How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?

Taking care of your hair is a lot like taking care of your skin: both require dedicated attention and an understanding of your unique needs. And just as skincare routines vary widely from person to person, the same is true of how often you should wash your hair.

Dermatologist Shilpi Khetarpal, MD, shares the pros and cons of washing your hair too often or too little, and provides ways you can keep your hair healthy and clean without overdoing it.

Should you wash your hair every day?

There’s an ongoing debate on whether you should wash your hair every day. It doesn’t hurt to stay clean and keep up with hygiene. But you probably shouldn’t wash your hair daily, especially if you have curly hair. Over-washing leads to breakage and damage over time. Plus, you could end up drying your hair out if you use too much product too frequently.

“How often you should wash your hair depends on your hair’s type and texture,” says Dr. Khetarpal. “Those with coarse, coiled, tightly curled locks should wash their hair at least every two weeks.”

So who should consider washing their hair every day?

“Those with finer hair should wash their hair at least every other day. And people with oily/greasy scalps may opt to wash their hair daily if it bothers them,” says Dr. Khetarpal.

Factors that influence how often you need to shampoo your hair

Hair comes in different lengths, textures and tones. So how frequently you need to wash your hair depends on the following factors:

Hair length

Over-washing leads to brittle hair, especially if your hair is longer. That’s because you have oil glands, also called sebaceous glands, in your scalp. This oil (or sebum) helps maintain the structure and integrity of your hair. It also needs time to make it all the way down to the ends of your hair in order to moisturize each strand. But washing your hair gets rid of a lot of these oils.

Hair type

In general, these hair types could benefit from the following guidelines for how often you should shampoo or condition your hair:

• Thin, finer hair could be washed every 1 to 2 days.
• Semi-course hair could be washed every 2 to 4 days.
• Course, thick hair could be washed once a week, or whenever you feel it needs washed.

Curly, coarse hair tends to be much drier than straight soft hair. That’s because the oil needs to travel along corkscrew-shaped strands to moisturize the ends. Additionally, chemical processing tends to make hair more fragile. So, the more product you use, the higher the chances your hair could end up with split-ends or breakage. So, dry hair doesn’t need to be washed as often as others.

“It’s important to remember that shampoo should be applied to the scalp and conditioner should be applied to the ends of your hair,” says Dr. Khetarpal. “Those with long hair should avoid putting shampoo on the ends as it can cause dryness and breakage. Applying conditioner to the scalp itself can make it greasy.”

Age

As you age, it may be best to wash your hair less often than when you were young. The reason is aging hair leads to less active oil glands.

“Your oil glands are under the control of androgens (male sex hormones),” says Dr. Khetarpal. “This is why younger people typically have more active oil glands, since their hormones levels are higher.”

Women after menopause have a decrease in androgens, which leads to less oil production. Men have less active glands, too, the older they get.

Ethnic background

Your ethnicity and family history also plays a big role in the way your hair grows and how often it should be washed.

“For example, it’s common for people of color to have extremely dry hair that can become brittle if it’s over-washed,” says Dr. Khetarpal. “People of color should wash their hair at least twice a month. Other groups may want to wash their hair at least two to three times a week to minimize inflammation and the overgrowth of normal yeast that live on the scalp.”

Activity level

If you exercise and sweat heavily, you might wonder if you should always wash your hair afterward. But you don’t actually have to. It’s more important to consider your hair type, texture and the amount of oil production you usually experience.

“Even with daily exercise, you don’t need to wash your hair daily,” says Dr. Khetarpal. “I typically advise people to keep to a standard hair washing schedule, whether it’s three times per week, once a week or once every other week, regardless of activity level.”

What to do in between washings

If you think you’ve been over-washing, try extending the time between washes by a day or try cutting out one wash per week. It may take some time for your scalp and hair to adjust, but that’s OK.

Between washings, there are other things you can do to keep your hair healthy, clean and protected, too:

• Use dry shampoo. Dry shampoo can help absorb excess oil and dirt, but you shouldn’t use it as a complete replacement for traditional shampoo. “Dry shampoos contain powders that help absorb your hair’s oils, and these oils are further removed when you comb it through,” Dr. Khetarpal explains.
• Focus your conditioning. “For longer hair, it’s best to focus conditioning treatments on the ends, rather than the roots,” Dr. Khetarpal notes. “Some people also like to use natural oils, like coconut or jojoba — but my recommendation is not to overdo it.”
• Evaluate your styling products. Gels, hairspray, creams and serums can build up on your hair and scalp, which can lead to irritation and damage and make your hair feel oily. “If you use a lot of styling products, consider using a clarifying shampoo one to two times per month to remove buildup,” advises Dr. Khetarpal.
• Shampoo just your roots. If you use it too much, shampoo can damage your hair. Instead, try just shampooing your roots to ensure you clean your scalp and remove excess oil. “This prevents the ends from getting too dry and breaking,” says Dr. Khetarpal.

Just remember, your hair has its own personality and needs based on different factors. What works for your friend might not work for you. So, while it may take some trial and error, you can find a number of ways to revamp your hair-washing routine, along with other daily activities like skincare.