With all of the information out there about the ‘proper’ way to care for your hair, it can be hard to know is ‘right’ way.
When it comes to washing your hair, some say washing it too much can be bad for it. While others swear washing it too little can be even worse.
To understand what our hair needs when it comes to washing, we first have to understand what type of hair we have and how to properly deal with it.
Let’s say you have fine, straight hair and you work out often. Washing your hair more often would be wise. Your hair’s natural oils move through fine, straight hair more quickly, meaning your hair becomes saturated quickly. Additionally, working out often adds sweat to the mix. So, in addition to having oil build up, you have sweat build up as well. All of this build up, also called sebum, clogs your scalp’s pores and can be bad for your follicles. If you have this type of hair, you should aim for washing every other day. This will allow you to keep your hair clean while also allowing a break from washing so your hair can benefit from its natural oils’ nutrients.
If you have thick, curly hair and don’t often sweat or use a lot of hair-care products, you can get away with washing your hair very little. Your hair’s oils take longer to work through the hair due to the texture. Without the added build up of sweat or products, your hair stays feeling fresher, longer. With this type of hair, it only needs to be washed every few days or once or twice a week.
Ultimately, in order to determine how often you should wash your hair, you should determine what type of hair you have and how long you can go in between washes before your hair starts to feel dirty.
Tag Archives: hair washing
The benefits of dry shampoo
Have you heard about dry shampoo? Dry shampoo is a hair-care product that allows you to stretch the time in between hair washing sessions.
How does it work?
Dry shampoo works by absorbing excess oils in your hair. It comes in the form of power or sprays which utilize brand-specific oil-absorbing, cleansing components. It essentially ‘washes’ your hair without any water, hence the name ‘dry shampoo.’
Why is this helpful?
Too much washing contributes to dryness and dullness in your hair. This is because washing hair strips the hair of its natural oils which add the much-needed shine and nutrients your hair craves.
Many factors play a role in how often you should wash your hair, such as sweat, curliness, fineness, and genetics, which determine how much oil your hair secretes and how fast it travels down your hair shaft. Experts suggest washing your hair no more than 3-4 times per week, less if you’re able.
Added benefits
In addition to allowing you to lower the amount of times you need to wash your hair per week, dry shampoo is a great styling product.
Dry shampoo adds texture to your hair, making it easier to style and set your look. Additionally, it adds volume, allowing you to achieve the looks you desire.
Dry shampoo comes in two main forms: the powder and the spray. The powders work great at absorbing oils. The sprays work great at adding volume and setting styles, while also drying out areas that over-saturated with oil.
These products typically contain vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial to your hair. And an added bonus – they smell nice too. Dry shampoo is a smart hair washing and styling alternative, that saves you time and money. Try it out today and let us know how it works for you!
Is sweat harmful to your hair?
Sweating is a common human experience we all go through. While some of us sweat more than others naturally, everyone can relate to sweating at one point or another.
Through work outs, heat, anxiety, or illness, our bodies sweat. Sweating is a natural body process that often occurs when our core body temperature rises to above normal levels. Sweating is a mechanism our bodies use to cool us and rid our body of toxins. It can also occur during times of heightened emotion because sweat glands are effected by emotions.
For those that sweat a lot, due to nature or their love for working out or working hard, sweaty hair is par for the course. Many sweaty-hair individuals may be wondering if sweat is bad for their hair.
Some harmful effects of sweat are due to irritation and sebum. Sweat on the scalp can cause irritation and itchiness. Sebum build-up can cause hair loss overtime, as well as the ‘shiny head’ syndrome.
The most harmful effect of sweat has to do with DHT. It turns out the sweat contains DHT. DHT is converted testosterone that binds to hair follicles and prevents hair growth. In other words, DHT causes hair loss. While DHT is found primarily in our blood, it can also be found in sebum and sweat.
Because of the damage caused by DHT, its believed to be best to limit the amount of time DHT is on the scalp and hair follicles, in hopes of preventing the DHT from bonding with the hair follicles and causing hair loss.
This is why its important to wash hair regularly, particularly after a sweaty session. Washing hair will cleanse the scalp of sweat and sebum, leaving the scalp healthy and DHT free. You can read more on hair washing here.
If you are experiencing hair loss and believe it may be in part due to DHT-containing sweat or sebum, give us a call today for a consultation.
Should you use a 2-in-1 combination shampoo conditioner in your hair?
2-in-1 shampoos sound like a good deal. Not only do you get two hair products for the price of one, you also save time applying the products and save space in the shower.
But, many men and women wonder: does a 2-in-1 shampoo conditioner really work? How effective is it at both cleaning the hair and moisturizing it? By using a 2-in-1 shampoo conditioner are you compromising how clean and moisturized your hair is?
We’ve done the research for you and found answers to the questions you’ve been asking.
2-in-1 shampoos became popular in the 80’s. Hair care brands discovered that individuals were not conditioning their hair as often as they should, so they decided to included conditioning ingredients in their shampoos, hence the 2-in-1 concept.
The question of efficacy of a 2-in-1 shampoo soon followed the trend by chemists who didn’t think it was possible to properly condition the hair when it was combined with a cleaning agent (the cleaning agent would negate the efficacy of the conditioner).
It turns out, hair care manufacturers were able to use a particular conditioning ingredient that isn’t effected or negated by the cleaning agent. Making the 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner an effective product at both cleaning and moisturizing the hair.
But how effective is it? There’s only so much a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner can do. Since the shampoo ingredients and conditioner ingredients clash by nature (read: positive vs. negative ion charges) you’re never going to get as good of a conditioning in a 2-in-1 as you would with a separate shampoo and conditioner.
The take-home? If you have the time, money, and space, opt for the separate shampoo and conditioner. Your hair will be able to reap the full benefits of the shampoo and conditioner alike.
If time, money, space, or just convenience is priority, you’ll be fine with a 2-in-1. They get the job done efficiently enough for most.
How to keep your hair healthy in and out of the shower
Did you know hair is weaker when its wet? It’s true. Water weakens the keratin (hair’s protein) causing the hair to be more fragile and prone to breakage.
Unfortunately, this is often when we’re roughest with our hair. Washing, scrubbing, towel drying, blow drying, hot tools, and the application of products all take their toll on our hair.
Thankfully, there are things you can do to protect your hair’s health in and out of the shower.
Washing – make sure you’re using a sulfate-free shampoo. Many of the cheaper shampoos contain sulfates which wreak havoc on our hair. Additionally, you should be gently massaging your scalp during each wash. This not only cleans hair effectively but stimulates blood flow to the follicles as well. Lastly, use luke-warm water when washing. Hot water damages the cuticle while cold damages the scalp. Luke-warm water is your best bet for healthy strands and follicles.
Conditioning – don’t skip it! Conditioner plays an important role in moisturizing your locks. If your hair isn’t moisturized your hair may overproduce oil causing buildup. No one wants that, so make sure to condition your hair after every wash.
Drying – vigorously rubbing our hair damages the fragile strands. Try gently patting dry instead. This will soak up any excess water. If blow-drying is a must that can’t be avoided, switch the heat setting to a warm or cool level. This will help to take the edge out of the harsh heat on your freshly washed hair.
Styling – use hot tools in moderation. Hot tools cause breakage. If you need to style your hair with hot tools, try applying a heat protecting serum first. Additionally, use a wide-tooth comb instead of fine brushes. Regarding styling and care products, always opt for organic. These products sit on our hair and scalp all day. Harsh chemicals cause build up and irritate the scalp.
How often should you wash your hair?
There are a lot of differing opinions on this topic for both men and women. There are many factors that contribute to how often you should wash your hair. For example, if your hair is curly vs straight, long vs short, thin vs thick. Further, how often you sweat and what products you use can also play a role in how often you wash your hair.
There are benefits to washing your hair everyday as well as washing your hair less frequently. If you are using gels, hairsprays, and other products, washing your hair everyday can be beneficial. Letting these products sit on your scalp can cause irritation and dryness since they clog your pores.
If you sweat often or exercise daily, you may also want to wash your hair daily. Sweat contains lactic acid and DHT which can cause hair loss in some people.
If your hair is naturally oily, this would also be ideal for daily washing. Oils or ‘sebum’ can build up on the scalp and clog the pores. Sebum also contains DHT, the potential hair-loss causing hormone.
The type of hair you have (curly, long, thick, etc.) can determine how sebum moves through and builds up on your hair. Straight, thin hair often shows oil more significantly.
So now we know when we should wash our hair, but can washing it too frequently be bad for us?
Yes. The oils our hair secretes are our body’s way of naturally conditioning our hair. If we’re constantly stripping our hair of its natural oils it can dry out and appear frizzy and unhealthy.
Additionally, if we’re not using quality shampoos, we can be stripping our hair of its nutrients. Many cheap shampoos contain harsh chemicals such as sulfates. These chemicals are known to cause hair and scalp problems.
If you are experiencing any hair loss, considering investing in a good shampoo and washing more often. Ease up on the gels and products that can clog our pores and constrict the hair follicles. Here at Modena, we stand by prevention as the best way to fight hair loss. If you have begun noticing hair loss or thinning and would like to learn more about ways to protect your hair and prevent future hair loss, give us a call for a hair loss management consultation.
