Is it Bad to Wash Your Hair Every Day?

Hair can play a vital part in how you look, may it be funky, sophisticated, for an event, and more. But is it bad to wash your hair every day? Find out below!

They enhance your personality and make you confident. Just give it a minute and think about when you feel amazing and confident enough to walk like you are the best.

Is it Bad to Wash Your Hair Every Day?

When you look picture perfect with that perfect hair of yours, the one you call “Good hair day,” is the best feeling, isn’t it? But again, that good day comes rarely for some people.

The doubt is apt and important to clear. So, here we will talk about hair and scalp health, different hair types, best shampoos for different hair textures, which are vital factors in washing your hair.

Let us begin with hair health first!

Hair Health

Should you wash your hair every day? With what products? With what kind of water?

Usually, when we talk about body health, everyone thinks of almost every body part, but rarely does anyone talk about hair. Isn’t it important to you? Or do you think there is no need for hair care? If so, then you are wrong.

It is very important to keep your hair healthy and disease-free by preventing fungi and flea growth in your hair.

Some people complain about continuous hair breakage, decreasing hair volume, dead ends, split ends, and a lot more, but does anyone sit and think of its cause? No.

What most people do is start looking for solutions and trying different hair products and shampoos for their hair without knowing what they want to do with the hair.

The right approach is:

• Think of the problem that you are facing.
• Find out the cause of the problem.
• Finally, consult any dermatologist ¹and find a proper solution.

Should you Wash your Hair Every Day?

Now let us discuss – Is It Bad to Wash Your Hair Everyday? Washing hair twice or thrice a week is normal, but doubt arises when we think of washing them every day.

Will it be good for hair? Is it overwashing? Will your hair get damaged? Will they lose their shine? And so on. Here, you will get the answer to your every question and will get clear on what to do next with your hair to make it perfect and healthy.

Different Hair Types: Should you Wash your Hair Every Day?

Every person is different and so do their hair type. The solutions should also be different. Right? So, which hair type do you have? Should you wash your hair every day?

1. Fine Hair

Make sure to distinguish fine hair from thin hair; they are different fine hair, which means that individual strands are smaller in diameter, lightweight, smooth and silky, but your hair density can be more or less. Whereas thin hair means having low hair density on your scalp.

Should you wash your hair every day if you have fine hair?

So, if you have fine hair type, it is okay to wash your hair every other day or at least four to five times a week but you should not use conditioner more than twice a week.

As your hair is already so smooth, silky, and lightweight, it will do no good for it to be conditioned every time.

2. Thick Hair

If you have thick or coarse hair type², then you are lucky, as it is the best hair type in terms of tolerating heat, styling products, hair dye, and breakage.

They are dry and rough to feel and are rich in protein. It would be damaging and unhealthy for you to wash your hair every day as it might dry out the scalp.

Since thick hair is good at holding a style for a long time, they do not need washing daily. Shampooing your hair every third day or twice a week is good enough for it to retain the natural oil.

3. Oily Hair

To check, take a tissue and dab it on your scalp; if it gets oily then have oily hair type³. The sebaceous glands⁴ produce excess sebum ⁵that slowly accumulates on the scalp and then spreads toward the ends.

This natural sebum gives an oily scalp and makes your hair look greasy and flat. Washing your hair every other day, and using cleansing conditioners every time is fine. The too-oily scalp is favourable for fungal growth that causes seborrhea. It is a condition that leaves the scalp scaly and itchy.

So yes, you should wash your hair every day.

4. Dry Hair

This hair type is most prone to damage, they look dry and frizzy. If you have dry and damaged hair, then your sebaceous glands do not produce as much sebum as required or are ripped off due to other factors like pollution.

Wash your hair once a week so, that your dry scalp remains healthy by replenishing the natural oils and keep providing moisture to your hair.

No, you should not wash your hair every day.

5. Straight Hair

Straight hair lies flat or straight on the scalp. The hair’s natural oils travel from the scalp to the tip, giving them a shinier look and making it easy to manage.

You can wash your hair daily also, 2-3 days are enough, depending upon your scalp; daily washing is needed if you have an oily scalp to prevent a greasy look; otherwise, it is enough to wash hair every two to three days a week to keep natural oils rejuvenating.

No, you should not wash your hair every day.

6. Curly Hair

The best thing about curly hair type is its volume. They are voluminous, and your hair volume remains noticeable and attractive even on styling them straight, they do not appear flat and lifeless. Too frequently washing your hair might result in dry strands and damage your hair.

It is good enough to wash your hair just once or twice a week. It keeps your natural oils healthy, and your volume enriched and moisturized.

No, you should not wash your hair every day, only once a week.

7. Wavy Hair

The S-shaped strands throughout the hair length give a wavy shape. They are prone to dryness and frizz. Hence, require more moisture.

Daily shampooing is not required as it might rip off your natural oil and make your hair look dry and frizzy. It would be good to wash your hair every third day, twice, or thrice a week to keep your scalp healthy.

No, you should not wash your hair every day.

Healthy Hair and Scalp

The scalp contains small pores beneath the surface, having a sebaceous gland that secrets natural oil called sebum.

This natural oil keeps your hair moisturized and your scalp healthy. The amount of secretion from the gland decides the nature of your scalp. It determines whether you have an oily scalp, dry scalp⁶, or flaky scalp.

1. Oily Scalp

Not only to prevent hairs from looking greasy but also to avoid seborrheic dermatitis. This is the situation caused due to presence of excess oil in the scalp, which causes itching and irritation because of fungus growth giving rise to dandruff.

Over-secretion from the sebaceous gland leads to an oily scalp which makes you need to wash your hair daily.

Also, other factors like pollution, heat waves, sweat, and dirt cause damaged hair because of trapped dirt on the scalp and in oily hair.

Is it bad to wash your hair daily if you have an oily scalp? No. One with an oily scalp should wash their hair every other day to keep it healthy.

2. Dry Scalp

Due to less secretion of sebum and lack of moisture, some people have dry scalps. It feels itchy and flaky due to a lack of dryness. It might occur due to excessive use of styling products and dirt.

That is why it is recommended not to wash hair frequently to prevent loss of natural oil and let the scalp rejuvenate. Is it bad to wash your hair every day, if you have a dry scalp? Yes. More washing might rip off all the sebum produced and make your hair dry and frizzy, and your scalp flaky.

3. Flaky Scalp

The dead skin cells that fall off your scalp are the dandruff flakes. The dry white flakes that accumulate on hair and shoulder cause a flaky scalp.

This might be a cause of scalp psoriasis, eczema, stress, and shampooing too often or not often enough.

Is it bad to wash your hair every day, if you have a flaky scalp? Yes. It might help to remove excess dead skin cells and help get relief from dandruff. If normal shampoo is not good, you should opt for dandruff shampoos and use a conditioner to protect hairs from dryness.

Best Natural Shampoos

1. Plum Olive & Macadamia Healthy Hydration Shampoo

A 100% vegan hydrating shampoo filled with the goodness of Keratins is gentle to the scalp. It is sulphate-free and provides an ultra-mild cleaning that keeps the scalp healthy, and hair moisturized by opening the scalp pores called follicles.

Regular use can nourish your damaged hair and make them silky. It helps in hair growth. It is apt for a dry hair type to provide hydration and maintain shine.

2. Good Vibes Onion Hair-fall Control Shampoo

It is obtained from hydrolyzed wheat protein and germ famous for hair strengthening. It is high in vitamin C and lycopene content, and they help in strengthening your hair. The Keratin in it helps in the growth of healthy cells due to collagen production.

To improve your hair texture with the ability to maintain moisture. You will see significant hair growth in just a few weeks after starting to use the shampoo with zero parabens in it. Soy benefits, it helps follicles to stay in the anagen phase for a long time. 

3. Kera Care Dry & Itchy Scalp Anti-Dandruff Moisturizing Shampoo

Specialized in reducing hair dryness and itchy scalp by moisturizing the dry scalp. It contains natural ingredients that provide various benefits for hair growth and improvement.

4. WOW Skin Science Red Onion, Black Seed Oil Shampoo

It is a paraben-free shampoo protecting hair loss and fading colour. It rejuvenates the scalp and weak hair nourishing roots by unclogging them.

Filled with the goodness of Pro-Vitamin B5 it adds shine and softness to your hair building a thin layer of moisture on your scalp.

It helps reduce dandruff flakes and improvement in hair texture. Also, it is free from hair-damaging substances like sulphates, colour, or silicones which strengthens your strands.

5. Tresemme Keratin Smooth Shampoo

Keratin helps in smoothing down the cells that overlap, the layer of cells known as “cuticles”. This shampoo is good to form perfect glossy strands and make your hair manageable for up to 48 hours.

It does not contain sulphate content which prevents hair breakage and an itchy scalp as it does not strip off any natural moisture and maintains a healthy scalp.

Such shampoos are best for colouring and good for curly hair. Also, Keratin content helps in removing frizz and makes your tresses shine out best.

6. Khadi Natural Ayurvedic Hair Cleanser

It is beneficial for all hair types as it contains ayurvedic cleansing herbs and oils which are best for healthy hair and scalp.

It is enriched with contents of amla which makes your hair thicker and bouncier, bhringraj reduces greying of hair and baldness, promoting hair growth and reetha contains saponins that act as a foaming agent letting it serve as a natural cleanser curbing hair fall.

It provides silky and shiny hair treating thin, rough, and oily hair well.

Is it Bad to Use Dry Shampoo Every Day?

Dry shampoo is not a cleansing shampoo, instead absorbs the natural oils from your scalp and makes your hair look non-greasy and fluffier due to the presence of starch and/or alcohol in them. People with oily scalps should dry out some natural oil to have non-greasy hair.

The dry shampoo leaves some residue on the scalp. It can prevent nutrients from reaching the hair follicle, increasing blockage and over-shedding.

Practicing washing your hair with this product is highly recommended as it will leave your scalp dry and might damage your hair soon.

How to Use Dry Shampoo?

1. Before spraying, shake the bottle to make sure the product’s formula is evenly distributed inside the bottle.
2. Next, part your hair into small sections.
3. Work in subsections moving horizontally up or down, depending on where you start.
4. Aim directly at the roots and hold the bottle one foot away from your roots to avoid residuals on your scalp, which are so hard to remove.
5. Only apply to oily areas, not all over the entire scalp.
6. If you have thicker hair, you might need extra layering but only spray a little if your hairs are thin.
7. After that, massage your scalp with your hands to activate the ingredients that soak up the oil.
8. If you notice too much residue after the massage, brush your hair from root to tip to disperse the product buildup.
9. For the best possible results, apply it at least half an hour before your schedule.
10. Now, you are good to go!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How often is it okay to wash your hair?

If your hair isn’t oily, then there is no need to wash it every day, wash it once every 2-3 days.

2. How often should I oil my hair?

Oiling daily for dry, frizzy hair to keep your locks smooth and lustrous is the right choice. People with normal hair should generally limit their oil application to twice a week.

3. Can I wash my hair with just water?

A water-only hair-washing routine will aid in the preservation of natural oils. Furthermore, it is a low-maintenance hair care plan that necessitates the purchase of fewer hair care products.

EndNote

So, you see how many things are there to be considered when it comes to hair care. It is important to consider your hair type and texture to decide which hair product you should use before trying out any product you have heard of.

Sometimes, in trying out so many products on the market, you damage your hair even more before finding out the perfect solution. So, think before you select a solution for your hair the next time.

In case you liked this article, here is something more.

1. Esteva, Andre, et al. “Dermatologist-level classification of skin cancer with deep neural networks.” nature 542.7639 (2017): 115-118. ↩︎
2. Etienne, Arnelle, et al. “Novel electrodes for reliable EEG recordings on coarse and curly hair.” 2020 42nd annual international conference of the IEEE engineering in medicine & biology society (EMBC). IEEE, 2020. ↩︎
3. Sakuma, Thais H., and Howard I. Maibach. “Oily skin: an overview.” Skin pharmacology and physiology 25.5 (2012): 227-235. ↩︎
4. Zouboulis, Christos C. “Acne and sebaceous gland function.” Clinics in dermatology 22.5 (2004): 360-366. ↩︎
5. Picardo, Mauro, et al. “Sebaceous gland lipids.” Dermato-endocrinology 1.2 (2009): 68-71. ↩︎
6. Angelo, T., et al. “Minoxidil topical treatment may be more efficient if applied on damp scalp in comparison with dry scalp.” Dermatologic Therapy 29.5 (2016): 330-333. ↩︎

Last Updated on July 26, 2024 by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology