For the average person, every other day, or every 2 to 3 days, without washing is generally fine. “There is no blanket recommendation. If hair is visibly oily, scalp is itching, or there's flaking due to dirt,” those are signs it's time to shampoo, Goh says.
There's no single right answer to how many days you can get by without washing your hair. This comes down to your lifestyle, hair texture, and hair type. For many, two to three days is the most. However, by day five you should definitely give your strands a good wash.
Going a long time without washing your hair can cause a buildup of a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia on your scalp. Over time, this leads to a layer of dead skin cells that shed from your head in the form of oily, yellow-ish dandruff flakes. Dandruff can also make your scalp red, scaly, and itchy.
Prolonged periods of not washing can cause cause buildup on the scalp, damaging hair and even impeding its ability to grow, Lamb said. Grime from dirt, oil and hair product can show up within four to six days for people with finer, straighter hair.
You might think it won't hurt, but washing your hair regularly is incredibly important for the health of your hair and scalp. "Shampooing removes sebum or oil that normally coats the hair shaft," says Brendan Camp, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York.
She says it's more important to consider your hair type, texture and amount of oil production you usually experience. “I typically advise patients to keep to a standard hair washing schedule, whether it is three times per week, weekly or once per month, regardless of activity level,” she says.
Water is effective at washing away dirt, dust, and other water-soluble debris from the hair and scalp without stripping the hair of this sebum. However, Mamelak notes that if there are other oils in the hair (from a haircare or styling product, for example), a good portion of these will be left behind as well.
But you should wash it at least every two to three weeks to keep your scalp and hair clean and healthy.
Even if the hair does not feel oily, frequent shampooing is still essential to keep the scalp environment clean and healthy, so we wouldn't recommend going any longer than three to four days without shampooing.
Not Washing Enough
Not shampooing enough can build up oils (sebum) on your scalp and lead to a smell. If you have an oily scalp or super thin hair, consider washing your hair with a mild shampoo every two days to keep the sebum levels in check.
How often should a person wash their hair? People with oily hair or who use hair care products daily should consider washing their hair once every 1–2 days. People with dry hair can wash their hair less frequently. Those with textured or coily hair should only wash it once every 1–2 weeks.
Narrator: After six months to a year, all that gunk can clog up your hair follicles, which can prevent new hair from growing and, over time, ultimately lead to hair thinning or even hair loss. There's also a risk of your scalp getting infected from all the bacterial buildup.
The primary reason that second and third-day hair is better has nothing to do with styling and has everything to do with hair health. Skipping a shampoo day lets your scalp relax, and it stops working overtime to produce protective oils. Your strands also breathe a sigh of relief and soak up that valuable sebum.
It may sound counterproductive, but a shower every day could be bad for your skin. Some dermatologists only recommend a shower every other day, or two to three times a week. Many people hit the shower at least once a day, either in the morning or at night before bed.
Washing your hair only once a week brings the benefits of natural oils into sharp relief. After all, many hair serums and treatments are meant to replicate the oils produced by the scalp, but excessive shampooing strips the hair of these valuable substances.
"The average individual can typically go 2 to 3 days without shampooing their hair. However, if your hair is visibly oily, you may not want to wait that long," she says. "Usually, you can go longer without washing your hair when your hair is styled up, but no one should ever go more than 14 days."
What Is the No-Poo Method? The no-poo method is a hair-cleansing technique that removes shampoo from the equation, says Geeta Yadav, MD, a dermatologist in Toronto. Instead of using shampoo, followers of the practice use alternatives such as apple cider vinegar, a cleansing conditioner, or just plain water.
When you don't wash your hair, oils may accumulate on your scalp. This can cause odor on the scalp and hair. If you use hair care products, these can also build up on your scalp and create odors, even if the products themselves smell good.
The bottom line is that dirty hair does not grow faster than clean hair, so you might as well have a clean scalp and fresh hair. Your hair will look better, feel better, and be healthier as a result.
Hair growth flourishes from a clean, healthy scalp. The bottom line is that dirty hair doesn't grow any faster than clean hair, so you may as well have a clean scalp and fresh tresses. Your strands will look better, feel better, and be healthier, too.
FALSE: Not only is this not true, it's actually completely the opposite! If your hair feels greasy every day, it's best to wash it to stop excess sebum blocking your follicles.
I can honestly say they all smelled completely different. The aromas ranged from salty, sweaty, spicy and even sweet. One of my fellow cosmo students who only wet washed her hair once a week had hair which had the aroma of chocolate. The more days between washes, the stronger the chocolate smell.
Why Greasy Hair Looks Thin. According to hair expert Jean Will of NiaWigs, an oily scalp makes your hair look thinner because a buildup of excess oil at the base of your hair follicles causes strands to clump together. “Greasy hair looks thin because of its oily look,” she said.