Many will tell you that washing your hair too often is bad for it; yet while that may be true for some hair types, it’s important to listen to your hair. For some people, greasy hair and an oily scalp means that daily washing could be far more beneficial than waiting it out; for others, especially those who tend to use little or no product, one wash a week is enough.
Either way, here are three things that show you that your hair needs a wash.
Dull Hair: The time frame in which your hair gets dirty changes depending on the season, your lifestyle, and genetics, but dull, greasy, heavy hair is an obvious sign that it needs to be washed. When this happens, you can be sure that you’ve got a build-up of styling products, oils, dead skin cells, sweat, and dirt, which need to be washed away for your hair to regain its lustre and your scalp to feel fresh and clean.
Itchy Scalp: Speaking of the scalp, this doesn’t only itch when you wash your hair more often than you need to… It also happens when you don’t wash your hair enough. This usually occurs because the formerly-mentioned build-up of debris makes the hair and the scalp a perfect place for bacteria and yeast to thrive, leading to itchiness.
Hair Loss: Believe it or not, not washing your hair enough can also lead to hair loss. This occurs because of seborrheic dermatitis, which is basically when the scalp produces more sebum than needed, which in turn feeds the naturally occurring Malassezia yeast that can be found in your hair, leading to inflammation and irritation. By washing your hair more frequently, you can keep all this under control and reduce the rate of hair loss.
Ultimately, how often your hair needs washing depends on a number of factors, and you may need to test a few approaches to find the best timeframe for yourself. You should also speak to your hairstylist about it, who will help you find that balance between overwashing and underwashing.