"They strip away absolutely everything, dirt, grease, but the problem is that includes your natural oils, and the result is you can get a very irritated scalp because of how harsh these sulfates are for your skin."
"Now, many people shampoo every single day, and a routine like that is incredibly destructive to your scalp health, and it's really no surprise if you know, you're getting showered with parmesan cheese every day as a result of that kind of lifestyle," he added.
"The natural oils that your scalp produces are useful for actually hydrating your hair and scalp, stripping it away on a regular basis whatsoever, will leave you with a dry, irritated scalp.
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"And so the best way to get around this is either to switch to a sulfate free shampoo, or, even better, use some sort of natural replacement for shampoo."
He also suggested to 'wash your hair with something different, or if you can manage it, just cold water'.
Aidan claimed that most people actually shampoo too much and that it can damage your hair in the long run.
That being said, anti-dandruff brand Head and Shoulders has explained why Aidan's theory on sulfates isn't so simple.
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"Dandruff itself is caused by a microbe called Malassezia globosa. While this microbe exists on everyone’s scalp, about half the population is allergic to the oleic acid it produces from feeding on scalp oil," they explained.
"The amount of oil your scalp produces, along with your resistance to Malassezia globosa both contribute to your tendency to develop dandruff.
"If your scalp and hair are oily, you’ll most likely benefit from sulfates in your shampoo. However, there are some hair types that may prefer a sulfate-free formula – even with dandruff."