How much should you wash your hair?
Over recent years, there has been growing debate about how often is too often when it comes to hair washing. Many experts say that daily washing is not only unnecessary, but that it is detrimental to your hair. The issue is that trying to find a one-size-fits-all approach is problematic because everyone’s hair and scalp is different, but here are some important points.
Does washing too often strip your hair?
Washing your hair every day is said to strip your hair and scalp of the essential oils necessary to keep your hair and scalp healthy. The natural oil produced by hair follicles is called sebum. When you shampoo your hair, sebum is trapped, along with dirt and residue from other hair products, and then rinsed out to leave the hair looking clean and shiny. Natural oils also serve to protect your hair and scalp from products that can damage, pollution and heat, so they are definitely not your enemy.
What are the factors that are important when deciding how often to wash your hair?
Hair thickness
The thickness of hair is definitely an important factor in the regularity of hair washing. People with very fine or thin hair often find that their hair turns oily very quickly and are prone to more regular washing for that reason. Those with thicker hair can usually last a bit longer between washes. They also have to allocate more time to hair washing and consider the amount of time it takes for their hair to dry, making them less likely to want to wash it daily.
Hair type
People with very oily hair that is prone to looking greasy more quickly are likely to opt for a more regular wash, as they know that oils will be rapidly replaced. At the other end of the spectrum, people with very dry hair and a dry scalp may want to avoid unnecessary shampooing and drying. They can, however, give their hair a little boost between washes simply by rinsing with water.
Level of activity
Those people who participate in rigorous physical exercise on a daily basis for either work or leisure reasons will probably find that they feel the need to wash their hair more regularly due to perspiration. Sometimes, spraying the hair with a little dry shampoo beforehand can act as a preventative measure to ward off that greasy look.
Staying in or going out?
If you’re going to be at home all day and not come into contact with anyone else, this could be a good opportunity to give your hair a break and not wash it. On the other hand, if you’re going out and your hair is looking a little lank, you’ll want to freshen it up with a wash, and that is totally understandable too.
What else can you do instead of hair washing?
Use dry shampoo
There is an abundance of dry shampoo products on the market nowadays, so it’s worth investing in a quality one if a couple of blasts gives your hair that fresh edge and saves you the rigmarole of shampooing it, especially if you only washed it the day before and it just needs a quick boost at the roots.
Tying your hair back
This is the most traditional way of disguising the fact that your hair is a little oily. As long as your hair is long enough to form a little ponytail, bun or plait then it is a great, inexpensive way of delaying shampooing for a couple of days. If your hair is too short for any of these styles, the use of clips and grips is a good alternative.
Do what’s best for you
There is no one right answer when it comes to hair washing. We definitely don’t advocate washing your hair for the sake of it if it doesn’t actually need doing, but on an individual level, people tend to know when their hair needs a wash and when they can leave it for a couple of days, so trust your instincts. You know your hair best.
