I’ve had quite a lot of hairstyles and various colours throughout the years, and I must admit I haven’t always taken the best care of my hair. For some reason unbeknown to me (could it be the faulty collagen with EDS doing me a service?), my hair has consistently looked in good condition and had a lovely shine to it without doing much to it; and as I’m spoonie, I’m extremely grateful for this.
My hair is very thick, there’s lots of it, it’s long and definitely not my natural colour. I can’t wear my hair in a ponytail or a bun, I can’t wear headbands or clip it up because the pressure on my head is so extremely painful I end up with an awful migraine. Even having it up for minutes it starts to hurt.
Due to this, you’ll always find me with my hair down, either (mostly) straight, big bouncy curls, or very messy waves. Loose, tousled waves is my absolute favourite style; they look like I’ve made an effort without doing much. However, most days I don’t even have the energy to brush my hair, let alone wash and style it.
I also experience hair loss; chunks of my hair will come out when I brush or run my fingers through my hair and it is very worrying. I take a lot of medication and have a variety of conditions that could play a part in losing my hair but it’s quite unsettling when I have a clump of hair in my hand that is no longer attached to my head.
I love the feeling of clean hair, it’s one of my simple pleasures. But it’s not always simple when you’re in a pain flare and can’t lift your arms to the top of your head or muster the energy to even wrap a towel around your hair. It’s one of those little things that some people take for granted. I wish I could shower every day, I wish I didn’t need help to get washed, or wait until I look like I’ve fell into a vat of chip shop grease. Pain and fatigue control all aspects of my life, including my hair care.
I guess the only good thing about not being able to wash my hair often is washing your hair everyday isn’t that great for your hair. I used to religiously wash mine every two days and found by the second day it would be so greasy, it desperately needed the wash. Now, I (try) to shampoo and condition it every 5-7 days, and even then it could be longer if I’m in a flare. And dry shampoo is my absolute best friend. If you’ve not used it before, I highly suggest you get yourself a can of Batiste (my favourite is the Tropical scent, as I love all things coconut) and use that to absorb some of those oils. Also, if you put your dry shampoo on before you got to bed, you’ll wake up with a bit of volume and no grease.
I hate brushing my hair, it gets knotty very easily and it’s effort that I simply can’t be bothered with, but luckily my boyfriend has become my own personal hairdresser. When my shoulders and hands aren’t working, he’ll very gently brush through my locks with a Tangle Teezer or my Wet Brush. Not only is it extremely relaxing having someone else brushing my hair but it keeps it looking smooth.
We also use an inflatable shampoo basin when there’s simply no way I can wash my hair and it desperately needs it. This means my hair can be washed whilst I’m lying in bed and although you will need the help of another person, it’s such a good concept. You can check them out here.
Another option I was introduced to via Twitter, and although I’ve not used them, I’m pretty sure I’d give a go, is No Rinse Waterless Shampoo Caps and No Rinse Shampoo. They claim to cleanse the hair without the need for water and are great for the elderly, disabled people and even camping/travelling. I obviously can’t comment on how well they work but I think I’m going to test them out and get back to you.
For a wider selection search, ‘disability hair washing aids’ on Google and quite a few options I hadn’t thought of/knew about popped up, so check that out if you’re looking for more choice.
I love the dry shampoo tip! I never thought to wear it before bed! Great post
I rely on Batiste a lot, but I never would have thought to apply it before bed; I'm definitely going to try that. The one hair care product I seriously couldn't live without is Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance leave in conditioner. I spray it in to my hair after a shower, so I can skip the conditioning step in the shower, and cut my shower time down to save spoons. It's great for detangling, too, and makes it soooo much easier to brush the knots / matts out of my hair when I've not had the energy to brush it for a few days. It's a life saver!
Why thank you. Definitely try it, I hope it works for you x
Batiste is such a life saver, I've literally just sprayed it throughout my hair and got in bed.
Oh that's such a good tip, I wouldn't have thought of that, thank you so much x
I don't know what I would do without dry shampoo. Such a life saver. I cant believe I used to struggle to wash my hair every other day. A week is much more manageable and my hair definitely looks better for it. My hair is also in pretty damn good condition considering the shit I put it thorugh. Twins. Luckily I can tie mine up without pain most of the time as it would wind me up otherwise
Beth x
Mermaid in Disguise
Yaasss for dry shampoo!!! My hair and body much prefer me not washing it so often lol x