To “POO” or Not to “POO”…….

     In the natural hair community the topic of “POO”ing (or shampooing) is a topic that is highly debated. On nearly any natural hair site, Facebook fan page or natural hair blog you can find the topic of “POO”ing being discussed. To poo - or not to poo… Does anyone pre poo?? What is pre “poo”ing? For many naturalistas this topic can be overwhelming and confusing. This topic has proven to be very controversial; and the answer varies depending on who you ask. No matter what side of the debate you are on, you will find naturalistas willing to support your opinion.

     The purpose of shampoo is to cleanse the hair by stripping it of dirt and oils that are present, and some experts will argue that once the oils are removed the scalp responds by producing more oil in response which would make it necessary to shampoo more. Others will argue that shampoo’s strip the hair of its natural oils and cause the hair to be dry and brittle and opt to co wash (wash hair with conditioner) instead of poo. Who’s is correct?

The truth is both are correct. For some shampoo is needed, some naturalistas need shampoo to remove buildup from products left behind during styling. Shampooing may work in their hair. For some shampooing may damage the hair by drying it out. These women may choose to cowash or use other methods to cleanse. Then fact is the decision of whether or not to wash is a matter of preference. What works for on curly may not work for another. 

Personally, I poo… I choose to do it because I experiment with a lot of product. Shampooing works for me to keep the buildup at bay. I generally shampoo once a week for a good cleaning and I refresh once a week with a co-wash  After each shampoo I take extra care to moisturize to offset the damage from the stripping that occurred due to using the shampoo.

Shampooing does not have to be a bad thing, as long as you are mindful of parabens and other harsh chemicals and keep your hair moisturized; pooing can actually be beneficial to your regimen