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.
Rossi generally tells his patients they should wash their hair once or twice per week. But if you've had chemical treatments that can make your hair drier — such as bleach, perms or relaxers — you might want to wash it less than once weekly to avoid breaking or brittle hair or split ends, he said.
"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."
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.
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.
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.
Let's be clear though: by wetting your hair, we don't meanwashing it. We simply mean rinsing natural hair either in the shower or spritzing water over your hair. Washing natural hair with shampoo everyday is not recommended, as this can dry the hair out significantly and cause stress to curls.
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.
"If your skin tends not to be dry, you could extend it to every other day or so." If you take it from a certified germ expert, though, you can skip showering for as long as you wish.
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.
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.
shampoo can strip your hair of natural oils, and using heat products on your hair over and over again causes further damage and breakage, so washing your hair only once a week actually helps keep it in great condition.
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.
Basically, washing your hair too much can throw off your scalp's microbiome, which can let bad bacteria and fungi take over and cause things like inflammation, according to Burg. He recommends gently cleansing your scalp two to three times per week to help remove excess sebum.
Many women regularly wait days and even weeks to wash their hair thanks to the popularity of blow outs, the resurgence of dry shampoos and the proliferation of anti-shampoo rhetoric.
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.
He believes he'll fall sick if he bathes and this has stopped him from taking a shower in over six decades. Amou Haji, an 83-year-old Iranian is labelled as the world's dirtiest man as he has not bathed in 65 years. Haji is terrified of water, thus the aversion to bathing.
What's the worst that can happen if you leave a few dead skin cells lingering on your back? The most likely consequence will be a dull complexion. Again, it won't kill you. But it can lead to back acne, better known as bacne.
Is showering once a month enough? Of course it is. Our ancestors never bathed or showered during their entire lives, unless of course they went swimming or got caught in a heavy rainstorm. You do have to keep in mind that others will probably object to your odor and want to keep their distance from you.
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.
Try this: Use dry shampoo before your hair gets greasy. Apply dry shampoo in your hair before you go to bed and allow it to stay overnight. This allows the dry shampoo to soak up the natural oils your hair produces while you sleep and you will be able to brush it out in the morning.
Factor, a clinical dermatologist and researcher, said, "Cold water can help your hair to become stronger and healthier over time. Cold water not only helps the scalp retain its moisture, [but] it also seals down the hair cuticles and helps lock moisture into the strands themselves."
The no-poo method involves forgoing shampoo containing detergents that strip your hair of its natural oils. Your hair won't smell, because you're still cleansing it. Research the best shampoo alternatives for you: water only, conditioner only, coconut oil, ACV and baking soda, or a no-poo product.
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.