My hair feels like it's got PVA glue in it

[MyFuckingHair]

Not entirely sure whether this is a Health or a Style & Beauty issue really but I'm so fucked off with my hair and thought I'd see if any of you have ever had anything like this and if you've any advice.

So for the past five years, every six months or so, my hair will suddenly go from healthy and glossy, to a weird 'gluey' texture overnight. It usually lasts about a week and during that time, it doesn't matter how many times I wash my hair, it doesn't get any less weirdly textured. In fact, it seems to make it worse. I can't even pull a brush through it when it is like it. It looks frizzy and feels greasy. When I run my hands through my hair afterwards, my skin feels sticky somehow. If I try to wash it again, it's like the shampoo refuses to foam up.

And then it will go fine again for another 6 months to a year. In fact, I get frequent compliments on how healthy/ long/ thick my hair looks (ironic!)

But it's happening again and I am SO fed up with it. My hair isn't coloured and aside from shampoo and infrequently, conditioner, I don't use any products on it.

What is wrong with me? Help me MN It's particularly bad at this time of year when I can't cover my hair with a hat.

I tried that clay one last night, coincidentally. I'm afraid I hated it - my hair feels awful and my scalp is worse than ever. I won't be using it again.

It happened to me both times in early pregnancy and also in the early days of BF and again when I weaned my DC off BF. So times of big hormonal change. That's how I kind of deduced that it's certainly hormonal for me. But now I have the Redken shampoo as my secret weapon so never stuck again!!!

I also hate the clay shampoo. Makes my hair feel horrible.

Vosene seems to have worked!! I used the one for frequent use not the original one. Hair looks great and not sticky. I'm going to use it every week to keep on top of it.

Huzzah Dame, result!

Can't believe I spent 18 quid on one solitary minute bottle of shampoo when I could've bought vosene from Asda.

Oh well, next time you can try the vosene

Delighted to have found this thread. My hair went to pot a couple of weeks ago. I blame the bloody L'oreal shampoo (the pink Elvive one that supposedly makes your hair shiny). My hair felt like a plastic wig after a couple of weeks. I use straightening products as well so blamed silicones.

After a bit of googling I ordered Paul Mitchell shampoo two, which is a deep cleansing one. It saved my hair, which now feels gorgeous and soft. When I've used the Paul Mitchell up I'll just buy Vosene!

You know Nettle - the first time it ever happened to me was after using that exact shampoo

P.s. make sure you wash your hairbrushes with the clarifying shampoo/ vosene/ baby shampoo too. Mine was full of gunk from just that five day period.

I'm getting this and this is yet another lovely side effect of perimenopause... Bastard hormones!

Oh that makes sense, I'm hormonal too.

Great

I have binned it, cats. Because I'm worth it!

I can't believe people can use L'Oreal without it happening. Vile stuff. It must work on certain hair types though, like on the poster above who liked the clay masque.

Anywho! Just used my v. expensive bottle of MoroccanOil clarifying shampoo and followed with an Aussie conditioner and can report that my hair feels uh-mazing. It says on the bottle to use it every two weeks so I'm going to do that and use baby shampoo/ Aussie conditioner in between. I'm going to try to train my hair to need less washes too. Because of the build up of gunkiness, I've been washing every day during the week and that can't be good for it. I'll see if this new regime allows me to leave it a couple of days. Here's to hoping!

Ladies! It is the morning after the afternoon before (when I last washed it) and my hair feels so incredibly soft and clean.

The MoroccanOil shampoo is obviously made of magic. It did have a weird texture (a bit like honey) but it foamed up really well. 10/10

My hair lasted 2 days since using vosene, unheard of recently I could never get a second day out of washing. Going to do it weekly now. Very impressed.

Another vote for washing up liquid here! I use it every month or so to get rid of build up.

Yes!!!! Glad it's not just me.... I do use a clarifying shampoo every now and then

I've had this 4 times now, first few times was because hairdresser put in some hair sleek straighten products in. The more I washed the more greasy sticky it got. No amount of fairy liquid would work either. Went back to hairdressers and they sorted it with clarifying stuff.

Last couple of times has been once when using my sons baby shampoo as I had run out of my own, and another time randomly happened. Since I'm now poor and can no longer afford trips to hairdressers very often I googled this
Problem and most people recommend rubbing bicarbonate of soda in. Tried this last two times and it's worked a treat! Worth it if your on a budget.

I'm so glad I'm not alone with this strange hair problem!

I use the clay Loreal shampoo and conditioner and its alright, but dosnt do what is says on bottle. Still have greasy roots and dry ends. We have kids nit repellant vosene, wonder if that will work....

Thanks for this thread. I was a bit scared to try Fairy (mine has terrifying warnings about getting it in your eyes) so I used Radox shower gel which is cone free. Hair is much swishier than it was 24 hours ago!

I have got this right now. It comes every once in a while and then goes again. I am wondering if it is hormonal. Did a bit of googling and it seems it could be seborrheic dermatitis.

Read this thread last week then my hair did the sticky glue thing on Sunday! Gah. So out came the baby shampoo - thanks to pps for recommending that. I've noticed it happening a lot more since I had kids (so the last 5 years) although I do remember it happening when I was a teenager - always put it down to using Fructis products and refused to touch them ever again! Hormonal makes sense, thanks all.

Ah just read further up and spotted the comment about washing brushes, need to do that too! Thanks.

I have recently tried anti-fungal foot powder at recommendation of dermatologist. (Seriously - who would have thought of that???) Left it on overnight and washed it out in the morning. Going to try an anti-fungal spray every week (again, overnight). My hair is soft and my scalp feels clean!!!! (Looks fuller too!)

Loreal anti dandruff shampoo would probably be cheaper and easier, it's got Selsun in it so anti fungal.