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.