How Often Should You Wash Your Hair

Written by

Akhilesh Singh / Published on June 8, 2021

I always wondered, “how often should I wash my hair?“. So I went on the internet and researched, where I found some amazing facts that I would like to share with you guys.

Before we get into any details, first, let’s understand what effects shampoo has on your hair.

Understanding Shampoo

According to Google, ‘A class of surfactants called anionic surfactants such as sodium Laureth sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium lauryl sulfate are the primary cleansing agents in shampoo‘.

These chemicals emulsify the natural oil (sebum) released from the sebaceous glands below the surface and the environmental dirt on the scalp. This process allows these particles to be washed away easily with water. This surely rids all the dust’s hair, but it also takes away the nutrition from the hair.

As we all know, different body parts require different types of care; the same goes for hair. Different hair types will demand specific hair care regimens.

You must have noticed; different people wash their hair at different frequencies. You may be in the habit of washing your hair once a week or once every month, but the frequency at which you should wash your hair will differ according to your hair type and the relative factors.

Experts Advice About Hair Washing

The expert’s advice about; when we should shampoo our hair. Should you clean your hair every other day? Everyday? Two times a week? There are contradictory views on this, and nobody knows if it’s right. Although, indeed, we are usually better off washing our hairless.

Angela Lamb, an assistant professor of dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, says,” hair produces a natural oil called sebum, and shampoo is an emulsifier that captures and traps excess oil, dirt, and product residue, which you then rinse out to clean the hair”.

Alli Webb, professional hairstylist and founder of Drybar, says, “I have always said, ‘It’s fine to go a few days without shampooing“. “For hair that’s normal in terms of oiliness and medium weight, I sometimes tell my clients to go as long as they can without shampooing.”

“Some hair types, like fine, straight hair, fall limp and develop a greasy shine (not a healthy-looking shine) if you don’t wash them frequently,” continues the Pantene team. “Other hair types develop combination hair – greasy and matted on top, dry and tangled on the bottom,” which can pose a unique challenge.

Hair Washing Deciding Factors

The internet shows multiple factors that determine how often you should wash your hair. But some of the most important factors would be the type of hair you have. Following that comes the hair density, shampoo contents, and the kind of climate you live in. Some other not-so-less-essential factors would be scalp sensitivity and personal preference based on the individual’s daily life.

Mostly people wash their hair on alternate days or every other day but how often should you wash your hair depends upon few factors.

Getting into the latter ones would mean studying millions of cases, which would practically be impossible. But the factors which can be briefly explained are:

Hair type
Density
Climate
Type of Shampoo

So let’s get down to business.

Hair Washing Based On Your Hair Type

hair washing based on hair types — hair types

Due to a clear passage from the scalp to the strands in straight hair, they are usually well-nourished with scalp oil (sebum). This results in a greasy look if the hair is left unwashed. Hence it is advised for men with this hair type to wash their hair daily. If not every day, every alternate day would be the second-best option for you.

As we all know, men with wavy hair have comparatively less presence of oil, which demands them to wash their hair less frequently. Since the hair does not get as much oil, one should allow some time for the entire hair length to be adequately nourished.

When it comes to curly or coily haired guys, things get a little tricky. Based on its curvy nature, scalp oils can’t make their way down the curly hair shafts as quickly as they can with straight hair shafts, which is why this type of hair generally has a shortage of oil deposits. But due to its fluffiness, it captures a lot of dust which can be harmful to the hair.

In such cases, it all comes down to personal preference. You can get away with washing your hair once every week or once every fortnight. It will be more of a trial and error process to understand your suitable pattern.

Hair Washing Based On Hair Density

Hair density also plays a critical role in determining the frequency of your hair wash fellas.

If your scalp is significantly visible, then you probably have a low hair density. In this scenario, you will be better off washing your hair daily to keep your hair from gathering too much dirt due to its sticky nature.

Medium hair density will have more volume and less oil due to its increased thickness. Therefore it will take more time to moisturize. As a result, the frequency will reduce to washing it twice or thrice a week at max.

People with thick hair density can get away without washing their hair for a very long duration. Thick hair tends to hold more moisture, so washing once a week would be considered ideal.

Hair Washing Based On The Climate

Geographical factors should also be considered while figuring out your hair care routine.

Men in dry regions will have to shampoo their hair less often, as the scalp will dry more and create a flaky scalp leading to dandruff. For you to prevent that, use more conditioners and fewer shampoos.

In regions with more humidity, the scalp will hold more moisture, and the hair can get enough nourishment. So the frequency of hair washing will level up a notch.

Highly humid regions will require you to shampoo your hair more often. Henceforth washing your hair every day or every alternate day shall suffice.

Hair Washing Based On The Type Of Shampoo

Make sure that you check the ingredients of the shampoo at the time of purchase. Shampoos with too many surfactants such as “ammonium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium lauryl sulfate“, will be too harsh on the scalp. Therefore, if you have a product with a high surfactant ratio, try washing your hair once or twice a week.

As the hardness of the shampoo will be high, the hair will take longer to produce sebum again.

Light shampoos can be used more as they will have very few surfactants. They will not damage the hair cuticles as much. Yes, their effectiveness will be less, but that can be compensated by washing your hair every day.

Also, do not fall prey to suds. They will do no good for your hair. Suds give a visible cue to the person that the hair is being washed. Experts say that suds do not have any effect on your hair except for the lathering visual.

Other Considerable Factors

Some other influential factors would be to consider the hair length.

Longer hair will indefinitely take more time to nourish the strands with scalp oil. Washing your hair too often might not be the best way to go for it.

On the other hand, men with short hair length may wash their hair every day and still not experience scalp dryness.

Men with sore or dry scalp are better off washing their hair more frequently as compared to others. In such cases, the scalp after being washed is forced to produce sebum, and over time, it can result in having a less dry scalp.

Another aspect of this entire process is the method of shampooing your hair.

There is a high possibility that you might be over-washing or under-washing your hair.

Follow Clarke’s expert advice and:

Ensure the hair is completely wet, really saturated before applying shampoo.
Pour a teaspoon of shampoo and apply the thin film across the hair.
Start to massage across the scalp paying particular attention to the nape and hairline, which will tend to be dirtier.
Use fingers to comb the hair between movements and keep the hair in line. Do not use nails to scratch the scalp.
Do not rub ends together, nor use overly circular movements as this will cause the hair to tangle.
Massage for at least 30 seconds. Then rinse thoroughly and for 30 seconds more.
If you wash your hair daily, one shampoo should be enough, but repeat if you feel the hair needs it.

Summary

To bring this to a brief answer, one could say that do not rely on numerous factors to decide your hair care regimen. Analyze what factors affect you the most and resolve according to them.

For the average person, washing every alternate day or two to three days will work fine.

To put it in a short version, the hair wash frequency will be,

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