There’s a lot of misinformation out there about how often you should be washing your hair. This is partly because everyone’s hair is different, and there’s no one right answer. While most experts agree that no one should wash their hair every day because over-washing can remove protective oils that prevent hair from becoming too damaged, how often you should wash your hair is influenced by a number of factors.
How oily is your skin?
The oil the scalp produced to protect your hair, sebum, is the same oil the rest of your skin produces. In small amounts, sebum protects the skin and hair from becoming too dried-out, but too much can cause your hair to become greasy and limp. A good way to tell how much sebum your body naturally produces is to look at your skin type. If it’s naturally oily, you’ll want to wash your hair more frequently to prevent it from getting greasy, while if it’s naturally dry, you should wash your hair less frequently to allow a protective layer of sebum to build up.
What type of hair do you have?
If you have thick hair, you should wash your hair less frequently. Thick hair means less sebum to go around for each hair, and therefore it can be helpful to let more sebum build up. Start at shampooing once a week to see how your hair feels. The opposite holds true for thin hair, which tends to accumulate oil far more frequently. For healthy thin hair, consider washing more often, starting at two or three times a week.
What kind of climate do you live in?
If you live in a humid climate, your hair will likely stay hydrated far better than someone who lives in a dry climate. People in humid climates may find that they have to wash their hair more often in order to keep it fresh. Dry climates can easily dry out your hair, so if you live somewhere dry, you should wash your hair less often.
How often do you style your hair?
Using a hair-straightener or curling iron can help to create cute styles, but it can also dry out your hair, removing valuable sebum. If you style your hair frequently, you should increase the time between shampoos in order to let your sebum try to cover your damaged ends.
It can be difficult to find the exact amount of time between shampoos that will be healthiest for your hair, but if you take into account these factors, you’ll be able to use trial and error to find exactly the best timeline for yourself. Your healthy hair will thank you! At Custom Hair Tampa Bay, we believe in allowing yourself to look your best. If you are experiencing any type of hair loss simply reach out to us at one of our three locations by clicking here.
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