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Woman goes five years without shampoo with surprising results

Young mother Jacquelyn Byers hasn't washed her hair with shampoo for about five years and she claims it's in better shape than when she used to shampoo it.

"My hair is softer, less greasy and a prettier colour since I stopped using shampoo," she tells Today. "It doesn't vacillate any more from super greasy to cracked and dry."

Byers is part of a growing movement of people who have stopped using shampoo and conditioner because of concerns that the chemicals in them are unhealthy and can penetrate the scalp.

"If you wouldn't be comfortable drinking it, why would you be comfortable slathering it all over your head and then rinsing it down your body?" she writes on her blog, Little Owl Crunchy Momma.

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Traditional shampoos contain chemicals such as parabens, phthalates and petroleum byproducts -- all substances that Byers tried to avoid when she was pregnant and initially tried organic, all-natural shampoos.

However, after reading the labels on those supposedly 'all-natural' shampoo products, she discovered many of them also contain potentially harmful chemicals, which resulted in her switching to simply using baking soda and apple cider vinegar to cleanse her hair -- a concoction she read about online.

While that solution worked for a bit, it sometimes left her hair dry and she wasn't entirely happy with the results.

This ultimately led Byers to quit using anything on her hair. She's been shampoo-free now for about five years and judging by the pictures she's posted on her blog, you'd never know.

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As for whether people tell her that her hair smells or looks dirty, she responds that it hasn't been an issue.

"Never, I am continually complimented on how soft and beautiful my hair looks."

Byers suggests that everyone try to go 'poo-free, but cautions that it will take a few months for your hair to adjust.

"I would highly recommend everyone try it, or if they don't want to try it, at least educate themselves on what is in the products they are using," she says.

What are your thoughts on the growing anti-shampoo movement? Would you ever consider it? Sound off in the comments below.