These People Did Not Wash Their Hair For A Year: This Is What Happened

1. Excessive oiliness.

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If you go 1 week without washing your hair, chances are it's going to be oily! So, imagine going 52 whole weeks without a single wash. There's going to be an excess build up of oil and you might end up looking like a walking chip pan. Probably not a great look.

2. Buildup of dirt and pollutants.

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You wouldn't go a year without washing your hands or face. And this is because you know there's a ton of dirt, pollutants and bacteria that accumulate even over the course of 1 day. If you dodge hair washing for a year, there's gonna be a lot of dirt held.

3. Scalp odor.

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Nobody wants to be that person, known for having a bad smell. Well, 365 days of leaving your hair to do its thing without a wash is likely to leave you with an unpleasant odor! The lengths of your hair and even your scalp will definitely begin to smell before long.

4. Itchy scalp.

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I don't know about you, but I usually know it's time to wash my hair when my scalp starts to get a little itchy. It can grow itchy even in a matter of days for some people. By the end of the year, you're gonna be tearing your hair out with the amount of itching!

5. Dandruff.

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Itching leads to dandruff, you're gonna get a lot of this. Your scalp is gonna be dry and will definitely start to flake before long. Dandruff can sometimes be troublesome to get rid of once it's here, so we wouldn't recommend letting it build for a year!

6. Increased risk of fungal or bacterial infections.

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Naturally, when there is more bacteria present in your hair and on your scalp, you're putting yourself at a higher risk of infection. Fungal infections or bacterial infections are the most common on your head. Not to mention, you might get ill from all the bacteria.

7. Hair breakage.

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Your hair needs washing to keep it as healthy as it can be. So, when you skip this step, it's going to become a lot weaker. Before long, you should expect to notice breakage. Your hair will be a lot less durable and far more likely to snap if you don't wash it for a year.

8. Thinning hair.

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As your hair starts to snap and break, it's also likely to fall out, too. You're going to lose more hair than usual if you stop washing it. Of course, with this, you're going to notice your hair thinning out quite significantly. Leaving you with far less body.

9. Hair tangling and matting.

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Even if you continue to brush your hair, lack of washing is going to lead to a lot of tangling and matting. It's probably going to get painful to brush, which will then worsen the problem further! Think of all the lotions and pollutants that get caught in your hair which can cause matting.

10. Unmanageable hair.

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So, we're left with matted, thin, breakable hair. Can you picture trying to do a hairdo with this? You're going to be left with hair that's very difficult to manage or do anything with. It's likely to look unruly when worn down, but very hard to tie up, too.

11. Reduced hair volume.

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The volume of your hair is going to decline when you stop washing it. Once your hair starts to thin out and break, the volume is going to go with it! After a year, you're likely to be left with your hair looking flat. It's going to need a lot of TLC and volumising shampoo!

12. Inflammation and irritation on the scalp.

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You may also start to get some inflammation and irritation on your scalp due to the pollutants, bacteria and dryness. For some people, this will happen very quickly, others may not notice this for a few months. But after a year, it's bound to happen!

13. Clogged hair follicles.

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Clogged hair follicles, also known as folliculitis is very common when you stop washing your hair. It's a skin condition caused by a build-up of bacteria, leading to infection. The hair follicles become inflamed, and it looks like little pimples around each follicle.

14. Potential development of lice or mites.

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You're at far more risk of catching mites or head lice if you stop washing your hair. You don't want to catch these - they are certainly not nice! They are near impossible to get rid of without washing your hair and will cause a lot of itching and discomfort.

15. Allergic reactions to accumulated substances.

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There's going to be a build-up of a lot of substances if you're going a full year without washing your hair. When there's an accumulation of these substances, it's possible that you could develop an allergic reaction to these as your body's way of rejecting them.

16. Hair looking limp and lifeless.

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If you're going the full year without giving your hair any care or washing it, then you can't expect it to look its best. Your hair is likely to end up being limp and lifeless in appearance, difficult to style in a way that looks put together or nice.

17. Changes in hair color due to environmental factors.

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Surprisingly, your hair can even appear to be different in color after leaving it unwashed for such a long period. Usually, once it is washed eventually, the original color should return. But in the meantime, there are many environmental factors that could cause the visual change.

18. Weakened hair structure.

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The structure of your hair is often unique to you. When you stop washing it, it's going to be weighed down with pollutants, substances and oils. Not to mention the decreased volume and thickness. With this in mind, you're likely to lose the structure of your hair.

19. Hair losing its natural shine.

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I don't know about you, but I absolutely love that just washed shine that your hair gets fresh out of the shower. Well, you can say goodbye to this once you stop washing. You will quickly lose the natural shine of your hair, and it will instead look dull and unhealthy.

20. Increased shedding.

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Walking around your house, you may notice a lot more hair shed all over the place. Because your hair will be lacking in health and nutrients that you usually get from shampoos, it's going to fall out a lot more frequently and in more quantity, too. You'll need to sweep and vacuum more often!

21. Slow hair growth.

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If you're trying to grow your hair, I wouldn't recommend skipping on the washing! If you go too long without washing your hair, studies have shown that this can significantly stunt the growth. This is because it will be lacking in health and strength.

22. Scalp acne.

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One very unpleasant symptom that you might experience is scalp acne. Much like your face, if you didn't wash it for a year, you'd expect to get acne, right? Well, the skin on your head is no different! The build up of oil and bacteria can cause your pores and follicles to become clogged.

23. Potential negative impact on self-esteem.

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Because of all of the physical changes that will be seen in your hair and scalp's appearance, this is likely to then have some impact on your self-esteem. When we don't look and feel our best, we can quickly start to have a negative view on ourselves.

24. Social discomfort due to unpleasant odor or appearance.

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When you're out and about, whether this is socially or at work, you're probably going to become super conscious of your hair's unpleasant odor or appearance if it hasn't been washed in a year. So unsurprisingly, this will probably cause you some social discomfort.

25. Accumulation of dead skin cells on the scalp.

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When you wash your hair, not only are you washing away the dirt and bacteria, but you're also removing any dead skin cells too. If you were to stop washing your hair, picture a whole years' worth of dead skin cells built up on your scalp. Gross, right?

26. Difficulty in maintaining hairstyles.

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What's your go-to hairstyle? Whether this is a curly blow dry or a simple ponytail, you're going to have some difficulty maintaining this when you haven't washed your hair in such a long time. Your hair is going to be tangled, oily and slippy, and lacking volume. So, your usual hairstyle is going to look entirely different.

27. Potential damage to pillowcases and bedding.

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So, we've addressed the fact that your hair's going to become full of oils, dirt, bacteria, dead skin cells, and the list goes on. Well, when you're going to bed each night lying on your pillow, all of these substances are rubbing off on here. This could do some damage to your sheets.

28. Increased risk of inflammation-related hair loss.

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You may know this condition as cicatricial alopecia, or even scarring alopecia. Whilst it is rare, it's possible not washing your hair for an extreme length of time could lead to this. Your hair follicles end up completely destroyed by inflammation. This then scars over, meaning hair can't grow back.

29. Foul smell in extreme cases.

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Depending on your hair type, environmental factors and lifestyle, some people will end up with an extremely foul smell if they stop washing their hair. Some examples are smokers or factory workers, where there are strong scents to be caught in your hair and build up.

30. Acne on face or back.

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Because of the excess oil, this is likely to rub off on nearby areas of your skin. When you're sleeping at night, oils and bacteria is transferred from hair to pillow, from pillow to face. When you wear your hair down, the oil is transferred to your back. You could then end up with acne in these areas.