How many times a week should I wash my hair?

How often you wash your hair depends on a lot of factors. Here's what you need to know about the right time to wash your hair .

Keeping your hair clean is simple, right? You just wash, rinse, style, and repeat. But how often should you really wash your hair?

The time between shampooing varies from person to person. Most people tend to wash their hair every other day or even every two to three days. But many factors can affect how often you wash your hair.

Factors include:

• Age.
• Nation.
• Hair length
• Hair type.
• Activity level.

Factors affecting hair washing schedule

Year old

Depending on your age, the oil glands on your scalp will become more or less active. Oil glands are controlled by androgens (male sex hormones). This is why younger people tend to have more active oil glands, as their hormone levels are higher.

On the other hand, post-menopausal women experience a decrease in androgens, which leads to less oil production. Over time, men's oil glands also become less active.

National background

Another major factor that determines how often you should wash your hair is your ethnicity. For example, African Americans tend to have extremely dry hair, and if they wash their hair too often, it can become dry and brittle, which can lead to breakage. In those cases, you should not wash your hair every day.

Hair length

Oil glands, also known as sebaceous glands, are only found on the scalp. This oil (or sebum) needs to travel down the hair shaft to the ends to moisturize the hair. This is why long hair tends to be dry—it's harder to keep the ends moisturized.

Hair type

For similar reasons, curly, coarse hair tends to be much drier than straight, smooth hair. In the case of curly hair, oils need to travel along the spiral-shaped hair strands to moisturize the ends.

Of course, if you have drier hair, you should wash it less often. Besides curly, straight, long or short hair, there is also chemical processing, which also tends to weaken the hair.

Activity level

If you work out and sweat a lot, you may wonder if you should always wash your hair afterward. According to dermatologists, even if you work out every day, you don't need to wash your hair. The issue here is your hair type, texture, and how much oil you normally produce.

Ideally, you should stick to a standard shampooing schedule, which may be three times a week, once a week, or once a month, regardless of your activity level.

Signs You're Washing Your Hair Too Often

If you experience the following symptoms, it means you are washing your hair too much:

• Dry, brittle hair.
• broken hair
• Dry, irritated or itchy scalp.

On the other hand, in some cases, not washing your hair regularly can lead to a dandruff problem, also known as seborrheic dermatitis.

In these cases, people may need to use medicated shampoos, either over-the-counter or prescription.

Tips to reduce shampoo frequency

• Use dry shampoo. Dry shampoos can help hydrate your skin between washes, although they are not a substitute for regular shampoo.
• Focus on conditioning treatments. For those with longer hair, it is best to focus your conditioning treatments on the ends of your hair rather than the roots. Natural oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil, are great for your hair, but should not be overused.
• Evaluate your styling products. Gels, hairsprays, creams, and serums can build up on your hair and scalp, causing irritation, damage, and leaving your hair feeling greasy. If you use a lot of styling products, consider using a clarifying shampoo once or twice a month to remove buildup.
• Only shampoo the roots . If you use too much shampoo, it can damage your hair. Try shampooing only the roots to ensure you clean your scalp and remove excess oil.