How Often Should You Wash Your Hair? - Parade

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Let’s be honest: finding the time (and inspiration) to hop in the shower to wash your hair is easier said than done most days of the week, especially when many of us are still hanging out at home and not really seeing anyone. And with products like dry shampoo helping us stretch the days between showers, it’s easy for the days to add up between washes. But how often should you actually wash your hair?

“When you’re washing your hair, it’s important to remember that you’re cleansing both your hair and your scalp. This means that both of these come into consideration when you’re deciding how often to wash your hair,” says Dr. Rajani Katta, MD, board-certified dermatologist and author of Glow: The Dermatologist’s Guide to a Whole Foods Younger Skin Diet.

Can you wash your hair too much?

For starters: Yes, there is such a thing as washing your hair too much.

“If you shampoo too frequently for your hair type, you can start to strip away the natural oils that protect your scalp and hair, which can leave your hair looking dull and more prone to brittleness and breakage,” says Dr. Katta.

However, there is also a theory that washing your hair too often can actually stimulate your scalp to produce sebum. But this has not been backed up by science, according to Dr. Iris Rubin, MD, Harvard-trained board-certified dermatologist and Co-Founder of the shampoo brand SEEN. “I have not seen evidence as to whether this is true,” she says.

What about not washing your hair enough?

On the other hand, if you’re not washing your hair often enough, your hair can appear greasy. And on top of this looking kind of gross, it could also lead to scalp issues. Essentially, when you go too long without washing your scalp, it can lead to a build-up of sebum and hair product residue. Dead skin cells can also build-up, which can potentially result in clogged pores, which is not good for your scalp health or your hair health, according to Dr. Rubin.

This can lead to a condition called seborrheic dermatitis.

“The extra oil on your scalp can increase your chances of developing a condition called seborrheic dermatitis, a condition that results in flaky, itchy, and red skin on the scalp,” says Dr. Katta.

Related: Why Is My Hair Falling Out?

However, certain people should be washing their hair more often than others.

“Teenagers, for example, tend to produce more oil on both their skin and their scalp, and if they’re not washing their hair frequently enough, can end up with greasy-appearing hair,” says Dr. Katta. “People with seborrheic dermatitis should also wash their hair more. Although the flaking may make it look as though your scalp is dry, it’s actually not: It’s inflamed. Extra oil on the scalp actually makes seborrheic dermatitis worse, which is why people with this condition usually need to shampoo more frequently.”

And if you work out (and work up a sweat while doing so), you should be washing your hair more often, too to wash away excess dirt and bacteria on your scalp. And if you use lots of styling products on a daily basis, you should also be washing your hair more often to prevent scalp irritation.

You should also take into consideration they type of water you’re washing your hair with.

“Hard water, which is abundant, also contributes to hair weathering (due to its higher pH and high mineral content), and a water softener will go a long way to help maintaining healthy hair,” Dr. Shani Francis, MD, American Academy of Dermatology board-certified dermatologist and Chief Wellness Officer of Ashira Dermatology, says.

So, how often should I wash my hair?

How often you should be washing your hair really comes down to multiple factors.

“These factors include your hair type, your age and how much oil you naturally produce, as well as the type of hair care products you use, your other activities, and probably most important, your cultural and personal preferences,” says Dr. Katta. “For younger individuals, they may need to shampoo every day, while elderly individuals may only need to shampoo every two or three days, or even just once every week.”

Your hair texture/hair type may also be the most important determining factor for how often you should wash your hair. While there is no rule of thumb for everyone, according to both Dr. Katta and Dr. Rubin, this may be a helpful guide.

Fine hair

“People with fine hair generally will need to shampoo more frequently, although much of this depends on how much oil they naturally produce,” says Dr. Katta.

Curly/thick hair

Those with curly hair may wash one to three times per week, some less frequently. Curls need moisture, so washing too frequently can be drying,” says Dr. Rubin.

Adds Dr. Katta, “Those with curly hair and thick hair may not need to shampoo every day, even when they’re younger.”

African-American curl patterns

“Often, those with curly hair have dry hair shafts or risk hair fragility and breakage with extra combing. In these cases, washing the hair is best kept to one to two times per week,” says Dr. Amy McMichael, MD, FAAD, American Academy of Dermatology board-certified dermatologist. “Even every two weeks between washes may be acceptable as long as there is no scalp itching, scaling or other signs of seborrheic dermatitis.”

According to Dr. McMichael, it is most important to use shampoos and conditioners with moisturizing components. “Many oils and butters are popular for hair shaft smoothing and can be included in products. Some may be helpful, but can be a source of skin irritation if the user is sensitive. Heavier conditioners may be helpful as this helps to coat individual curls. There may be a need for additional products, such as detanglers,” she says.

Dr. Francis adds that these include “healthy fats,” like what’s is flax seed, salmon, avocados, walnuts and sunflower seeds.

And in gentle cleansers, look for sorbitans (polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80), ethoxylates, alkoxylates, ceterareths, oleths ingredients with the prefix PEGm, (like PEG hydrogenated castor oil), and cocamides (coco glucoside, lauryn glucoside).

“These ingredients tend to work best when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine or lauramidopryl betaine, which also enhances foaming ability (for those that prefer bubbles),” adds Dr. Francis.

But you should also consider a pre-wash. “Another great hack for all variations of curly/kinky textured hair is to pre-wash your hair with coconut oil to prep it for a gentle cleanser,” says Dr. Francis. “Coconut oil has been shown to prevent protein loss (breakage) in hair due to ability to absorb through the hair fiber (not just sit on top) and prevent water swelling (a process called hygroscopic failure).”

African-American relaxed hair

Aim for washing relaxed hair one to two times per week, or up to two weeks, depending on the health of your scalp.

“Relaxers (especially no lye relaxers), often have an increase in salt deposits on the hair shaft, so occasional clarifying or chelating shampoos may be needed,” says Dr. Francis. “As each individual situation is unique, it is best to discuss your individual needs with your professional stylist or board certified dermatologist.”

Straight hair

“For finer, straighter hair, it may be daily. Straight hair tends to get more oily because sebum from your scalp can make its way down the hair shaft more easily,” says Dr. Rubin.

Adds Dr. Katta, “ In general, those with straight hair need to shampoo more often when they’re younger and producing more oil, and then less often as their natural oil production slows down,” says Dr. Katta.

Textured hair

“For those with textured hair, they typically need to limit their shampooing to protect their hair strands and often need to use extra conditioners or oils to provide extra protection to their hair. So that might mean limiting shampooing to once a week as well as using moisturizing products to protect the hair strands,” says Dr. Katta.