As the old saying goes, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” But the vast majority of people may be taking this saying too literally and washing their hair more often than they should. Could you be one of them?
Your first reaction may be to laugh and wonder what the harm is in washing your locks every day. Well, if you value your appearance, your daily shampoo habit could be doing more harm than you ever imagined. Here’s what you should know about the consequences of washing your hair too frequently.
The Consequences of Excessive Hair Washing
Even though your hair isn’t technically “alive,” it still needs proper care to stay soft and healthy. Part of that care involves washing away impurities such as dirt, excessive hair grease and anything else that might get caught in those strands. The challenge is to find the right balance so you don’t inadvertently cause more harm than good.
If you wash your hair too infrequently, you’ll end up with dirty locks that get matted with grease. You might also develop folliculitis, alopecia or other undesirable conditions related to poor hair hygiene. That’s not an attractive picture at all.
On the other hand, if you wash too frequently, you could end up with dried-out hair that’s frizzy, unruly and more susceptible to split ends and other damage. Washing too frequently also increases your likelihood of developing a dry scalp and dandruff.
Who knew your hair was so finicky? That’s why it’s important to adopt an optimal hair-washing schedule that strikes the ideal balance between cleanliness and optimal hair health.
Signs You’re Washing Your Hair Too Much
If you’re not sure whether you’re washing your hair too much, here are some indications you may be:
Your hair color fades fast
You have frizzy hair
Your hair develops split ends rapidly
Your scalp produces more oil than normal
You have developed dandruff or an itchy scalp
You feel like you have a constant build-up of product in your hair
If you can relate to any of these common problems, you may need to cut back on how frequently you shampoo your hair.
How to Develop an Optimal Hair Washing Schedule
Different people may need to follow different schedules for washing their hair. This is simply because some people have naturally oiler or dryer hair than others. But almost everyone agrees that washing daily will strip your hair of the vital oils it needs to remain soft and healthy. So try starting out by skipping one day of washing. You can (and should) still wash your body daily, but put a shower cap or something similar over your hair to keep it dry.
At first, your hair may seem extremely oily on the day you don’t wash it. But with consistency, your body will get used to your new hair-washing schedule and will begin producing less oil. After a week or two, you’ll begin to notice that you can skip a day of washing without feeling like your hair has become excessively greasy.
Eventually, you’ll want to try to get to three or even four days between hair washes. If you have very thin hair, this may not be possible. In that case, stick to an every-other-day washing schedule. At some point, you’ll find an optimal hair-washing schedule that keeps your hair healthy and soft without becoming overly greasy. As you wash your hair less frequently, pay close attention to how it looks and feels. You’ll most likely begin to see notable improvements and will discover firsthand how beneficial it can be to give your hair a rest between washes.
