To Shampoo Or Not To Shampoo? It’s A Highly Personal Choice
Why Shampoo Your Hair?
There is no correct amount of times that a person should wash their hair per week. Expectations about how hair should look and how often a person should wash their hair also varies with culture, age, and from decade to decade. How often someone washes their hair is a personal and cosmetic choice and not one that is likely to affect overall health.
Hair Styling Preferences
Much of the decision about how frequently to wash the hair depends on personal styling preferences. Some people dislike their hair looking or feeling even a little oily. Others find that their hair is more manageable several days after washing.
Scalp Condition
The condition of a person’s scalp will also affect the condition of their hair. People with very dry scalps tend not to produce as much sebum. Washing the hair less often can help the scalp remain healthy, prevent itching and flaking, and keep the hair soft and shiny. If one has itching of the scalp you can do a vinegar rinse and then follow with a final conditioning rinse. This should stop the itching. People with very oily scalps may develop acne on the scalp or along the hairline and may need to wash their hair more frequently to keep their hair looking clean and control signs of acne.
Assessing Your Hair
Assessing whether the hair is normal, oily or dry can help someone decide how frequently to shampoo. A person can help determine their hair type by asking:
- Does my lifestyle require daily shampooing vs bi-weekly or weekly?
- If you are involved in physical activities such as workouts, sports, etc. Then daily shampooing may be the answer to remove the salt deposit from working out and the environment.
- When does the hair look best?
- Oily hair tends to look best on the day of shampoo.
- Normal hair may look best when shampooing daily or every other day.
- Does the hair break easily?
- Dry hair often breaks easily and may have split ends. Oilier hair tends to be more elastic.
- How does the hair look?
- Just looking at the hair may provide some insight. Dry hair may look brittle or lifeless when over-washed, while oily hair may be flat and greasy only a day after washing.
- Long hair may also prefer to shampoo less often, as less frequent shampoos mean less time spent styling the hair.
Ask your Tijeras Stylist which products will be right for your hair type and your lifestyle!