How many times a week should you wash your hair?

How often do you usually wash your hair? Every day, every other day, three times a week?

It’s quite possible that you’ve heard a lot of advice about what the ideal frequency is to wash your hair.

Some people argue that you should wash every day to remove excess oil, while others say that this habit can even damage your hair, favoring the emergence of fungi on the scalp.

You may have even heard about the no poo and low poo techniques, which recommend the use of no or little shampoo, generally indicated for those with curly hair. But would they work for you?

Why do we wash our hair with shampoo?

In short, we wash our hair with shampoo because we want to remove dirt like pollution residues, sweat and excess oil. This product is nothing more than a product with detergent action, that is, capable of removing both water-soluble and non-soluble molecules, such as the natural sebum produced by the scalp.

This means that, if used in excess, the shampoo can even leave your hair very clean, without dust residues, smoke particles, mineral salts derived from sweat and oil. However, this is not necessarily a good idea.

That’s because the natural oil produced by the scalp helps keep our wires protected and hydrated. That way, if all the oil is removed, the hair will end up getting dry and brittle.

It’s wrong to use shampoo every day, is that right?

The answer to that question is that it depends. If your hair is very oily or if you exercise daily and sweat a lot, shampooing daily can be a good idea.

And don’t worry: that story that washing your hair causes the roots of the hair to rot is nothing but a myth. Staying wet for a few hours will not contribute to the emergence of fungi – but inadequate hygiene and low immunity can favor this problem.

People sometimes think that dandruff is a sign of a dry scalp and avoid shampooing their hair, but this is not true. In general, this flaking decreases as the frequency of hair washing increases.

On the other hand, those who have normal or even dry hair can spend more time without washing their locks. In general, people with curly hair can go a few days without washing without any problems.

Already visibly oily hair, an itchy scalp and the presence of flaking are signs that it’s time to shampoo your hair.

As the ideal frequency of washing varies according to each person’s hair type, it is difficult to establish a rule. In general, most people tend to feel good about washing their hair every other day, or every two or three days.

What is the maximum number of days I can go without washing my hair?

If you use a flat iron or brush, or even if your hair is dyed a fancy color, you may not want to wash it as often. After all, you end up losing your work or accelerating the color fading when shampooing your hair.

The maximum number of days that we can go without washing our hair varies from person to person, considering the practice of physical exercises, the characteristics in relation to sweat and even the temperature and humidity of where you live.

However, according to some experts, it may not be recommended to go more than 5 days without shampooing your hair. That’s because, as the scalp is always producing sebum, there can be an accumulation of oil and the emergence of seborrheic dermatitis.

Some tricks to shampoo less often

If for some reason you would like to cut back on shampooing your hair, there are a few tips you can try.

The first one usually works for those who have curly hair tending to dry: instead of using shampoo, you should just wet the hair, apply the conditioner, massage, wait for the action time and rinse. This technique can help improve the texture of the hair between shampoos.

Another trick is to use dry shampoo, which is becoming more popular every day. Just apply the product to the locks and roots, let it act, massage the scalp to spread it and brush the hair to remove the excess.

If you suffer from dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, however, dry shampoo may end up highlighting this problem. In this case, use only the products recommended by the dermatologist.