'I stopped washing my hair every day – here’s what happened'
"You have fine hair, but lots of it," is something I’ve been told time and time again. What this means is that my individual strands are thin, but that I have plenty of hair follicles per square cm of scalp – and thus, plenty of oil glands (each hair follicle is attached to one). So, as well as lacking in body, my roots get greasy fast and my hair is easily weighed down.
The good news is that, unlike my thick-haired friends, my hair will dry in record time – there’s no dreaded arm ache when styling, and no designated hair wash day where I need to block out several hours in my calendar. All I need is 10-minutes in the shower and 5-minutes with my Dyson hair dryer, and voilà – my clean hair is bone-dry. This is the reason why (and the fact that my roots are oil-prone), I’ve always been a daily shampooer.
That was until three years ago when the pandemic hit, and my routine fell apart. Without a reason to get ‘dressed up’, I stopped washing my hair every day. For those days in-between, a messy topknot became my fallback position. It was easy, effortless – and being someone who will always appreciate more time in bed – it became my ‘new norm’. An infrequent shampooer ever since, I can attest that my hair has never looked better.
How often should you wash your hair?
According to Anabel Kingsley, consultant trichologist and brand president for Philip Kingsley, hair washing is really about cleansing the scalp. 'Your scalp is a living tissue and like any skin, it produces oil, sweats, sheds skin cells and is exposed to daily environmental pollution.'
If oils and dead skin cells are left to build-up, it can increase your likelihood of developing a scalp condition. 'From a scalp perspective, you should ideally shampoo every day or every other day.'
Hair can be another matter, however. 'If you heat style after every shampoo (guilty), then the good of cleansing may be outweighed by the damage caused. Similarly, being rough with your hair or brushing it when it’s wet can cause breakage and weathering. Some people, especially those with coarse or coiled hair, may also prefer how their hair looks and behaves a few days after shampooing,' says Kingsley.
So, while the scalp requires regular cleansing, the hair may have different desires. As someone who used to wash, brush and blow-dry their hair every day, I was aware of the damage being inflicted. My ends were frayed, and my hair felt dry. A few months into my new routine and I saw a big difference – it felt fuller and looked thicker. And while I understand the importance of scalp health, I’ll now leave two-to-three days between washes to reduce the damage caused by heat styling.
What factors influence how often you should wash your hair?
'Of course, there are always exceptions to how often you should wash your hair and some people won’t experience problems when they shampoo less,' notes Kingsley. Ahead, we break down the key factors that determine the need to wash your hair:
Hair texture: people with fine hair have more oil glands per square cm of scalp and therefore, roots tend to get greasy fast. Kingsley recommends daily shampooing for anyone with this hair texture. 'If hair is dry or processed, it can be washed less frequently due to the lack of natural oils,' says Ricardo Vila Nova, London-based trichologist.
Exercise routine: you should wash your hair after your workout or swim.
Age: Scalps (and skin generally) tend to get very oily during puberty, so this is a time to wash frequently. After menopause, oil production decreases and you may not have to shampoo as often.
Hormones: Scalps can become overly oily during certain times in the menstrual cycle – typically the week before your period. If this applies to you, increase your wash frequency as necessary.
Where you live: If you live in a city with a lot of air pollution, shampoo regularly.
Scalp conditions: If you have dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis you should shampoo daily. Just like any skin condition, you need to use targeted daily topicals to address the issue.
These are the haircare products I use for stronger strands
Can washing your hair less improve the overall quality?
From lacklustre to lustrous, I attributed my newfound shine and fullness to my irregular hair washing regime. But as the experts explain, there may be several other factors at play here. 'It’s true, regular washes may cause dehydration leading to the hardening of the cuticle – causing damage,' says Vila Nova. However, it all comes down to your specific hair type and scalp needs.
'There are a few potential reasons for why your hair has improved with fewer washes,' Kingsley tells me. 'Perhaps you were heat-styling and brushing more often when you cleansed daily; you may have been rough with your hair when washing it; your diet may have improved, or stress levels reduced; and perhaps you’re colouring it less.'
The above all ring true, especially the final point. 'As a hairdresser there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a clients hair get healthier and stronger over time,' says Christel Barron-Hough, founder of STIL Salon and my go-to colourist. 'I have gently tailored your colour look and technique for it to work with your commitment level as ideally you prefer to wait past 12-weeks. This has been much better for the health of your hair as it's had the chance to repair naturally and grow long.'
It's likely then that the combination of colouring my hair less and heat styling it less has led to the overall improvement to my hair health. But, as Kingsley explains, the best thing you can do is to keep shampooing regularly and change how you’re treating your hair during and after. 'Use low-to-medium heat settings, don’t hold your dryer too close to the hair and use a gentle brush as well as heat protector.'
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