How Often You Should Wash Your Hair According to Experts

How often should I wash my hair?

There’s not really a single answer to how often you should wash your hair, but for guidance, you need to think about your hair type and styling choices. If you exercise or sweat a lot, have very fine hair, or live in humid conditions, you may be one of the few who needs to shampoo every day. Dry hair should be washed up to twice a week with shampoos containing moisturizing ingredients like honey, argan and jojoba oils. Normal hair should be washed up to two or three times a week with a formula also containing moderate levels of moisturizing agents.

Can I wash my hair too often?

Yes, and an important thing to note is that washing your hair too often can actually make your strands more oily. Some people shampoo so often that they end up stripping too much of the natural oil from their hair, so it becomes wiry and frizzy. Also, just as plants can be overwatered, over washing your hair can also cause damage. This phenomenon is called hygral fatigue. This occurs when your hair cuticle is damaged due to excessive moisture entering and exiting the cuticle. Coating your hair with a polar oil, such as coconut or castor oil, as a pre-shampoo on dry hair will reduce the symptoms of hygral fatigue.

What happens if I don’t wash my hair enough?

Just like how washing your hair too often can be damaging, shampooing too little can also have negative effects. If you’re under-washing your hair, the roots can start to feel sore from the build-up of excess dead skin cells. This can lead to a dry, itchy scalp, redness, and a flaky scalp.

When can I get away with washing less?

The thicker and less oily your hair is, the less you need to wash it. How processed or curly your hair is also has an impact because the oils in your scalp won’t travel down the hair lengths as quickly. Some people with more dry hair can shampoo less often without issues, too.

Should I use dry shampoo between washes?

Using too much dry shampoo too often won’t do your hair any favors, in that it can lead to build up on your scalp. However, it is completely fine to use between washes to refresh your roots when you’re in a pinch. Don’t completely replace wash days with dry shampoo, however, because if your hair isn’t clean, this creates the perfect environment for yeast to grow and this is how you can get a flaky scalp.

What should I look for from my regular shampoo?

All hair cleansers are not created equally and they’re certainly not formulated for all hair types. The trick is to find a shampoo that balances your scalp and hair, so that you can wash up to two or three times a week. This is where searching for the right ingredients comes into play. For instance, if you have an irritated scalp, you’ll want to search for ingredients like fermented rice water that will soothe your delicate scalp skin. Just like everyone’s routine is different, so are our strands.

Interested in a custom hair care routine that’s made to fit your specific hair needs? Take the Prose consultation here.