How Often Do You Really Need to Wash Your Hair?
For a while during the pandemic, TikTok hair gurus recommended a “poo-free” movement, encouraging followers to go as long as possible without washing to reset the scalp’s natural balance of oils or something. (That’s not how it works: hair oil is controlled by hormones, not external factors.) In fact, there is a lot of stupid information about how often to wash your hair that influencers or beauty magazines usually feed us, and we eat it in looking for confirmation of our ways to avoid laundry. But what is the answer to the age-old question: how often do we need to wash our hair?
It’s really subjective
Sorry to say this, but like a lot of things, washing your hair is subjective. For example, if you have hair extensions, you usually see a warning on the packaging that you should not wash your hair (real and real) every day. Your hair type and styling plans also play a role in planning. Consider your texture. If you have coarse hair, professionals recommend shampooing once a week, or even every 10 days, unless you have an active lifestyle that requires shampooing every four to five days. If you have short hair, you can wash it more often without risking breakage. There are many factors contributing to this. According to Christa McKinnon , a midwestern stylist, you should wash your hair before any styling, but if you plan to style your hair for an event, it should be left unwashed for at least 24 hours.
But what about if you don’t go to the hairdresser and look down the barrel of your curling iron before the party? The answers here are also different. According to WebMD , some stylists recommend that clients not wash their face for as long as possible, but that means you need to spend some time figuring out how long that is for you .
“Spirals, curls, or blonde can be worn longer to prevent dry ends,” McKinnon said, noting that shampooing and styling can dry and damage hair. “Drier hair is best used longer between washes with oil or serum for extra hydration.”
Basically, the thicker your hair, the more often you should or at least can avoid washing it. If your hair is bleached, overwashing can dry it out; if it is colored, frequent washing may fade faster. If your hair is fine or you work out every day, you may need to increase your schedule. McKinnon cautiously recommends shampooing every two to four days, but added that it depends entirely on the client’s comfort and the condition of their hair.
What is science?
Shampoo obviously removes oil and dirt from your hair, but you need a certain amount of oil to keep your hair healthy. According to WebMD, the shampoo also traps oils that can severely dry out the hair and make it brittle, leading to breakage.
According to the Cleveland Clinic , you can also wash your hair excessively to the point where your scalp dries out, leading not only to itching, but also to hair loss. The clinic also notes that insufficient washing can lead to dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis. You may then need a medicated shampoo, which can be over-the-counter, but may even require a prescription in some cases. The clinic recommends using dry shampoo whenever possible between washes, paying particular attention to conditioning during shampooing, and shampooing only the roots to avoid over-drying the hair.
Finally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that washing your hair can help protect you from ringworm if you’ve had direct contact with an infected person or animal, as well as protect you from head lice.
What is the point?
This is all interesting, of course, but it doesn’t really answer the question of how often you need to wash your hair, other than to tell you what to do with your unique mane. However, taken together, all these tips point to one main conclusion: depending on all these factors , it is recommended to wash your hair approximately twice a week. Plan your hair wash according to your schedule for the week, give yourself enough time to thoroughly clean, prep and dry your hair, and keep some dry shampoo on deck.