This is the age old question that has been asked so many times and has so many different answers that you are probably sick of hearing it. Should you wash your hair every day? Why not? What is the worst damage that I can really do?
I went around on the salon floor to ask some of our students what their opinions were on the subject. They are knowledgeable and there was a pretty good chance that they could give me a better answer than ‘you just shouldn’t’. I spoke with several of our students and I got the same, resounding answer. What is it, you might ask?
Well, it depends.
There are so many factors that make your hair yours, that a generic ‘yes’ or ‘no’ isn’t going to cut it. You could be someone that has straight hair that gets greasy like that’s its job. You might have curly hair that is always dry and it needs all the oil and moisture that it can. I can go on and on and the thing is, no one knows your hair better than you.
Curly hair, when greasy, will absorb the oil and there won’t be a need for you to wash it as often. If you do tend to have greasy hair and you feel like you need to wash it, reach for the dry shampoo. The whole point of it is to absorb the excess oil so that you can have a head of clean and refreshed hair.
Something else that might depend on how often you wash you hair is your hair color. Is it natural or not? People that color their hair should wash their hair less often than those that don’t in order to preserve the color. When you got your hair colored, you were probably recommended a color safe shampoo from your stylist, which is great, but it won’t save your color if you wash your hair everyday. Styling it regularly would be another reason not to wash your hair too often. Washing it can strip away healthy oils and the heat from styling will damage your hair further.
Does it change for men?
I asked our barbers and I got the same answer. It depends. Your skin type and hair type all play a role in how often you should be washing your hair.
Final thoughts?
This article isn’t meant to be a replacement for one on one professional advice. Go in and consult with your stylist and go speak with your esthetician or dermatologist. Make a plan with them for your hair washing routine. Their personal knowledge of your hair and skin combined with their years of expertise and training can help you to make the best decision for your hair. If there is a reason that you need to wash your hair everyday, don’t let this stop you. Like I said before, only you really know your hair and what is best for it.