Washing your hair daily can strip your scalp of its natural microbiome and can cause dryness and inflammation. Over washing can also leave your hair brittle, limp and thin. If you have highlights or colored hair, less water exposure will ensure the color lasts longer.
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.
"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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
For most people, shampooing the hair is not necessary for good health. Just rinsing the hair with water a few times a week will remove most visible dirt and debris. The decision about how frequently to wash the hair is a cosmetic one based on personal preference.
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.
Not washing your hair regularly can make the scalp flaky and lead to dandruff. It will make you feel itchy and you can also get rashes on your scalp. “You can develop major dandruff problem if you don't wash your hair for 1 or 2 weeks,” she warned.
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.
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.
Is Oily Hair Healthy? Oily hair isn't healthy or unhealthy by default. People with an oily scalp can have healthy hair or dry, brittle hair. Your hair needs oil to be healthy, but too much oil can lead to buildup on the hair and scalp.
Suddenly thinning hair could be caused by a variety of reasons, such as a period of extreme stress, pregnancy, discontinuing birth control pill use, hormonal changes, a high fever, or pulling at your hair.
If you normally wash everyday, it'll take time to get used to washing it less. So start by going an extra day or two in between your normal washes. Rinse your hair with water in between shampoos and try to build up to once a week. When your hair adjusts you'll notice a dramatic difference.
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.
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.
Leaving your hair open seems like a great option, but it often results in breakage and split ends. Don't fret, there are countless hairdos and accessories available in the market nowadays that can help you break the monotony of your look, while simultaneously controlling the breakage.
Your hair could smell nasty or stop growing
Hair traps moisture, Lamb said, meaning that built-up bacteria on unwashed scalps can start to pick up a mildewy or sour smell after several days or a week, especially if exercise is involved.
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.
Many doctors say a daily shower is fine for most people. (More than that could start to cause skin problems.) But for many people, two to three times a week is enough and may be even better to maintain good health. It depends in part on your lifestyle.