How Often Should You Wash Your Hair – Good or Bad for you?

Shampooing is essential for your hair’s overall health. It is mandatory for you to wash your hair in terms of retaining good hair. Truth be told, most people dislike oily hair to a great extent. But oil is not that bad. Let’s be real here. Oil is just as crucial to the wellbeing of your hair as shampooing. The sebum ensures that your hair stays healthy and vitalized. It contributes to the shine of your hair. If you wash away all the oil from your scalp, you invite disaster. It can lead to hair being rough and difficult to comb. However, that does not mean that you should stop shampooing altogether. Shampooing sessions after certain intervals can contribute to hair’s overall health. Now you might ask yourself, how often should I wash my hair? Let us discuss that in detail.

How often should you wash your hair?

It is undoubtedly one of the most asked questions worldwide. But the experts say that there is no definite answer. You cannot put it into a single answer. Mostly, it’s a matter of your personal preference. So, should you wash your hair everyday? According to Alli Webb, people can go a few days without washing their hair. She also says that people who have moderately oily hair don’t need to shampoo as often as others. They can go as long as they want without washing their hair.

So the frequency of hair washing sessions is not the same for everyone. Some people may need to wash their hair more frequently. In contrast, some may need to wash their hair only a few times with long intervals. How frequently you have to shampoo your hair depends on multiple factors. But before going into that topic, allow us to explain the function of the shampoos.

How does the shampoo function to wash your hair?

The shampoo is an essential product in washing sebum from your hair. But how does it do it? Well, shampoo gathers oil from your scalp. When you wash it off, the oil trapped in it also washes away. Now imagine what happens when you do it too often. Yes, you guessed it right. You eventually dry your hair out. And as we mentioned earlier, hair that is devoid of oil can become rough and frizzy. It also makes your hair more fragile. So the overall strength of hair reduces drastically.

Your hair produces sebum. It is the natural oil that provides your hair with the nourishment it needs. Shampoo traps the excess oil and dirt, which go away when you rinse your hair with water. Some of the dirt and oil is alright. So you should aim to leave some of this natural oil on your scalp.

The factors that influence your hair washing frequency

There are mainly five factors that influence your hair washing routine to a great extent. Keep them in mind to figure out how many times you should wash your hair.

Oil

Oil is simultaneously your hair’s best friend as well as its worst enemy. It provides your hair with proper nourishment. But it also makes it dirty by trapping dirt. Your oil production depends on certain factors. These include your age, gender, and genetics. When it comes to sebum production, teens and younger adults always take the first position. Older adults and infants don’t produce as much sebum when compared to them. The oil on your scalp decreases as you age.

Fragile hair can become more prone to damage if it is washed too frequently. So people with fragile hair should never wash their hair more than once in two weeks. The frequency range of hair washing varies from man to man. Some people may have enough oil on their scalps to need to shampoo their hair daily. But they are the minority. Why? The reason is that most people don’t produce that much oil. So they don’t need to shampoo that often.

Hair type

The type of hair you have also contributes to the frequency of your shampooing. If you have straight or thin hair, you may need to wash your hair more often. In comparison, for people with curly or thick hair, fewer sessions of hair washing may be enough. Straight hair traps sebum faster than wavy hair. So it’s no surprise that straight hair looks greasier than curly hair within a certain period. As you already know, sebum is vital to your hair’s overall health. That is why washing your curly hair too often can lead to its damage.

African-American people should not shampoo their hair too often. If they do, they put their hair health to risk. Over-washing can prove to be disastrous and lead to hair damage. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, people having tight curls shouldn’t wash their hair more than once a week.

Dirt

Physical activities that include dirt and dust can influence your hair washing routine to a great extent. The dirt or pollen gets trapped on your hair. It makes your hair look dull. Not only that, but they also suck the life out of hair and cause allergies. Thus, if you engage yourself frequently in messy activities like gardening or sweeping, you may need to shampoo more often.

Hairstyling products

Believe it or not, hairstyling products residue can pile up on your scalp over time. It can lead to several problems. Those include irritation and hair loss. If you tend to use such products on a regular basis, you’re making more residues pile up on your scalp. That means you may need to wash your hair more often.

Sweat

Another thing that has a significant influence on your hair washing frequency is your sweat. How much you sweat determines how many times should you wash your hair. Why? Because sebum spreads faster with the help of sweat. Thus, it makes your hair look dirty. It can also produce a foul smell. So if you sweat more, you may need to shampoo more often.

As you can see, how often to wash hair relies on several factors. So figure yourself out first before figuring out your shampooing frequency.

How to know if you are washing your hair a little too much?

How often should you wash your hair? As you might already know, washing your hair daily not good for your hair. But how can you understand if you are overwashing your hair? Well, your hair may start giving signs when you are shampooing too much. However, you have to know how to read those signs. If you wash away all the vital sebum from your scalp, your hair becomes dull and rough. It might also become frizzy and lose its shine. You may encounter frequent hair loss. Plus, you may also face dandruff problems as your scalp becomes dry because of overwashing. However, there’s a way to stop this from happening. When you are washing your hair, make sure you only shampoo the roots of your hair. It can leave some of the oil on your scalp and provide it with the nourishment it needs.

Traditional shampoo alternatives

If you are hesitant to use traditional shampoos on your scalp, don’t worry. There are some alternatives to traditional shampoos in the market.

Dry shampoo

As you might think from its name, this shampoo is not actually dry. It is a spray cleaner. It doesn’t clean your hair. Instead, it absorbs some of the oil on your scalp and prevents your hair from falling out in clumps. Thus, it prevents hair loss, as well.

Water

As silly as it might sound, you can opt for plain water while washing your hair. Water is perhaps the safest alternative to the traditional shampoo. Washing hair everyday without shampoo can help you clean your hair and remove dirt, dust, and pollen from your scalp. However, it doesn’t give your hair any moisture. So you can use conditioners sometimes.

FAQ

What happens if you wash your hair everyday?

Washing hair everyday is not good for your hair’s overall health. It strips it off completely of its vital oil and makes it rough. It can also cause dandruff and hair loss. To keep your hair vitalized, adjust your hair washing frequency according to the five influential factors mentioned here.

Why you should not wash your hair everyday?

Shampooing your hair frequently washes away all the vital sebum on your scalp. Thus, it becomes dry and makes your hair look dull. Plus, it presents many other problems, including dandruff and hoarseness. So it would be wise for you not to wash your hair daily.
How many times should I wash my hair?

You might have wondered how often to wash hair to keep it healthy. Well, it varies. Some people may need to wash their hair more often than others. Remember the factors mentioned in the article before figuring out your shampooing frequency.

Is it bad to wet your hair everyday?

It is perfectly fine to wet your hair with plain water daily. But make sure you don’t use shampoo along with it every time. It can dry your hair out and lead to many hair problems.

Conclusion

As we mentioned earlier, there’s no particular approach when it comes to washing your hair. First, figure out how your hair is. Once you are done determining, make your hair washing routine accordingly. But remember one thing. Everybody is different. So do what works best.