You might see conflicting statements if you're looking for information online about how often to wash your hair. Should you wash your hair every day? Or is two or three times a week a better approach?
Here, we will explain how often you must wash your hair to protect your strands and scalp, leaving your hair in the best position to thrive.
Should I Wash My Hair Every Day?
While it might seem like you need to clean your hair every day, this isn't strictly true if you haven't dirtied it significantly. For instance, if you use hair gel or it is dirty from something unexpected, then it would be sensible to wash out these contaminants with shampoo. However, you won't need to do this if you don't style your hair frequently and it isn't visibly dirty.
The reason it's not always the best idea to shampoo your hair daily is because your scalp has microbiomes, a layer of healthy bacteria that is essential for your skin and hair. The purpose of the microbiome is to ensure your scalp's pH level is correct and keep the natural oils on your head in check.
Therefore, overwashing your hair means it might not be as strong as before, leaving your scalp more prone to irritation and possibly infection. Your scalp will likely become more dry if you wash out the essential oils it needs. When your scalp is irritated or dry, it's possible that thinning hair will occur in place of healthy, thick hair.
How Often Should I Wash My Hair?
There's no set rule for everybody to abide by because every person is different. For example, some men have very oily scalps that could use more shampoo than others, or else their hair would be greasy. Although, a reason your hair may be oily is because you're using a poor quality shampoo; opt for a DHT–blocking shampoo instead that is gentle to hair but will prevent hormones like DHT from harming your hair follicles.
However, for other people with regular hair types, it is worth only washing your hair two or three times a week to preserve your scalp's condition. Dry and thick hair could go for a week without being washed, but this isn't true for many people. The hair wash frequency that is best for you depends on the state of your hair. There's nothing wrong with washing your hair with warm water daily, as long as the temperature isn't too hot and you aren't too abrasive during the wash or with a towel afterwards.
Keep an eye on your hair to see how easily it becomes greasy; this can determine how often you should wash your hair.
