How Often Should You Really Wash Your Hair?

There are a lot of myths when it comes to taking care of your hair. One common myth is that if you wash your hair every day, then your hair will fall out. However, that’s just not true. Worried about the health of your hair? Trying to prevent untameable frizz? Then what’s the real answer to how often you should really wash your hair?

What’s the Truth?

The truth is that washing your hair every day will not make your hair fall out. However, it is possible to wash your hair too much. Washing your hair too much removes the natural oil that your hair needs to stay healthy and silky. Without those oils, your hair can become dry and damaged, even if your shampoo has moisturizing oils in it.

Trying to figure out how often you should wash your hair? Here are some things you should consider:

Find Your Hair Type

Your hair type and your skin type can help you determine how often you should wash your hair. Here are some common hair characteristics that you should consider before deciding your hair-washing schedule:

• • Thick or Thin? Thick hair is less likely to need a daily washing while thin hair should be washed more often. However, thin hair is more likely to break, so you need to be more careful not to damage your hair while washing it.
  • Curly or Straight? This may not seem like a factor when deciding how often to wash your hair, but it does. The natural oils that your scalp produces cannot travel down every strand in curly hair, making curly hair appear less greasy for longer periods of time. However, it does mean that someone with curly hair should take extra care to wash their scalp to prevent dandruff.
  • Oily or Dry? Extra oily or dry hair takes extra work to keep your hair healthy and soft. Hair that commonly becomes oily and greasy after a short amount of time takes extra care to wash out the extra oil more often. However, dry hair also takes plenty of care. Extra dry hair needs extra conditioning to keep it from damaging.

Hit the Gym? Hit the Shower

Your lifestyle is another big factor in how often you should wash your hair. Are you someone who often works out at the gym? Chances are, you should wash out the sweat and grime from working out everyday. Whether or not you choose to wash your hair with shampoo, you should at least rinse your hair with water and maybe some conditioner to keep your hair sweat-free.

Choose the Right Product

Do you have the type of hair that doesn’t need to be washed everyday but hate the feeling of greasy hair? Certain types of shampoo and products such as leave-in conditioners or dry shampoos can help the feeling of recently washed hair last.

If you are someone who can’t go a day without washing your hair (don’t worry, we get it!), then choose a less abrasive shampoo made for daily use. Test out a few products to find what leaves your hair feeling smooth even if you wash it every day.

Final Verdict

Unless your hair has a tendency to become overly greasy and oily every day, you probably don’t need to wash your hair every day. A good starting place is to wash your hair once every two or three days. If you need or want to wash your hair more than that, make sure that the product you use moisturizes your hair without being too abrasive. If you choose to wash less than that, great! Dry shampoos and leave-in conditioners can keep your hair feeling clean, even if you don’t physically wash it.

Want to learn the best practices for hair hygiene? Check out our cosmetology or barber programs to learn how to really care for your hair.