Perhaps the news that a carcinogenic chemical has been found in some dry shampoos has made you rethink your hair care routine. But experts say there’s no one answer to how often you should be washing your hair — or what you can do to maintain your hair on your rest days.
“Some people think they have to wash their hair every day or they’ll have very greasy hair,” said Anthony Rossi, assistant dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology. “If they give themselves a chance, they may see that they don’t really have a greasy scalp or hair. On the other hand, they may not be able to tolerate very long or infrequent use because they feel their scalp gets too greasy.”
How often you wash your head depends on several factors, including your hair type and style, your scalp’s tendency to get greasy, and your activity levels.
“It’s kind of a personal effort,” said Rossi. Washing your hair too often can make it dry and brittle, while oil build-up from not washing enough can also lead to odor and flakes.
Here’s how to find what works for you.
When do you wash?
Generally, Rossi tells his patients to wash their hair once or twice a week. But if you have chemical treatments that can make your hair drier—such as bleaching, perming, or straightening—you may want to wash your hair less than once a week to avoid breakage, split ends, or split ends.
If your scalp is very oily, you may need to wash it once a day. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association. Your age can also play a role.
“During puberty, we see a surge in hormones, so the sebaceous glands can get bigger. This is one of the reasons why people get acne in their teens,” Rossi recalls. He added that children can have oilier scalps during puberty, so washing your hair more often can be beneficial.
Our scalp produces less oil as we age, according to the American Academy of Oil.
Hair can be more prone to dryness or breakage if it’s curly or kinky, he says. Washing your hair too often can exacerbate this situation, so thick and curly hair does not need to be washed daily or even weekly.
But you should wash it at least every two to three weeks to keep your scalp and hair clean and healthy.
What do you do between washes?
Hair and scalp care doesn’t just happen in the shower. Between washes, there are a few things you can do to keep them clean and looking good — and protect them from damage.
“I think it’s important to keep the scalp clean. Just like a clean beard, you have to take care of the skin underneath,” said Rossi. “Take care of it and comb (your hair). This loosens dead skin cells, and debris. If possible, you should get it wet.”
Rossi added, “At the very least, massaging the skin on the scalp will really help loosen the debris. So you don’t necessarily have to shampoo it, but keeping it clean is very helpful.” “You can also use products like leave-in conditioners or scalp oils that help nourish and moisturize the scalp.”
If you sweat regularly from working out, Rossi said, you don’t need to shampoo your hair unless there’s an overgrowth of bacteria or your hair or scalp starts to smell bad. If you like, you can rinse your hair with water.
Rossi cautioned that most dry shampoos are safe for hair, but don’t rely on it too much. “If it’s too greasy, that’s fine in an emergency. But you’d better wash your hair. You don’t want that buildup on your scalp, either.”
He added that if you notice excess oil around the hairline, you can wipe it off with a cosmetic tissue.
If you swim in a pool with your hair exposed to water, the chlorine can make it dry and brittle. Protect your hair by pre-wetting and conditioning it, wearing a comfortable swim cap, and then immediately replenish lost moisture with shampoos and deep conditioners formulated specifically for swimmers, according to the American Dermatological Association.
Rossi said if you have persistent problems with your scalp or hair — such as dandruff, hair loss, or brittle hair — you should see a dermatologist who treats problems in these areas.
* Jacqueline Howard contributed to this article
