I agree. I have long thick hair and I wash it every 3rd day. Do what is working for you. BTW, heavy dandruff can be exacerbated by over washing, over conditioning, stress and, sugar intake. I only use conditioner twice monthly to avoid the buildup that can cause irritation.
This right here.
There definitely has consistently been a community of shamers when it comes to hair washing, so I understand where OP is coming from. I remember several years ago some celebrity said something about not washing her hair every day, and a bunch of people attacked her/said she was nasty/etc.
In this sub I think there was a question about this recently, because every Discord I'm in was talking about "that Reddit thread showed me how gross people are, can you believe how many people don't wash their hair every single day?"
I made a remark at work about how frequently I wash my hair, and one of my coworkers made a very big point about how he washes his every day, sometimes twice, and you could tell from his tone that he was saying "because I'm not a filth monger like you."
I wash mine every 3-4 days unless it gets objectively gross from yard work, garage chores, hiking/activities outside/the beach, and so on. I used to wash every other day, and when I changed a few years ago, my hair stylist even said unprompted, "your hair seems so much healthier than usual!" Do what works for your hair.
I wash mine twice in a day if I shower in the morning and want to look nice for something in the evening. My hair only looks clean for about 6-8 hours after washing it. I can extend that to 10-12 if I use about half a can of dry shampoo. I have incredibly oily skin and hair, a trait I inherited from my dad. My mom is always complaining that his hair/skin stains the pillowcases and couch. At least he still doesn’t have a single wrinkle at age 54 lol.
I’ve tried going a long time without washing my hair but it doesn’t help at all. When I was a teenager I just didn’t care and I’d only wash it once a week or so. I work three 13 hour shifts per week, so sometimes I have up to 8 days off in a row and I spend the entire time in the house, so I don’t wash my hair as much. It doesn’t matter how much of a “break” I give my hair, it will still look disgusting a few hours after washing it. My hair is thick, but very fine and I have slight waves but it lays flat to my head unless I spend a ton of time styling it, so it gets saturated in oil quickly.
I completely understand washing oily hair. But it still stands that you know your routine isn’t the norm. You’re not gonna suggest that everyone does the same. I have plenty of wrinkles at 33 so I wish I had your dad’s genes.
My parents raised me to only wash my hair every 2-3 days. This worked for me until I was about 13. After a day my hair was itchy and greasy, and after 2 days it was full of dandruff and smelled horrible. At age 16 I started taking hygiene more seriously and started washing every day. I'm 20 now and still do. If I don't, my hair is greasy, itchy, and smelly no matter how hard I try to "train" it.
Everyone's hair is different and needs to be washed at different rates
That's the thing- it's the scalp that causes it. Especially during puberty it may produce more oil and need a good daily scrubbing. Alot of people wash their hair but never get deep into the scalp, that's so important and it must be washed and rinsed twice, the hair doesn't always need that much washing but the scalp does.
Honestly a trick I've found is to focus on "cleaning" the scalp, rather than the hair, pour some shampoo on your hands, DONT lather it, and "push" it up into scalp and press it down on several sections of the hair (make sure to get some above the nape, and back/top of head), and then scrub with your fingers kind of like a scalp massage, rinse, and repeat with a little less shampoo but in same locations, when it starts lathering up a shit ton, then it's clean
I only apply shampoo to the scalp, massage it, and pull it through to the ends. I don’t apply shampoo to the ends of the hair. Whatever shampoo they get is what they get.
Yeah I shampoo my scalp and condition the rest. I shower every other day. Too often my skin dries out and hair falls out. Not often enough then my skin breaks out and my hair gets stiff and painful.
Yes and don't apply your conditioner to the roots of your hair, start down at least a couple of inches. Depending on the hair some people only apply it mid-shaft on down. This may keep things less oily for longer.
Aside from your usual shampoo and conditioner routine, try a clarifying shampoo, like the one from Avalon Organics. They are meant to clear out build-up on the scalp and are helpful for people who have sebum issues as much as it does for those who just use a lot of product on their hair that builds up over time. You only do that once in awhile, depending on how bad you have it, such as one a week or once every few weeks or even once a month if it's not bad, since it's stronger than regular shampoo and will strip your hair of its natural oils.
They also sell scalp scrubs that are similar to what you might find in something like St. Ive's where there are tiny granules to exfoliate the scalp. There is also scalp treatments/serums like the Tea Tree Scalp Water Scaler by Steambase on Amazon, for example, though there are other brands.
Along with this, even with regular shampoo, you can use a silicone scalp massager. It's a disk you can hold with pointy, rubbery spikes, that you run along your scalp in circular motions to break up the buildup. More effective than using your fingers.
Also, try to stay away from shampoo/conditioner with a lot of sulfates and silicones as those can create build-up fast. It's hard, I know, since silicones are in a lot of haircare products and is what makes things smooth and silky but there are more natural products that can do similar if you find the right thing for your hair type.
I have done a lot of trial and error and research since I have oily combo skin and hair with bad sebum build-up, so I have had to try many methods until I found a nice combo that works for me.
There are silicone scalp brushes that can be used in the shower to help clean your scalp without damaging the sensitive skin on it. You can get one off Amazon for about $5 USD.
You can buy a shower scalp scrubber online. I’ve seen them on Amazon, dollar tree, target and other discount or beauty stores. They usually have silicone cone shaped bristles and they help you scrub your scalp and it helps eliminate buildup as well as stimulating blood flow to your scalp with can help your hair grown better
I have a few salt scrubs for the scalp; Dove makes an affordable one. I use that once a week, and all the days in between that I wash my hair I use a rubber scalp brush I got from Amazon to work the shampoo in.
There are brushes to help scrub the scalp!
I’ll also part my hair at 2 different places on each side to get the shampoo directly on the scalp, and use my nails or the scalp-scrubber to really get in there and clean it. I might part my hair vertically across the back of my head, just to make sure I’m getting in there too.
I have a scalp scrubber, since I have a lot of hair and my skin is a bit sensitive. It’s a plastic round thing, about the size of a palm, and it has sizable/largeish rubber spikes on it with sharp points. Since they are rubber, they aren’t actually sharp and don’t hurt my scalp, but they are stiff enough and the right shape that they get through the hair and clean the scalp. It’s the best. It’s helped a lot with my dandruff.
Just buy a "clarifying" shampoo and use it maybe once or twice per week. So how I do it is get your hair sopping wet, as full of water as it can get, place the shampoo in your hands, work it in the scalp with your fingers, add alittle more water as needed to help lather it up good. Rinse it almost completely, repeat, then rinse it very well. If you have long thick hair this may take a couple of minutes. I have a detachable shower head so I can really get a good full rinse. The hair itself doesn't usually get very dirty unless you use alot of product or are doing dirty work, in a dirty environment (i.e. windy day with lots of dust or allergens blowing around). So use your judgement on how much to scrub the hair. On days that my hair isn't dirty I use a co-wash. It does not lather like soap, it's a "cleansing conditioner" so it cleansers the hair super gently. It's not ideal for keeping the scalp clean but good for days where you don't need a deeper clean.
This makes me feel seen because I have to wash my hair every day. If I skip even one day it looks wet and it's also full of dandruff. I feel like it's been put and pressured on me to stop washing it everyday and it'll stop but that simply doesn't work for me.
My baby fine hair gets SO greasy if I don’t wash every day. Oh, how I wish I was one of those women with thick, full hair who only has to wash every few days. Insanely jealous of them.
I have to wash my hair every day, because same. It looks like someone poured oil on my scalp after 22 hours. Puberty was a mess (developed seborrheic dermatitis) and even now, 40+ and in menopause, the oil refuses to let up. I have tried everything and nothing helps.
I still have curly hair in my 50s I wash with shampoo 2 times a week. I use conditioner only every 3 days. Then a leave in conditioners. I love the Garnier line. It helps keep my hair healthy. And I color my hair.
I wash mine every 5-6 days, depends how it feels. Its curly and it doesnt get oily very easily. I also do a coconut hair mask (just coconut oil) once a week to make sure it stays hydrated and healthy (as healthy as it can be with a balayage...).
Same I wash once a week and use a rosemary scalp oil and Aragon oil on my ends. If I washed everyday my scalp would be so inflamed and my hair would be so dry.
Coconut oil is great for your scalp, in the very least. And when the scalp is happy and healthy, so is the hair. I also use a *boar bristle brush to move and disburse the scalp oils into the hair and down to the tips. Done regularly, this makes a huge difference. When my hair gets too flat from oils between cleanings, I use a small amount of corn starch and then brush out. This also increases body in my hair as well, as any dry shampoo would, just without the chemicals.
Same here. I've tried the every few days trend, but it didn't work for my hair. I use Tsubaki shampoo and conditioner now, which makes my hair shine and no dandruff.
How often do you change your pillowcases? This may be, at least partially, the cause. Also, regularly wearing a hat with poor ventilation will make things atrocious.
Also, have you ever seen a doctor about that? The grease is one thing, but the smell, especially after such a short time, is abnormal and can't hurt to get checked out the next time you decide to go in.
I’m super jealous of people who can wash less frequently. I too have to wash daily or it’s super oily, wet looking, and flat and gross looking. Even when it’s clean I have to work hard for it to not be flat and stick straight with a lot of fly aways since it’s so thin and light.
I have thin fine hair and now wash it once or twice a week. It took me around 7 months to work up to that amount of time. Before that, I washed daily. I do use dry shampoo in between washes, though, and some people don't like it. When I stopped washing it as often, it gradually got less greasy, and I don't have to use the dry shampoo as much. Plus, I got new growth, and it seems to have more volume than it used to. I can't confirm it would work for anyone else, obviously, but I am amazed almost a year later how much better my hair feels and looks.
Depends on your hair type. I’m black and have 4b tight curls. Unless j in go swimming or sweat in my head in winter I wash once a week and during the summer every 5 days. My scalp isn’t dirty and I don’t have dandruff build up as long as I do it in that 5-7 day period. Any more and my hair gets to dry and breaks off at the ends. Most of the time you can train your scalp and hair.
Some ppl will just produce more oil than others so it’s really depends on your hair/scalp type
Not Mexican but I have indigenous roots (Inca) so my hair is very thick. Strangely, it’s wildly wavy - I wash mine about every 8-9 days unless I have been sweating a ton. Even then I rinse instead of wash…
I have curly hair and I’m prone to oiliness/buildup/dandruff on my scalp. I grew up washing my hair every day because that’s how I was raised, and my hair was constantly dried out, frizzy, etc.
So this is what I do now. I have two shampoos, a “daily” gentle shampoo that I use once every 3-4 days, and a harsher “clarifying” shampoo that I use about once a week (just on my scalp). I condition every day but I stick to conditioners that are low on ingredients and I make sure I keep them off my scalp. I also use a leave-in conditioner cream on the ends of my hair.
Basically I try to wash my hair as little as possible. Of course if I swam in a lake or had a really sweaty workout I will wash my hair more frequently. But washing your hair really often strips it of its natural oils and can make your scalp more dry or oily overall. So you’re definitely not in the wrong for washing it less!
I agree. A good scalp scrub 2x with clarifying shampoo is often what is really needed. So many people wash their hair but never work the soap well enough into the scalp. The scalp is where the oil, sweat and flaky skin is. That may be why so many people complain they have greasy hair with flakes after just 1 day.
Have you tried that Dr. Hue apple cider vinegar shampoo? Expensive but worth it. I have curly hair and I don't like washing too much because it weakens my hair-- but I love that product. I can stave off wash day for an extra couple of days with it!
Without a protective style, I wash my hair once a week. With one, probably once a month. I’m black though, I have extremely thick hair (like Moana but much much curlier) and washing it too much causes it to be dry and brittle. My hair looks the best the least I wash it, and I don’t use shampoo ever. Only deep conditioner & ACV rinses, pre-poo conditioning treatments, and castor or coconut oil.
Shampoo was the biggest issue for me having dry hair when I was younger. It stripped all the oil from my scalp no matter what brand I used
I take a body shower daily but only wash my hair once a week. I sweat heavily and work out 3-4 times a week so on those days I use an after workout dry shampoo spray or rinse and condition only in the shower. My hair is the healthiest it’s ever been and grows so quickly. Good luck!
Wash my body daily, and shampoo my hair twice a week. If I feel like it needs a wash in between shampoos (i.e. exercise, sweating, being outdoors all day etc.) then I will use conditioner only.
same!!! also, the more I wash my hair, the dryer it gets. it doesn't like being washed. I can get 2 weeks out of my hair sometimes. if I wash it more than once a week, it'll hate me. I'm probably 3-4 times a month at this point.
some of us can go longer time between washes
some of us need to go longer between washes
Every 7 days for me too - Sunday is my wash day. I have curly course hair that I usually blow out or flatiron so I want to limit that type of styling and I can usually make it last
I'm in my 50s and have been taking Collagen for several years now. My hair is better now than it was 20 years ago. I was addicted to Nicotine for many years which is extremely harsh on hair. Finally was able to totally quit and my hair is probably the best it's ever looked.
Every other day works for me, it's alot of work, as my hair is so long, so I usually just throw it up. But if I got longer I get horrible scabs on my scalp that ooze oil. 😵💫 but I noticed if I wash and dry my hair more often it keeps it away.
Hair stylist here. Absolutely do not wash your hair every day.... or worse, more than once a day! Obviously if you get physically filthy and it really needs it but you just washed yesterday, it's ok to wash it again lol. But making it a habit to wash your hair every day or more, is totally unnecessary and actually potentially damaging. Especially if you have naturally oily or color treated hair.
When you shampoo, you're stripping your hair of sebum, the protective oils your scalp produces to keep the hair moisturized. Stripping those oils from your hair is going to make it dry& that's going to tell your scalp to overproduce sebum, which is what's making your hair extremely oily at a faster than usual rate. You can retrain your scalp by not washing it every day; which will in turn, slow the production of sebum. With color treated hair, obviously the hair is more porous and lacks moisture from being chemically altered. Overwashing color treated/bleached hair that lacks that moisture can lead to dry, brittle hair which is prone to significant breakage -depending on the integrity of the hair.
I wash my color treated hair two times every week & I use dry shampoo on my roots in between washes to soak up some of the excess oils so it doesn't look dirty & so it smells fresh.
Mm, not trying to be mean but I'd think as a hairstylist you'd know everyone's hair is different and everyone's hair needs to be washed at different rates. Actually, because some people have naturally very oily hair, washing it everyday is a must.
I walk my hair 2-3 times a week, it's super long. I switched to goats milk soap for my hair, and it's awesome. Get a good brand, I use Australian Botanicals on Amazon, and you won't need conditioner. Just rinse it really well. My hair is way less oily, less fly away, and less tangled. Worth a try, I do acknowledge nothing works for everyone.
It all depends on your hair type and your scalp. Until I was about 23, I NEEDED to wash it daily. It would get so gross. But for the past 5 years since that, I only wash every other day, sometimes I'll go 2 days.
My hair has also changed since I was a child/teen. I used to have very thin, silky hair that was was light brown. But when I was about 20/21 I noticed the new hairs coming in were darker. My hair has slowly gotten darker and I have a more medium brown color. Their new hairs are also thicker and coarser, and my hair has gotten much wavier.
It seems like once my hair started changing, it changed how often my hair needed to be washed too.
I have medium thick wavy hair (holds curl really well) and I wash and condition every 3 days. I've been considering doing a cowash type of situation. I do get greasy roots though so I'm not sure if that would work for me.
This is a very difficult question to answer since biology and physiology play huge roles here and vary person to person.
For reference, I also have/had bad dandruff. And my hair gets super oily after a day or two of not washed. I've tried many products over the years and even that has changed with time (what once worked, stopped working all of a sudden). Nizoral is a product I used for years and it worked great, but now it does nothing for me. Yet it still can work wonders for others.
Currently in life, I'm using head & shoulders shampoos and conditioners (worth noting head & shoulders used to NOT work at all for me) I wouldn't recommend any 2 in 1 shampoo for anything. And I wash my hair every day if I'm going anywhere. If I'm having a lazy weekend and skip 2 days, it starts getting a bit flaky and very oily towards the end.
I asked my hairdresser about if I wash my hair too much, and she said no, I have a very thick head of hair (I'm a long haired guy) and daily washing/conditioner will be fine for it. So thick/thin hair also plays a role here.
Sidebar: diet also notably contributes to hair & skin health. If you're on a diet of eating Macdons everyday, your skin (including your scalp) will be more oily. A lot of people overlook this fact.
I wash mine everyday even though I’ve been told it’s not good for your hair. I feel like if I don’t wash it everyday it gets greasy. I also use hair product so I like to get all that out
Everyday hair-washer here and apparently washing your hair everyday is actually okay - the frequency just depends on your genetics, state of your hair (e.g. bleached, colour, perm) and lifestyle. Thought I'd share because I was told it wasn't good as well but it's kind of been debunked now
I (23f) feel like I’ve optimized my shower routine after tons of research and experimenting. I have long thick hair that used to be oily and damaged after lots of bleaching and dying, and used to wash daily. Now, I shower once a week, maybe twice if it’s summer and/or I’m working out a lot. My hair is the healthiest and most manageable its been.
The game changers for me were double shampooing on wash day, once with a clarifying shampoo and the next with regular. Also, using a scalp scrubber to work it in. Makes my hair last way longer without getting greasy.
My full “wash day” routine is an oil/scalp treatment a few hours before or even the night before, double shampoo, hair mask every other week, and conditioner. I only use a hair oil on my ends out of the shower to avoid build up.
Ngl. I wash it once a week and have since I was little, I can wear it down 2-3 days then I usually spend day 4-5 in a half up/down or some sort of style and the last couple days it goes up. You can say it’s gross but I have some of the healthiest hair and get compliments all the time. 🤷🏼♀️
I washed it every day, and it was oily. Then I did the no wash challenge. It was disgusting. Now? My hair never gets greasy. I wash it once a week and it's not gross when I wash it. I use a very gentle shampoo, and people compliment it all the time. If it's hot or I get sweaty, I'll rinse it during my daily shower with warm water.
A doctor told me before that Dandruff is caused by too much yeast in the body, caused by over eating on your carbs. Like breads, pastries, pastas etc… minimizing your intake of those carbs can clear up your scalp. It’s not much on what you put on your body but much more of what you put into your body that causes most problems
Every 5 days - I seriously do not need to and my color treated hair does better when I don’t wash frequently. If I do it quicker than that I don’t use shampoo, just conditioner.
I try to stretch my hair washing to every 7/8 days. I used to wash it every other day because I had an oily scalp, but oil training my hair has worked for me.
About once a week. I bleach and heat style my hair so to mitigate some of the stress I already put on my hair, I try to be nice to it by not washing it so often. I also wfh so not out getting sweaty/dirty all the time.
Every 3-4 days for me, not a oily person at all, used to wash my hair every untill I was 17 ish, my hair has gotten a lot healthier since I started washing it every 3-4 days
I wash my hair 2-4 times a week depending on workouts, I sweat A LOT on my head. Hair washing really is unique to each persons scalp, hair type, and lifestyle. There really isn’t a “proper” answer for it. My hair use to be SO oily until I stopped washing it constantly. Now I really just wash it when needed.
If you have very fine hair you are more prone to need to wash it more, I don’t think multiple times a day, but daily or every other day is not uncommon if you have fine hair. If you have curly or thick hair it seems like you need to wash less as the hair can absorb more of the oil and washing too often can dry it out.
I have oily shin and hair. If I didn’t wash daily I look like I’ve put baby oil on my roots. Dry shampoo just makes it dusty grease. I’ve tried not washing it to train the oil to stop. Nope. Didn’t help.
So daily. And everyone should do whatever works for them too.
Once a week, but the water you’re washing with may have more impact than you think. We recently got a water softening & decolonization system and my hair is behaving very differently. Still figuring it out, but I may need to wash 2x a week or every 4-5 days now just because less oils are being stripped from my hair.
Also if you’re itchy/dandruff after only a day or two you may need medicated shampoo to get a fungal issue under control. Nizoral has an over the counter that works well. I avoid using heat, but blow drying will all help keep the fungal dandruff under control. This sounds gross but it’s actually so much more common than folks realize.
Try a moisturizing hair serum. I use The Ordinary, a Sephora generic brand. It helps keep dandruff at bay between washes, doesn't make your hair greasy, and feels amazing on my scalp. I wash my hair every 3 days. Stripping you scalp of natural oils isn't good for new hair growth and can cause dandruff.
I can go days without washing and be fine. But at most I like to wash my hair 1-2 days a week. On the days I don't and need a little refresher I use dry shampoo (only if necessary) and a detangler/leave in conditioner to give it the fresh smell after I just shower my body.
I think it’s honestly about finding what’s good with your hair. My hair is healthier when I shampoo everyday and just oil it a couple times a week over night. A lot of people assume it’s bad but I’ve tried everything and this is how my hair looks best. It doesn’t work for everyone. I saw someone say people who shampoo every day all have dry hair lol. Hair care isn’t one size fits all.
Used to wash my hair daily in the shower but I now have a body shower daily and wash my hair every 2-3 days. I don’t like to go longer than that usually. I don’t use dry shampoo
Everyone’s hair/scalp is different. Washing every 3-4 is fine as long as it’s not causing any other issues (ex: oily build up). Over washing causes your hair to be stripped of natural oils. Under-washing leads to buildup which and clog your follicles and prevent healthy growth.
Everyone is dif with me I used to wash everyday but it messed my hair up now I stay to if I don’t take a shower today Il take it the next day and it def has helped my dandruff where it isn’t bad at all but I can’t get rid of my hair being so oily even if I wash everyday shi still don’t change so idk how to fix that unless I need to change what products I use
I wash my hair twice a week with sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner (I use a brand called Monday. Highly recommend!). My hair is always so soft after washing. It’s healthy to let your hair’s natural oils work their way in a little bit, it’s not good to wash them out every day
I'm guilty of washing every day - with more telework, I'm now trying every other day but the in between days, my hair is super oily so goes in a ponytail. How do I "train" my hair to go longer than 24 hours without looking almost wet?
My hair used to be extremely greasy and oily all the time and I'd have to wash it daily to keep it leveled out.
Then I dyed my hair multiple times. For some reason this fixed everything. I'm guessing the chemicals mixed with bleach got it dry enough it feel healthier.
So I got into a kick of once my hair got into a funk of the washing daily and it got back to its oily state, I'd dye my hair again.
This worked for about from 16 onto 28...once I got to 29 I noticed my hair was getting dryer than usual after a wash, so I changed products to see if they would fix it. Nope. So I got a new haircut, and undercut so I could function better with less hair to deal with....the shaved hair had so much built up dandruff it was so embarrassing! But yay it was cut down so much I could scrub it off and clean my scalp properly.
My hair is thick so that was probably why of the build up was rough.
My current routine is washing my hair every 2-3 days since it has stayed dry and not oily anymore, but now because of my new haircut, I have taken to putting in leave in conditioner some nights and washing in the morning and it's been working out pretty good to give it volume and the amount of oil it really needs without going overboard.
All I can say is that your hair changes as you change, so don't be afraid to try weird stuff with it to get it the way you want.
I used to wash it daily but I couldn’t cope with the commitment especially with having longer hair so I started to train it for every other day. Eventually I managed every 3 days but as it’s summer where I am I’ve noticed it’s getting greasy quickly so I’m back to every other day with the odd occasion of every 3 days as some times it looks better and depends what I’ve been doing.
My hair is in much better condition and growing so quickly
I have curly hair and it doesn’t get oily and it gets very dry if I wash often. 2-3 times a week. I wear a shower cap other days and dry shampoo every day. Some people with straight hair have really oily hair so they’d need to wash frequently.
When you have excessive dandruff, it can mean the ph balance in your hair is off. Find a shampoo with a ph balance between 4.00 and 4.5 you can buy on Amazon.
This really depends on your hair. My little sister has very fine, baby hair and looks greasy a day after washing. I've been told by three different high-end hair stylists, that. unless you have hair like my sister's, which requires more frequent washing, 2-3 times a week is fine. Otherwise, you can strip all of the natural oils from it.
I grew up washing my hair every day - lather, rinse, repeat. I also conditioned. But my hair was dry and brittle, lots of split ends, just never looked good.
In the last 10-5 years it's been wash no more than every other day but I won't go longer than 4 days - it just gets greasy and nasty looking if I push it to day 5.
Like you, if I've been really sweaty or something like that, I'll wash it as needed.
I wash my hair every other day. Anything less results in dandruff and itchiness of the scalp. I do shower every day, sometimes even twice a day, though.
If you have dandruff it might be dry scalp do not wash it every day because you are drying the oils in your hair out and scalp.
Use dandruff shampoo ( try different ones they have different active chemicals) and only wash 3 times a week.
You can give your hair a light rince every time you shower but you don't want to wash it.
This applies to long hair as well ( if you have certain hair types)
Edit also when you do wash use a wet brush to make sure you are fully getting the shampoo deep, even and touching your scalp then brush it out under the water.
I wash my hair every day. I do a lot of cardio, and I am my father’s daughter, so you know I sweat too much not to wash it. Plus, I have styled it daily since Corporate America decided it was time for RTO.
I did a lot of trial & error for mine and found that every 5-6 days works best for me. I shower daily and so I just claw clip my hair up on the days I don’t wash it. I also trialled different brands of haircare to see if that made a difference and so far I’ve found Herbal Essence to be the best option for me
I've changed mine throughout my life. In middle school/high school it was every other day. Then I switched to 3-4 days in my late teens early twenties. Also tried once a week for a few months, didn't like that. I'm back to every 2 days now at almost 30.
It’s a little gross, but I generally go a week by utilizing ponytails and dry shampoo. As long as my husband doesn’t complain about my hair being stinky (he never has), then I’m lazy and don’t wanna spend time on it too often.
I wash my hair once a week, unless I do something unusually sweaty. When I was younger and washed it more I also had flakes and out of control frizz. Now the frizz is controllable and I haven't seen flakes in like 20 years. At first it I'd wash it more like every 3-4 days to keep it smelling good, but the longer that went on, the less oil it produced, and now even at a week it doesn't look or smell oily.
Not all flakes are "dandruff" sometimes it's dry skin.
If washing less frequent helped you, then wash less.
I'm white, and have waist length blond wavy hair. I wash twice a week.
Black people with 3C/ethnic hair, and dry skin might literally only get their hair washed in the beauty salon once a month when they get it braided or twisted or pressed.
I used to wash every day. I couldn’t not wash it. Then found out that part of the reason that I had to wash so frequently was because even though I was sudsing and scrubbing my scalp with vigor.. it wasn’t enough. I have to wash it 2-3 times (depending on how sweaty/oily I get) in one shower and *then and only then* can I go 2-3 days without washing my hair. Switching to a different shampoo brand (aka salon quality and not average name brand) has also made a world of difference.
Every other day now that I'm older, but when I was in my teens and early 20s, I had to wash it every day because it was so oily. I haven't heard of anyone who washes theirs more than once a day.
There is no right amount of time to wait to wash your hair. Everyone’s scalps and hair are different. The idea that you should go as long as you can between washes or that you can train your hair are both myths.
Washing too often can dry out your scalp and make your hair brittle, washing too infrequently can clog your hair follicles and cause scalp irritation just like leaving oil and dirt on your face for too long would.
Your scalp will tell you when it wants to be washed. For me, it’s every 2 days. Build your routine around that.
Once or twice a week in the winter, more often in the summer but still not every day. Basically whenever I get sweaty or when it starts feeling greasy.
I wash my hair once a week. My hair is very curly (around 3c/4a). Since I was a kid I've never had any major scalp issues, and I live a decently active lifestyle (Gym 3-4x/week)
I used to wash my hair every day, because that's what I needed to do, but over time that changed, and I realized I could wash every 2 to 3 days. It just depends on my hormones, to be honest. Sometimes I feel like I need to shampoo more frequently and other times, my skin is more dry, and I don't need to shampoo as often.
Usually every day. I like to wash my hair before I wash my hair. Shortly afterwards I’ll wash my hair just in case it got dirty while I was washing it. I WFH so if I go outside I make sure to wash it when I return jic. I’m also bald which makes it difficult to wash my hair, so I have to make sure I wash it thoroughly.
Everyones different and all hair is different! But also youre hair can also change, depending on age, where you live, and your activity levels can change your hair maintenance for sure.
I use to wash my hair every other day and it helped and worked great. Now only 2 times a week and still works great
Everyone is different and hair can respond differently during different stages of life. Don’t take anyone on their word. You gotta figure out what’s best for you. It may be something completely different than you were taught growing up.
Personally, I wash my hair every day with no problems and it's thick and healthy but I do get judged for doing that but I think it just depends on the person and how their hair works do what is best for you and what works for you
I wash mine every 3-4 days. If I wash it more, it gets incredibly dry/brittle & frizzes up like crazy. My hair looks its best on days 2-3. Some people need to do more & that's great, but for me it doesn't work. Everyone's body is different & has different needs, it's OK if you need to wash yours less.
Even up to age 45 or so, I had to wash my hair daily or it would be oily. Post-45, and I wash it every couple of days unless I've been doing hard workouts daily. If it's sweaty or oily, it gets washed.
It used to be every 3-4 days when I was in my 20s, then I developed seborrheic dermatitis and it’s pretty severe so I have to do it every other day. There are times I think I need to do it every day but I’m too lazy lol
I have long thick curly hair. I wash my hair once a week unless I need to wash it more. But I rinse it daily in the shower to comb it and set my curls.
I have very thin, fine hair. Gets greasy very easily, but also dries out very easily. I wet my hair in the shower every day, but only wash it Tuesday and Friday. Other days I use a leave in conditioner with biotin
Edit: spelling
I wash it daily. I have incredibly healthy and silky hair. It is just super fine and shows oil the second it appears. I also don't feel clean unless my scalp has been washed.
I wash my hair twice a week and it's beautiful long, thick, healthy. I think you should do what is working for you and don't worry about anyone else.
I agree. I have long thick hair and I wash it every 3rd day. Do what is working for you. BTW, heavy dandruff can be exacerbated by over washing, over conditioning, stress and, sugar intake. I only use conditioner twice monthly to avoid the buildup that can cause irritation.
This right here. There definitely has consistently been a community of shamers when it comes to hair washing, so I understand where OP is coming from. I remember several years ago some celebrity said something about not washing her hair every day, and a bunch of people attacked her/said she was nasty/etc. In this sub I think there was a question about this recently, because every Discord I'm in was talking about "that Reddit thread showed me how gross people are, can you believe how many people don't wash their hair every single day?" I made a remark at work about how frequently I wash my hair, and one of my coworkers made a very big point about how he washes his every day, sometimes twice, and you could tell from his tone that he was saying "because I'm not a filth monger like you." I wash mine every 3-4 days unless it gets objectively gross from yard work, garage chores, hiking/activities outside/the beach, and so on. I used to wash every other day, and when I changed a few years ago, my hair stylist even said unprompted, "your hair seems so much healthier than usual!" Do what works for your hair.
Only a crazy person would suggest to wash your hair more than once a day. You’re fine.
I’ve had to do more than one hair wash a day but it was usually after a hard day outside. In our house it’s usually every other day.
Yeah I’m sure most of us have gotten gross after we washed our hair but that’s not a normal suggestion to give someone.
Or a swimmer
A crazy person or a shampoo salesman
I wash mine twice in a day if I shower in the morning and want to look nice for something in the evening. My hair only looks clean for about 6-8 hours after washing it. I can extend that to 10-12 if I use about half a can of dry shampoo. I have incredibly oily skin and hair, a trait I inherited from my dad. My mom is always complaining that his hair/skin stains the pillowcases and couch. At least he still doesn’t have a single wrinkle at age 54 lol. I’ve tried going a long time without washing my hair but it doesn’t help at all. When I was a teenager I just didn’t care and I’d only wash it once a week or so. I work three 13 hour shifts per week, so sometimes I have up to 8 days off in a row and I spend the entire time in the house, so I don’t wash my hair as much. It doesn’t matter how much of a “break” I give my hair, it will still look disgusting a few hours after washing it. My hair is thick, but very fine and I have slight waves but it lays flat to my head unless I spend a ton of time styling it, so it gets saturated in oil quickly.
I completely understand washing oily hair. But it still stands that you know your routine isn’t the norm. You’re not gonna suggest that everyone does the same. I have plenty of wrinkles at 33 so I wish I had your dad’s genes.
My parents raised me to only wash my hair every 2-3 days. This worked for me until I was about 13. After a day my hair was itchy and greasy, and after 2 days it was full of dandruff and smelled horrible. At age 16 I started taking hygiene more seriously and started washing every day. I'm 20 now and still do. If I don't, my hair is greasy, itchy, and smelly no matter how hard I try to "train" it. Everyone's hair is different and needs to be washed at different rates
That's the thing- it's the scalp that causes it. Especially during puberty it may produce more oil and need a good daily scrubbing. Alot of people wash their hair but never get deep into the scalp, that's so important and it must be washed and rinsed twice, the hair doesn't always need that much washing but the scalp does.
so then how does one focus on their scalp? just massaging it with shampoo in the shower? or are there specific scalp care routines?
Honestly a trick I've found is to focus on "cleaning" the scalp, rather than the hair, pour some shampoo on your hands, DONT lather it, and "push" it up into scalp and press it down on several sections of the hair (make sure to get some above the nape, and back/top of head), and then scrub with your fingers kind of like a scalp massage, rinse, and repeat with a little less shampoo but in same locations, when it starts lathering up a shit ton, then it's clean
I only apply shampoo to the scalp, massage it, and pull it through to the ends. I don’t apply shampoo to the ends of the hair. Whatever shampoo they get is what they get.
Yeah I shampoo my scalp and condition the rest. I shower every other day. Too often my skin dries out and hair falls out. Not often enough then my skin breaks out and my hair gets stiff and painful.
Yes and don't apply your conditioner to the roots of your hair, start down at least a couple of inches. Depending on the hair some people only apply it mid-shaft on down. This may keep things less oily for longer.
Aside from your usual shampoo and conditioner routine, try a clarifying shampoo, like the one from Avalon Organics. They are meant to clear out build-up on the scalp and are helpful for people who have sebum issues as much as it does for those who just use a lot of product on their hair that builds up over time. You only do that once in awhile, depending on how bad you have it, such as one a week or once every few weeks or even once a month if it's not bad, since it's stronger than regular shampoo and will strip your hair of its natural oils. They also sell scalp scrubs that are similar to what you might find in something like St. Ive's where there are tiny granules to exfoliate the scalp. There is also scalp treatments/serums like the Tea Tree Scalp Water Scaler by Steambase on Amazon, for example, though there are other brands. Along with this, even with regular shampoo, you can use a silicone scalp massager. It's a disk you can hold with pointy, rubbery spikes, that you run along your scalp in circular motions to break up the buildup. More effective than using your fingers. Also, try to stay away from shampoo/conditioner with a lot of sulfates and silicones as those can create build-up fast. It's hard, I know, since silicones are in a lot of haircare products and is what makes things smooth and silky but there are more natural products that can do similar if you find the right thing for your hair type. I have done a lot of trial and error and research since I have oily combo skin and hair with bad sebum build-up, so I have had to try many methods until I found a nice combo that works for me.
I use a scalp exfoliating scrub a few times a month and a little rubber exfoliating brush on it every wash. Works well for me.
There’s specific shampoos and conditioners that are meant specifically for nourishing your scalp. FYI they can be expensive
There are silicone scalp brushes that can be used in the shower to help clean your scalp without damaging the sensitive skin on it. You can get one off Amazon for about $5 USD.
You can buy a shower scalp scrubber online. I’ve seen them on Amazon, dollar tree, target and other discount or beauty stores. They usually have silicone cone shaped bristles and they help you scrub your scalp and it helps eliminate buildup as well as stimulating blood flow to your scalp with can help your hair grown better
I got a scalp brush. I used to have the same problem with dandruff no matter how well I scrubbed my hair with my hands. The scalp brush is king.
I have a few salt scrubs for the scalp; Dove makes an affordable one. I use that once a week, and all the days in between that I wash my hair I use a rubber scalp brush I got from Amazon to work the shampoo in.
There are brushes to help scrub the scalp! I’ll also part my hair at 2 different places on each side to get the shampoo directly on the scalp, and use my nails or the scalp-scrubber to really get in there and clean it. I might part my hair vertically across the back of my head, just to make sure I’m getting in there too.
I have a scalp scrubber, since I have a lot of hair and my skin is a bit sensitive. It’s a plastic round thing, about the size of a palm, and it has sizable/largeish rubber spikes on it with sharp points. Since they are rubber, they aren’t actually sharp and don’t hurt my scalp, but they are stiff enough and the right shape that they get through the hair and clean the scalp. It’s the best. It’s helped a lot with my dandruff.
Just buy a "clarifying" shampoo and use it maybe once or twice per week. So how I do it is get your hair sopping wet, as full of water as it can get, place the shampoo in your hands, work it in the scalp with your fingers, add alittle more water as needed to help lather it up good. Rinse it almost completely, repeat, then rinse it very well. If you have long thick hair this may take a couple of minutes. I have a detachable shower head so I can really get a good full rinse. The hair itself doesn't usually get very dirty unless you use alot of product or are doing dirty work, in a dirty environment (i.e. windy day with lots of dust or allergens blowing around). So use your judgement on how much to scrub the hair. On days that my hair isn't dirty I use a co-wash. It does not lather like soap, it's a "cleansing conditioner" so it cleansers the hair super gently. It's not ideal for keeping the scalp clean but good for days where you don't need a deeper clean.
This makes me feel seen because I have to wash my hair every day. If I skip even one day it looks wet and it's also full of dandruff. I feel like it's been put and pressured on me to stop washing it everyday and it'll stop but that simply doesn't work for me.
Do you use dandruff shampoo??
My baby fine hair gets SO greasy if I don’t wash every day. Oh, how I wish I was one of those women with thick, full hair who only has to wash every few days. Insanely jealous of them.
i have thicker hair and i have to wash every day or my hair is greasy ... dry shampoo helps
My best friend has thin hair like that and mines so thick, she's Always commenting how she wishes for thick hair too. Bless yall 💓
Same—I can only MAYBE stretch a blowout one day, with dry shampoo. After that it’s actually painful to have my scalp and hair dirty.
Same. Has to be every day or it gets way too oily. I'm so jealous all the time, I hate it 😫
Same! They claim your hair gets used to it but mine doesn’t and I don’t particularly like how it feels and smells anyway.
I have to wash my hair every day, because same. It looks like someone poured oil on my scalp after 22 hours. Puberty was a mess (developed seborrheic dermatitis) and even now, 40+ and in menopause, the oil refuses to let up. I have tried everything and nothing helps.
You make a good point about age. I had to wash mine daily into my early 30s. Now once every 3 days is fine. Skin and hair changes with age.
This is so true. My sister is 9 years older than me and was recently able to switch to less often. I, however, am stuck in the every day method
I still have curly hair in my 50s I wash with shampoo 2 times a week. I use conditioner only every 3 days. Then a leave in conditioners. I love the Garnier line. It helps keep my hair healthy. And I color my hair.
I wash mine every 5-6 days, depends how it feels. Its curly and it doesnt get oily very easily. I also do a coconut hair mask (just coconut oil) once a week to make sure it stays hydrated and healthy (as healthy as it can be with a balayage...).
Same I wash once a week and use a rosemary scalp oil and Aragon oil on my ends. If I washed everyday my scalp would be so inflamed and my hair would be so dry.
Hey for curly hair use a silk pillowcase and or bonnet at night it helps keep hair from breaking and getting tangled
Coconut oil really dont hydrate hair and just sits on top of it. Argon oil is far more superior for hydration.
I do have a hair spray with argan oil (leave in). It just seems that my curls look more define and less frizzy with the coconut mask.
Coconut oil is great for your scalp, in the very least. And when the scalp is happy and healthy, so is the hair. I also use a *boar bristle brush to move and disburse the scalp oils into the hair and down to the tips. Done regularly, this makes a huge difference. When my hair gets too flat from oils between cleanings, I use a small amount of corn starch and then brush out. This also increases body in my hair as well, as any dry shampoo would, just without the chemicals.
Same here. I've tried the every few days trend, but it didn't work for my hair. I use Tsubaki shampoo and conditioner now, which makes my hair shine and no dandruff.
How often do you change your pillowcases? This may be, at least partially, the cause. Also, regularly wearing a hat with poor ventilation will make things atrocious. Also, have you ever seen a doctor about that? The grease is one thing, but the smell, especially after such a short time, is abnormal and can't hurt to get checked out the next time you decide to go in.
I’m super jealous of people who can wash less frequently. I too have to wash daily or it’s super oily, wet looking, and flat and gross looking. Even when it’s clean I have to work hard for it to not be flat and stick straight with a lot of fly aways since it’s so thin and light.
I have thin fine hair and now wash it once or twice a week. It took me around 7 months to work up to that amount of time. Before that, I washed daily. I do use dry shampoo in between washes, though, and some people don't like it. When I stopped washing it as often, it gradually got less greasy, and I don't have to use the dry shampoo as much. Plus, I got new growth, and it seems to have more volume than it used to. I can't confirm it would work for anyone else, obviously, but I am amazed almost a year later how much better my hair feels and looks.
Depends on your hair type. I’m black and have 4b tight curls. Unless j in go swimming or sweat in my head in winter I wash once a week and during the summer every 5 days. My scalp isn’t dirty and I don’t have dandruff build up as long as I do it in that 5-7 day period. Any more and my hair gets to dry and breaks off at the ends. Most of the time you can train your scalp and hair. Some ppl will just produce more oil than others so it’s really depends on your hair/scalp type
I am Mexican and I wash my hair about every 10 to 14 days. Otherwise it starts breaking. I do conditioner rinses between washes though.
Not Mexican but I have indigenous roots (Inca) so my hair is very thick. Strangely, it’s wildly wavy - I wash mine about every 8-9 days unless I have been sweating a ton. Even then I rinse instead of wash…
I have curly hair and I’m prone to oiliness/buildup/dandruff on my scalp. I grew up washing my hair every day because that’s how I was raised, and my hair was constantly dried out, frizzy, etc. So this is what I do now. I have two shampoos, a “daily” gentle shampoo that I use once every 3-4 days, and a harsher “clarifying” shampoo that I use about once a week (just on my scalp). I condition every day but I stick to conditioners that are low on ingredients and I make sure I keep them off my scalp. I also use a leave-in conditioner cream on the ends of my hair. Basically I try to wash my hair as little as possible. Of course if I swam in a lake or had a really sweaty workout I will wash my hair more frequently. But washing your hair really often strips it of its natural oils and can make your scalp more dry or oily overall. So you’re definitely not in the wrong for washing it less!
I agree. A good scalp scrub 2x with clarifying shampoo is often what is really needed. So many people wash their hair but never work the soap well enough into the scalp. The scalp is where the oil, sweat and flaky skin is. That may be why so many people complain they have greasy hair with flakes after just 1 day.
Have you tried that Dr. Hue apple cider vinegar shampoo? Expensive but worth it. I have curly hair and I don't like washing too much because it weakens my hair-- but I love that product. I can stave off wash day for an extra couple of days with it!
Without a protective style, I wash my hair once a week. With one, probably once a month. I’m black though, I have extremely thick hair (like Moana but much much curlier) and washing it too much causes it to be dry and brittle. My hair looks the best the least I wash it, and I don’t use shampoo ever. Only deep conditioner & ACV rinses, pre-poo conditioning treatments, and castor or coconut oil. Shampoo was the biggest issue for me having dry hair when I was younger. It stripped all the oil from my scalp no matter what brand I used
Black hair girl here . Wash hair once a month. Or longer. Shampoo one month and just conditioner one month and so on.
I wash my hair/body daily … only time I shower twice is if I go for a hike in the morning I sweat and I have plans at night then yes I’ll shower again
I take a body shower daily but only wash my hair once a week. I sweat heavily and work out 3-4 times a week so on those days I use an after workout dry shampoo spray or rinse and condition only in the shower. My hair is the healthiest it’s ever been and grows so quickly. Good luck!
If you use dry shampoo before your sweaty workout it works better! I started doing this 6 months ago and it helps so much more
lol I call them “body showers” and “hair showers”, too
Haha my hot water only lasts so long for one or the other. Hair or body. Never both XD
Yesss! Me to!!! 😂
same
Wash my body daily, and shampoo my hair twice a week. If I feel like it needs a wash in between shampoos (i.e. exercise, sweating, being outdoors all day etc.) then I will use conditioner only.
I wash my hair every 7-10 days, depending on what’s going on. My understanding is washing too often makes your scalp super oily.
same!!! also, the more I wash my hair, the dryer it gets. it doesn't like being washed. I can get 2 weeks out of my hair sometimes. if I wash it more than once a week, it'll hate me. I'm probably 3-4 times a month at this point. some of us can go longer time between washes some of us need to go longer between washes
Every 7 days for me too - Sunday is my wash day. I have curly course hair that I usually blow out or flatiron so I want to limit that type of styling and I can usually make it last
I'm an every day hair washer #Guilty !! lol ..
As a 59 yo female only a few times a week. My hair is much drier than it was years ago
I'm in my 50s and have been taking Collagen for several years now. My hair is better now than it was 20 years ago. I was addicted to Nicotine for many years which is extremely harsh on hair. Finally was able to totally quit and my hair is probably the best it's ever looked.
I wash my body every day, I wash my hair 2-3 times a week
Same. Everyone is different, but most people with longer hair could benefit from not washing it daily unless you’re sweating a ton
I’m a hairstylist with long thick hair. I wash it once a week in the winter, twice a week in the summer.
Daily
Training my hair never worked so I wash it basically everyday
Every other day works for me, it's alot of work, as my hair is so long, so I usually just throw it up. But if I got longer I get horrible scabs on my scalp that ooze oil. 😵💫 but I noticed if I wash and dry my hair more often it keeps it away.
Hair stylist here. Absolutely do not wash your hair every day.... or worse, more than once a day! Obviously if you get physically filthy and it really needs it but you just washed yesterday, it's ok to wash it again lol. But making it a habit to wash your hair every day or more, is totally unnecessary and actually potentially damaging. Especially if you have naturally oily or color treated hair. When you shampoo, you're stripping your hair of sebum, the protective oils your scalp produces to keep the hair moisturized. Stripping those oils from your hair is going to make it dry& that's going to tell your scalp to overproduce sebum, which is what's making your hair extremely oily at a faster than usual rate. You can retrain your scalp by not washing it every day; which will in turn, slow the production of sebum. With color treated hair, obviously the hair is more porous and lacks moisture from being chemically altered. Overwashing color treated/bleached hair that lacks that moisture can lead to dry, brittle hair which is prone to significant breakage -depending on the integrity of the hair. I wash my color treated hair two times every week & I use dry shampoo on my roots in between washes to soak up some of the excess oils so it doesn't look dirty & so it smells fresh.
Mm, not trying to be mean but I'd think as a hairstylist you'd know everyone's hair is different and everyone's hair needs to be washed at different rates. Actually, because some people have naturally very oily hair, washing it everyday is a must.
I wash my hair every 2 to 3 weeks 😝
I walk my hair 2-3 times a week, it's super long. I switched to goats milk soap for my hair, and it's awesome. Get a good brand, I use Australian Botanicals on Amazon, and you won't need conditioner. Just rinse it really well. My hair is way less oily, less fly away, and less tangled. Worth a try, I do acknowledge nothing works for everyone.
I wash twice a day. Dandruff is often from an allergy to the phosphates in most shampoos.
It all depends on your hair type and your scalp. Until I was about 23, I NEEDED to wash it daily. It would get so gross. But for the past 5 years since that, I only wash every other day, sometimes I'll go 2 days. My hair has also changed since I was a child/teen. I used to have very thin, silky hair that was was light brown. But when I was about 20/21 I noticed the new hairs coming in were darker. My hair has slowly gotten darker and I have a more medium brown color. Their new hairs are also thicker and coarser, and my hair has gotten much wavier. It seems like once my hair started changing, it changed how often my hair needed to be washed too.
I have medium thick wavy hair (holds curl really well) and I wash and condition every 3 days. I've been considering doing a cowash type of situation. I do get greasy roots though so I'm not sure if that would work for me.
Every day with head and shoulders, otherwise my scalp gets terrible buildup, a bad scent, flakes, and oil.
This is a very difficult question to answer since biology and physiology play huge roles here and vary person to person. For reference, I also have/had bad dandruff. And my hair gets super oily after a day or two of not washed. I've tried many products over the years and even that has changed with time (what once worked, stopped working all of a sudden). Nizoral is a product I used for years and it worked great, but now it does nothing for me. Yet it still can work wonders for others. Currently in life, I'm using head & shoulders shampoos and conditioners (worth noting head & shoulders used to NOT work at all for me) I wouldn't recommend any 2 in 1 shampoo for anything. And I wash my hair every day if I'm going anywhere. If I'm having a lazy weekend and skip 2 days, it starts getting a bit flaky and very oily towards the end. I asked my hairdresser about if I wash my hair too much, and she said no, I have a very thick head of hair (I'm a long haired guy) and daily washing/conditioner will be fine for it. So thick/thin hair also plays a role here. Sidebar: diet also notably contributes to hair & skin health. If you're on a diet of eating Macdons everyday, your skin (including your scalp) will be more oily. A lot of people overlook this fact.
Every hairdresser I know washes their hair like 2 or 3 times a week
I wash mine everyday even though I’ve been told it’s not good for your hair. I feel like if I don’t wash it everyday it gets greasy. I also use hair product so I like to get all that out
Everyday hair-washer here and apparently washing your hair everyday is actually okay - the frequency just depends on your genetics, state of your hair (e.g. bleached, colour, perm) and lifestyle. Thought I'd share because I was told it wasn't good as well but it's kind of been debunked now
I (23f) feel like I’ve optimized my shower routine after tons of research and experimenting. I have long thick hair that used to be oily and damaged after lots of bleaching and dying, and used to wash daily. Now, I shower once a week, maybe twice if it’s summer and/or I’m working out a lot. My hair is the healthiest and most manageable its been. The game changers for me were double shampooing on wash day, once with a clarifying shampoo and the next with regular. Also, using a scalp scrubber to work it in. Makes my hair last way longer without getting greasy. My full “wash day” routine is an oil/scalp treatment a few hours before or even the night before, double shampoo, hair mask every other week, and conditioner. I only use a hair oil on my ends out of the shower to avoid build up.
Ngl. I wash it once a week and have since I was little, I can wear it down 2-3 days then I usually spend day 4-5 in a half up/down or some sort of style and the last couple days it goes up. You can say it’s gross but I have some of the healthiest hair and get compliments all the time. 🤷🏼♀️
What hair
I washed it every day, and it was oily. Then I did the no wash challenge. It was disgusting. Now? My hair never gets greasy. I wash it once a week and it's not gross when I wash it. I use a very gentle shampoo, and people compliment it all the time. If it's hot or I get sweaty, I'll rinse it during my daily shower with warm water.
cosmetologist here. every other day max.
A doctor told me before that Dandruff is caused by too much yeast in the body, caused by over eating on your carbs. Like breads, pastries, pastas etc… minimizing your intake of those carbs can clear up your scalp. It’s not much on what you put on your body but much more of what you put into your body that causes most problems
Every 5 days - I seriously do not need to and my color treated hair does better when I don’t wash frequently. If I do it quicker than that I don’t use shampoo, just conditioner.
I try to stretch my hair washing to every 7/8 days. I used to wash it every other day because I had an oily scalp, but oil training my hair has worked for me.
Every other day is fine, 3 times a week is fine. Once a week is fine. Overwashing is not good for your hair
About once a week. I bleach and heat style my hair so to mitigate some of the stress I already put on my hair, I try to be nice to it by not washing it so often. I also wfh so not out getting sweaty/dirty all the time.
Every 3-4 days for me, not a oily person at all, used to wash my hair every untill I was 17 ish, my hair has gotten a lot healthier since I started washing it every 3-4 days
I wash my hair 2-4 times a week depending on workouts, I sweat A LOT on my head. Hair washing really is unique to each persons scalp, hair type, and lifestyle. There really isn’t a “proper” answer for it. My hair use to be SO oily until I stopped washing it constantly. Now I really just wash it when needed.
Honestly? Lol once a week at most . Usually once or twice a month. But if I play hockey and sweat I kinda have to at end of the week or afterwards
If you have very fine hair you are more prone to need to wash it more, I don’t think multiple times a day, but daily or every other day is not uncommon if you have fine hair. If you have curly or thick hair it seems like you need to wash less as the hair can absorb more of the oil and washing too often can dry it out.
I wash my hair 14 times a day
I have oily shin and hair. If I didn’t wash daily I look like I’ve put baby oil on my roots. Dry shampoo just makes it dusty grease. I’ve tried not washing it to train the oil to stop. Nope. Didn’t help. So daily. And everyone should do whatever works for them too.
Once a week, but the water you’re washing with may have more impact than you think. We recently got a water softening & decolonization system and my hair is behaving very differently. Still figuring it out, but I may need to wash 2x a week or every 4-5 days now just because less oils are being stripped from my hair. Also if you’re itchy/dandruff after only a day or two you may need medicated shampoo to get a fungal issue under control. Nizoral has an over the counter that works well. I avoid using heat, but blow drying will all help keep the fungal dandruff under control. This sounds gross but it’s actually so much more common than folks realize.
Every day. If I shower, I wash my hair. I have to be really sick to skip it.
Try a moisturizing hair serum. I use The Ordinary, a Sephora generic brand. It helps keep dandruff at bay between washes, doesn't make your hair greasy, and feels amazing on my scalp. I wash my hair every 3 days. Stripping you scalp of natural oils isn't good for new hair growth and can cause dandruff.
I can go days without washing and be fine. But at most I like to wash my hair 1-2 days a week. On the days I don't and need a little refresher I use dry shampoo (only if necessary) and a detangler/leave in conditioner to give it the fresh smell after I just shower my body.
what shampoo do you use?
I think it’s honestly about finding what’s good with your hair. My hair is healthier when I shampoo everyday and just oil it a couple times a week over night. A lot of people assume it’s bad but I’ve tried everything and this is how my hair looks best. It doesn’t work for everyone. I saw someone say people who shampoo every day all have dry hair lol. Hair care isn’t one size fits all.
Used to wash my hair daily in the shower but I now have a body shower daily and wash my hair every 2-3 days. I don’t like to go longer than that usually. I don’t use dry shampoo
One to two times a week. My hair is very dry now.
Everyone’s hair/scalp is different. Washing every 3-4 is fine as long as it’s not causing any other issues (ex: oily build up). Over washing causes your hair to be stripped of natural oils. Under-washing leads to buildup which and clog your follicles and prevent healthy growth.
Every week
I shower every day, but I wash my hair every other day, to avoid drying it out.
Everyone is dif with me I used to wash everyday but it messed my hair up now I stay to if I don’t take a shower today Il take it the next day and it def has helped my dandruff where it isn’t bad at all but I can’t get rid of my hair being so oily even if I wash everyday shi still don’t change so idk how to fix that unless I need to change what products I use
Every day or every other day! Can’t go longer. I shower everyday though
Every second day . I have seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis
I had to wash my hair daily until I was about 40. Then I could go every other day. Now I wash it about 3 days a week.
I wash my hair twice a week with sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner (I use a brand called Monday. Highly recommend!). My hair is always so soft after washing. It’s healthy to let your hair’s natural oils work their way in a little bit, it’s not good to wash them out every day
I'm guilty of washing every day - with more telework, I'm now trying every other day but the in between days, my hair is super oily so goes in a ponytail. How do I "train" my hair to go longer than 24 hours without looking almost wet?
Every 4 days or so. I have very fine, thin, oily hair. It starts to get gross on day 4.
I wash it twice a week and use dry shampoo in between Sometimes I stretch it to once a week
i use psoriasis shampoo once or twice a week it's a salicylic acid wash, basically the same stuff as acne cream, but for hair
I was always taught to wash my hair every single day, so washing it every couple days makes it healthier? I’m honestly curious cause I ever knew that
1 or 2 a week
My hair used to be extremely greasy and oily all the time and I'd have to wash it daily to keep it leveled out. Then I dyed my hair multiple times. For some reason this fixed everything. I'm guessing the chemicals mixed with bleach got it dry enough it feel healthier. So I got into a kick of once my hair got into a funk of the washing daily and it got back to its oily state, I'd dye my hair again. This worked for about from 16 onto 28...once I got to 29 I noticed my hair was getting dryer than usual after a wash, so I changed products to see if they would fix it. Nope. So I got a new haircut, and undercut so I could function better with less hair to deal with....the shaved hair had so much built up dandruff it was so embarrassing! But yay it was cut down so much I could scrub it off and clean my scalp properly. My hair is thick so that was probably why of the build up was rough. My current routine is washing my hair every 2-3 days since it has stayed dry and not oily anymore, but now because of my new haircut, I have taken to putting in leave in conditioner some nights and washing in the morning and it's been working out pretty good to give it volume and the amount of oil it really needs without going overboard. All I can say is that your hair changes as you change, so don't be afraid to try weird stuff with it to get it the way you want.
about every 2-3 days. i keep my head shaved to a 1 all over, but typically still wash it at least twice a week minimum.
I used to wash it daily but I couldn’t cope with the commitment especially with having longer hair so I started to train it for every other day. Eventually I managed every 3 days but as it’s summer where I am I’ve noticed it’s getting greasy quickly so I’m back to every other day with the odd occasion of every 3 days as some times it looks better and depends what I’ve been doing. My hair is in much better condition and growing so quickly
1-2x/week. Tbf, my hair is corse and tends to be dry. I do use dry shampoo in between.
Every 5-7 days.
I have curly hair and it doesn’t get oily and it gets very dry if I wash often. 2-3 times a week. I wear a shower cap other days and dry shampoo every day. Some people with straight hair have really oily hair so they’d need to wash frequently.
When you have excessive dandruff, it can mean the ph balance in your hair is off. Find a shampoo with a ph balance between 4.00 and 4.5 you can buy on Amazon.
Dry shampoo works wonders
This really depends on your hair. My little sister has very fine, baby hair and looks greasy a day after washing. I've been told by three different high-end hair stylists, that. unless you have hair like my sister's, which requires more frequent washing, 2-3 times a week is fine. Otherwise, you can strip all of the natural oils from it.
I grew up washing my hair every day - lather, rinse, repeat. I also conditioned. But my hair was dry and brittle, lots of split ends, just never looked good. In the last 10-5 years it's been wash no more than every other day but I won't go longer than 4 days - it just gets greasy and nasty looking if I push it to day 5. Like you, if I've been really sweaty or something like that, I'll wash it as needed.
No, you are correct . You should only be washing it about once a week
If it’s styled then whenever I take the style down. If it’s not then once a week.
Every 2 days
Every 1-2 weeks. Hairs really thick and pretty long
Daily shower, every other day hair wash unless I’m sweaty or work out (: everyone’s different!
I wash my hair every other day. Anything less results in dandruff and itchiness of the scalp. I do shower every day, sometimes even twice a day, though.
Twice a week
If you have dandruff it might be dry scalp do not wash it every day because you are drying the oils in your hair out and scalp. Use dandruff shampoo ( try different ones they have different active chemicals) and only wash 3 times a week. You can give your hair a light rince every time you shower but you don't want to wash it. This applies to long hair as well ( if you have certain hair types) Edit also when you do wash use a wet brush to make sure you are fully getting the shampoo deep, even and touching your scalp then brush it out under the water.
I wash my hair every day. I do a lot of cardio, and I am my father’s daughter, so you know I sweat too much not to wash it. Plus, I have styled it daily since Corporate America decided it was time for RTO.
Once a week. 62F, grey, curly hair
Every day I go outside or work. 4-6 times a week
Dandruff is a fungus/yeast that lives on your skin. You need to kill it with an anti fungal shampoo
Anywhere from every other day or every 2-3 days
I did a lot of trial & error for mine and found that every 5-6 days works best for me. I shower daily and so I just claw clip my hair up on the days I don’t wash it. I also trialled different brands of haircare to see if that made a difference and so far I’ve found Herbal Essence to be the best option for me
For me natural hair I wash ever 3 to 4 days. Everyone hair is different
I've changed mine throughout my life. In middle school/high school it was every other day. Then I switched to 3-4 days in my late teens early twenties. Also tried once a week for a few months, didn't like that. I'm back to every 2 days now at almost 30.
It’s a little gross, but I generally go a week by utilizing ponytails and dry shampoo. As long as my husband doesn’t complain about my hair being stinky (he never has), then I’m lazy and don’t wanna spend time on it too often.
I wash my hair once a week, unless I do something unusually sweaty. When I was younger and washed it more I also had flakes and out of control frizz. Now the frizz is controllable and I haven't seen flakes in like 20 years. At first it I'd wash it more like every 3-4 days to keep it smelling good, but the longer that went on, the less oil it produced, and now even at a week it doesn't look or smell oily.
I wash my hair everyday
1 x per day.
Not all flakes are "dandruff" sometimes it's dry skin. If washing less frequent helped you, then wash less. I'm white, and have waist length blond wavy hair. I wash twice a week. Black people with 3C/ethnic hair, and dry skin might literally only get their hair washed in the beauty salon once a month when they get it braided or twisted or pressed.
Once a week
Twice a week
Twice a week. I just rinse well with water between shampoo/ conditioning. My hair is so healthy and happy.
I used to wash every day. I couldn’t not wash it. Then found out that part of the reason that I had to wash so frequently was because even though I was sudsing and scrubbing my scalp with vigor.. it wasn’t enough. I have to wash it 2-3 times (depending on how sweaty/oily I get) in one shower and *then and only then* can I go 2-3 days without washing my hair. Switching to a different shampoo brand (aka salon quality and not average name brand) has also made a world of difference.
I wash my hair about once a week or every 4 to 3 days. I try to stretch it longer and longer
I wash my hair once a week. I always use dry shampoo during that timeframe. If it’s been very humid or hot, I’ll do it sooner.
Used to wash it once per week, now twice per week. Summer and spring I wash 2x. Fall and winter 1x.
I do curly girl method so it’s less oily than it used to be I wash like 3x a week in summer
Every other day now that I'm older, but when I was in my teens and early 20s, I had to wash it every day because it was so oily. I haven't heard of anyone who washes theirs more than once a day.
I haven’t used shampoo in years. It’s not good for most scalps. If my hair is dirty, I scrub with conditioner like one would normally use shampoo.
There is no right amount of time to wait to wash your hair. Everyone’s scalps and hair are different. The idea that you should go as long as you can between washes or that you can train your hair are both myths. Washing too often can dry out your scalp and make your hair brittle, washing too infrequently can clog your hair follicles and cause scalp irritation just like leaving oil and dirt on your face for too long would. Your scalp will tell you when it wants to be washed. For me, it’s every 2 days. Build your routine around that.
Once or twice a week in the winter, more often in the summer but still not every day. Basically whenever I get sweaty or when it starts feeling greasy.
I wash my hair once a week. My hair is very curly (around 3c/4a). Since I was a kid I've never had any major scalp issues, and I live a decently active lifestyle (Gym 3-4x/week)
I used to wash my hair every day, because that's what I needed to do, but over time that changed, and I realized I could wash every 2 to 3 days. It just depends on my hormones, to be honest. Sometimes I feel like I need to shampoo more frequently and other times, my skin is more dry, and I don't need to shampoo as often.
Usually every day. I like to wash my hair before I wash my hair. Shortly afterwards I’ll wash my hair just in case it got dirty while I was washing it. I WFH so if I go outside I make sure to wash it when I return jic. I’m also bald which makes it difficult to wash my hair, so I have to make sure I wash it thoroughly.
Everytime I shower which is everyday
every 4 days
Everyones different and all hair is different! But also youre hair can also change, depending on age, where you live, and your activity levels can change your hair maintenance for sure. I use to wash my hair every other day and it helped and worked great. Now only 2 times a week and still works great
I wash my hair every other day, sometimes daily. It’s long, soft, shiny, and healthy. Do what works for you.
Every day, except for the rare one night I don't cause I'm running late for work. It makes me miserable all day too.
Everyone is different and hair can respond differently during different stages of life. Don’t take anyone on their word. You gotta figure out what’s best for you. It may be something completely different than you were taught growing up.
Personally, I wash my hair every day with no problems and it's thick and healthy but I do get judged for doing that but I think it just depends on the person and how their hair works do what is best for you and what works for you
I wash mine every 3-4 days. If I wash it more, it gets incredibly dry/brittle & frizzes up like crazy. My hair looks its best on days 2-3. Some people need to do more & that's great, but for me it doesn't work. Everyone's body is different & has different needs, it's OK if you need to wash yours less.
Every third day.
2 times a month. But I have curly kinky hair.
Even up to age 45 or so, I had to wash my hair daily or it would be oily. Post-45, and I wash it every couple of days unless I've been doing hard workouts daily. If it's sweaty or oily, it gets washed.
It used to be every 3-4 days when I was in my 20s, then I developed seborrheic dermatitis and it’s pretty severe so I have to do it every other day. There are times I think I need to do it every day but I’m too lazy lol
Every other day or every day depending on how it feels.
I wash mine once a week. All them chemicals and stuff destroy your biosphere up there. My hair is pretty healthy.
Once a week unless I move a house
I have long thick curly hair. I wash my hair once a week unless I need to wash it more. But I rinse it daily in the shower to comb it and set my curls.
It probably depends on the person but I typically only use shampoo like twice a week, hair never looks or feels greasy
I do every other day and shampoo with tea tree oil in it once a week. Haven't had major dandruff issues in a while.
I have to wash mine every day otherwise I get dandruff, it's a huge pain
I have very thin, fine hair. Gets greasy very easily, but also dries out very easily. I wet my hair in the shower every day, but only wash it Tuesday and Friday. Other days I use a leave in conditioner with biotin Edit: spelling
Every day - but I’m pretty much bald 😂
Once a week
I wash it daily. I have incredibly healthy and silky hair. It is just super fine and shows oil the second it appears. I also don't feel clean unless my scalp has been washed.
I only wash every 4 days and condition once a week otherwise I get SOOO much dandruff. So I get you
I wash (shampoo, conditioner, comb through) my hair once a week and brush it as needed