Whether you have long hair, greasy hair, straight hair, curly hair, coloured hair, or short hair, your hair has its own distinct features that dictate how best to care for it. However, one often asked question is how frequently you should wash your hair. Here, we’ll debunk myths and put the record straight about how often you should wash your hair.
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Everyone recognises that when it involves caring for different types of hair, the only common denominator is that there isn’t one — especially when it comes to how frequently we should wash it. With so much of our lives revolved around our cleaning schedules, discovering your happy place might save you a lot of pain.
Hair type, texture, and length are obvious considerations, but scalp condition and lifestyle choices, such as when you workout and the degree of pollution in your city, are fewer recognised variables to consider. While there is no one-size-fits-all global solution, it all begins with accurately recognising your hair type — which is probably not what you expect.
How to check your hair type?
Before deciding on the ideal hair washing routine for you, you must first understand your hair type. The suggestions below might help you clarify yours, saving you time and money by ensuring you purchase the right products and wash your hair properly. Experts say you should assess your hair type in the same way you do your skin. Many people may be dissatisfied with hair products because they do not correctly examine their hair type when purchasing products.
In order to check the thickness, perform the strand test
Take a single hair between your fingers.
1. If you can’t feel it, you have fine hair.
2. If you can feel it, you have medium hair.
3. If it feels thick or coarse, and you have thick hair.
It’s critical to examine individual strands since you could have ‘a lot’ of hair and still have fine hair, or you can have really thick hair that is actually rather thin.
In order to check the condition, perform the stretch test
Take a single hair and pull it out between your fingers. If it:
1. Breaks easily, it is showing that your hair isn’t as healthy as it could be.
2. It stretches to 50% of its original length, you have strong elasticity, and your hair is healthier.
If your hair is weak, you should investigate strengthening treatments as well as if having it wet often or brushing it through after washing is the major source of your concerns.
How often should you wash your hair according to your hair type?
Fine hair
Since fine hair is the finest of all hair textures, it frequently need regular washing. This is because folks with fine hair have more hair on their head than those with other hair types, and each hair follicle has an oil gland connected to it; as a result, they have more oil glands on their head, which is why fine hair gets oily fast. Because the strand diameter is the thinnest of all hair types, it can become clogged with oils, thus regular cleaning is frequently required to eliminate sebum build-up from the scalp.
People with fine-textured hair should wash it regularly, according to experts. Many people believe that washing their hair every day would cause it to dry out, but this is not true if you use high-quality shampoos and conditioners and then gently dry the hair without using any heat style products. Those with fine hair should opt for a lightweight deep cleansing shampoo with volumising properties, as well as thickening ingredients, which will plump strands and make them appear and feel thicker.
Medium hair
Medium hair can become greasy at the roots and feel drier from the mid-lengths to the ends, but it can still gain a substantial amount of body and volume. Those with medium-textured hair should search for a moisture-balancing shampoo that will efficiently cleanse at the root while also providing adequate moisture from the mid-lengths to the ends. Experts recommend to wash your medium-textured hair every one to two days.
Thick hair
Since it has the widest strand diameter, thick hair is frequently the thickest of all hair textures. It usually has a lot of natural body. Because of the large strand diameter, it is prone to moisture evaporation and dry ends; yet, it becomes greasy more slowly. Those with thick hair will notice that they may go for extended periods of time without their hair appearing or feeling greasy. To care for your thick hair, search for products that are re-hydrating, moisturising, and smoothing, as well as those that control frizz. Even though the hair does not appear to be greasy, frequent washing is still essential to keep the scalp environment clean and healthy, thus experts say not to go more than three to four days without shampooing.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If you wash your hair less frequently, dead skin, debris, product residue, and sweat may accumulate on your scalp. This can result in oily hair, increased infection risk, and an unpleasant odour. Washing your hair on a regular basis stimulates growth. This is due to the fact that hair washing includes moderate scalp massage, which stimulates the hair roots and promotes blood flow to your hair.
The average individual do without washing every other day, or every 2 to 3 days. There is no universal recommendation. According to experts, if your hair is noticeably greasy, your scalp is itchy, or you have flaking due to dirt, it's time to wash your hair.
Most individuals do not need to shampoo because rinsing with water removes dirt and dandruff. Some health issues, however, might benefit from regular shampooing.
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Anushka likes to write about fashion, beauty, and other nice things. When not bound to her keyboard, she likes to make her Pinterest boards come to life.
