Does washing your hair make it grow faster? Or, on the flip side, should you not wash your hair as often if you want it to grow?
Does washing your hair make it grow faster? Or, on the flip side, should you not wash your hair as often if you want it to grow? There’s a lot of conflicting information about hair washing for growth.
If you’re wondering how often to shampoo hair for growth or how long you can go without washing your hair, we’ve got you covered. Ahead, find insight into how often to wash hair for growth (if that’s the goal), how to wash your hair, and how scalp health affects hair growth.
Apologies if you were looking for a tidy answer, but there’s no evidence that washing your hair a certain amount of times per week is beneficial specifically for hair growth.
The frequency you should wash your hair depends on several factors, including:
Your hair type
How often you exercise
Whether you have scalp issues
That said, not washing your hair regularly isn’t the ticket to growth — despite what you may read on some corners of the internet. Some research shows that frequent washing is beneficial to hair, doesn’t cause a loss of moisture, and leads to fewer hair complaints.
Still, over-washing can strip hair of natural oils, leading to brittle or dry hair. So finding the right balance for your hair health is important.
Wondering, How many times a week should I wash my hair? Exactly how often to wash hair for growth is slightly different for everyone.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), you should wash your hair whenever it gets dirty or looks oily.
That could mean every day for people with straight hair or an oily scalp. The AAD also says some folks with dry, textured, curly, or especially thick hair may be able to go as long as two to three weeks between washes, though most people need to wash their hair at least once a week.
Those with fine hair may actually have more hair follicles on their head than people with thicker, coarse hair. Each follicle is connected to an oil gland, so fine hair tends to get oily more quickly and may need to be washed more often than drier, curly hair.
Consider the following guidelines for how often to wash your hair by hair type as just that — guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules.
Straight, fine hair. Wash every day or every other day. Straight hair gets oily faster because sebum (natural oil) can easily travel down the hair shaft.
Wavy hair. Wavy hair is slightly more prone to dryness but can still become greasy. Wash every two to three days.
Thick, curly hair. Curly hair textures tend to be dry and less oily because oils take longer to reach the ends. Wash it once or twice a week.
Coarse, coily hair. Coily hair is typically the driest hair type and can benefit from less washing. Shampoo once a week or less.
Other factors beyond hair type — like how often you sweat and whether you live in a dry or humid climate — will also affect how often you wash your hair.
At some point, you may have heard that frequent shampooing causes hair loss. Fortunately, that’s a myth.
Here’s how this game of telephone may have gotten started: It’s normal to shed 50 to 100 hairs per day, and it’s not uncommon to see many of those hairs collect in the shower drain after washing.
That can be alarming, and it may lead some people to believe washing causes hair loss. But shampooing your hair isn’t causing the hair loss. Those hairs were already loose and disconnected from the scalp, and washing made them fall out (which they would have done anyway).
There’s no magic hair wash frequency that’ll lead to flowing locks. How often you wash your hair hasn’t been shown to directly affect hair growth rate. Why? Hair growth occurs at the follicle level beneath the scalp, where shampoo doesn’t reach.
Having said that, it’s essential to keep your scalp clean and your hair follicles free of dirt and buildup to create the best conditions for growth.
Here’s how scalp health affects hair growth and what happens if you don’t wash your hair enough:
Buildup of oil and dirt. If you don’t wash your hair regularly, excess oil (sebum), sweat, dead skin cells, dirt, and residues from styling products can accumulate on your scalp. This buildup (called folliculitis if it’s severe) can temporarily clog hair follicles, potentially slowing new hair growth.
Risk of scalp issues. Insufficient washing can lead to issues like seborrheic dermatitis (a major cause of dandruff), scalp irritation, or even scalp fungal infections like tinea capitis. These conditions can weaken the scalp microbiome and potentially slow down or disrupt hair growth or cause temporary hair loss.
Weakened hair. A dirty scalp may result in weaker hair that’s more prone to breakage. While this doesn’t stop growth at the root, it can seem like your hair isn’t growing because it’s breaking off at the ends, making it harder to gain length.
When it comes to scalp health and hair growth, how you wash your hair may be more important than how often you shampoo.
Here’s how to wash your hair to support hair growth:
Choose pro-growth formulas. Use shampoos with research-backed ingredients that promote growth, like minoxidil, biotin, caffeine, or ketoconazole. (Our volumizing shampoo contains biotin and caffeine).
Opt for clarifying shampoo. If you wash your hair less often, consider using a clarifying shampoo containing heavier surfactants to deep-clean your hair and scalp so they stay cleaner for longer.
Massage your scalp as you wash. When applying shampoo, focus on massaging the shampoo into your scalp. This can improve blood circulation to hair follicles, potentially helping stimulate hair growth. You can do this with your fingers, a brush, or a scalp massager tool.
Exfoliate your scalp. Once a week or so, use a scalp exfoliant to help remove dead skin cells and other buildup.
Use conditioner. Conditioner can add hydration, detangle, and help prevent breakage. You can also try co-washing (using conditioner in place of shampoo to clean your hair). However, to avoid weighing down your hair, it’s best to apply conditioner only to the mid-lengths of your hair and below.
TL;DR? Here’s what you need to know about wash frequency for hair growth:
Frequent shampooing doesn’t cause hair loss. Any loose hairs you see during washing are part of the natural shedding process.
There’s not one wash frequency that’s best for hair growth. The ideal hair-washing routine depends on your hair type and other factors, like how often you break a sweat. How long can you go without washing your hair? A few days to a week or so, but it’s different for everyone.
Regular washing is good for your hair. Regular washing helps maintain a clean and healthy scalp free of oil, dirt, and buildup, which creates the optimal environment for hair growth.
How many times a week should you wash your hair? It depends on your hair type. For instance, if you have oily hair or thin hair, you might want to lather up daily. Dry shampoo can hold you over for a day or so, but it’s not a replacement for regular shampoo.
Want more scalp care and haircare tips to support healthy hair growth? Check out our tips for natural hair growth and dermatologist-recommended hair growth products.
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