Coily hair: Both Courtney and King suggest washing once per week for optimal hair growth. "Don't forget to follow with conditioner," King adds. "It's equally as important to condition as much as it is to cleanse."
Oily and fine or thin hair types should wash every one to two days. This schedule allows for removing buildup and the natural oils to stimulate hair health and growth. Wavy or curly hair and dry or damaged hair types should wash in the range of once every four to seven days.
Hair grows about 1/4 to 1/2 inch per month on average, though some people may notice more growth if they cleanse their tresses and scalp more frequently than they did previously. The more water you use to moisturize your hair and scalp, the healthier your scalp will be. A clean, healthy scalp promotes hair growth.
"If a person is oily, it's fine to wash it every day. If they are dry, it's fine to wash it once a week, but once a week at least for hygienic purposes," Dr. Fusco says. (She clarifies that this is because product can build up on the scalp, potentially leading to clogged pores, irritation, or flakes.)
Wash your hair a lot, or don't — it's your call. But there is zero scientific evidence to cement that washing it less makes it grow faster (sob). However, excessive shampooing (beyond what your hair type needs) can cause dehydration and lead to breakage, so overzealous shampooers should err on the side of caution.
The blood in your scalp goes to the follicle and supplies oxygen and nutrients to the hair root, which helps your hair grow. As your hair grows, it will push through your skin and pass by an oil gland. It's the oil from this gland that makes your hair shiny and soft.
Washing the hair less often can help the scalp remain healthy, prevent itching and flaking, and keep the hair soft and shiny. People with very oily scalps may develop acne on the scalp or along the hairline and may need to wash their hair more frequently to keep their hair looking clean.
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.
“Thinning hair should be washed daily using a scalp-stimulating shampoo, like Redken Cerafill Retaliate Shampoo, that expands the diameter of each strand of hair making it thicker and stronger, and a conditioner that nourishes the hair follicle and encourages hair growth,” says Cucinello.
Generally, if your hair isn't greasy or dry, you should cleanse it every two to three days, King recommends. But if you wash hair too often for your hair type, "it could be very drying to the hair, depending on the ingredients in the shampoo," King says.
Depending on your hair type, you can wait three to five days between washes, and we've got the scoop on how to survive the process while you're waiting for sebum production to slow down. We'll admit, the first two weeks are the most difficult, but after about week four, you should see a significant difference.
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.
Hair Washing Frequency and Tips
“I recommend washing your hair two to three times a week,” Dr. Icecreamwala says. “If your hair is dry, you may only want to wash it twice a week. If it is on the oilier side, every other day is recommended.”
No shampoo will make hair grow faster. General good health along with hair and scalp hygiene and conditioning are the best hair growth aids. There are, however, thickening shampoos that add fullness to hair.
“Vitamins are essential for healthy hair growth and may help in preventing hair shedding and thinning,” says Michele Green, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in New York. “The best vitamins for hair growth include B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc, biotin and iron.
But since your metabolism slows down at night, so does your hair growth, explains Waldman. Goddard adds that the primetime hair growing hours are between 10-11 a.m. and 2-4 p.m.
If you want to keep your hair at the same length, get it cut every 6 to 8 weeks. But if you want to grow it a little longer, cut it every 8 to 12 weeks.
Hair can stop growing or grow slowly for a variety of reasons including age, genetics, hormones, or stress. You may notice your hair stops growing in one spot or seems to be growing slowly on one side. There are plenty of treatment options for slow-growing hair, including: medication.
Here's the hard truth: Little can be done to permanently change the diameter of individual hair strands. Thickening products can do wonders to temporarily plump hair strands, but when it comes down to it, fine hair is genetic and can't be changed.