Scalp Wellness · 3 min read
How Often Should You Wash Your Hair? A Specialist Answers
What shampoo actually does, how often to wash for your hair type and why skipping washes can make shedding look worse.
By the Hair Solutions of Long Island specialists ·
The short answer
Most women do best washing every 2 to 3 days. Oily scalps may need daily washing, while dry or curly hair can go longer. Washing doesn’t cause hair loss, and a clean scalp supports healthier growth.
What Does Shampoo Do For Your Hair?
Shampoo is designed to grab and remove dirt, debris, and odors such as smoke, sweat or cooking smells. Shampoo also removes oil from your hair and scalp. Your hair gets its oil from sebaceous glands that secrete sebum, which keeps the hair moisturized. Moisturized hair is less likely to break or look dry and frizzy.
Your hair needs oil to ensure the scalp does not dry out and to keep a balance. Too much oil can cause excessive greasiness. Too little oil will cause dryness and flaking. When you shampoo too often you are stripping away many of those important oils. However, if your hair produces a lot of oil you would benefit by shampooing more often because it helps remove that excess oil. When sebum blocks your hair follicles it can damage your hair growth cycle and cause hair loss.
Ok, so – How Often Should You Shampoo?
As stated above; if you have very oily hair which indicates an overproduction of sebum on your scalp, washing your hair every day is the best way to keep that under control.
Do you have dandruff or a dry scalp? If you have either then you should not shampoo daily. Cut down to a few times a week instead. Shampooing every day could easily dry out your scalp. This can also cause itching and flaking. It is not always dandruff that causes this.
For most people, washing your hair every two to three days is best. What type of hair you have is also a factor. For those that have thicker hair, or a scalp that is oily, you will need to wash more often, usually around three times or more a week. If your hair is over-processed or dry you probably do not need to wash your hair more than once a week. If you work out a lot or perspire a lot then shampooing more often becomes necessary.
I’m sure you can see that the answer to HOW OFTEN SHOULD I WASH MY HAIR is based on several factors: oily scalp, dry dehydrated scalp, over processed hair, how often you exercise or perspire. If you have questions the best thing to do is to meet with a hair professional that can provide insight. At Hair Solutions of Long Island, we provide a free scalp analysis to determine if you are too dry or too oily, and if you have sebum that can be impeding hair growth or causing hair loss. To find out more about your scalp please call for a complimentary consultation. We at Hair Solutions of Long Island look forward to meeting you!
Frequently asked questions
Does washing hair every day cause hair loss?
No. Hair you see after washing had already shed and was released during the wash.
Should I wash thinning hair less often?
Not necessarily. A clean, balanced scalp is better for thinning hair. Use a gentle shampoo.
