As new hair care trends circulate online, many wonder how often they should wash their hair to maintain a healthy scalp and encourage growth. During the hot summer months, the problem is exacerbated by excessive sweating. However, experts say that the frequency of hair washing rarely has any effect on hair strands.
Dr. Chandni Jain, a dermatologist at Chandni’s Skin Clinic, recommends determining cleansing needs based on the scalp’s oil production. “For oily scalps that are prone to dandruff and dermatitis, daily washing prevents breakouts and hair breakage that can lead to hair loss. However, for those with normal scalps, you can wait 2-3 days between washes,” she notes.
The real drivers of growth are diet and genetics. Although a clean scalp allows for healthy hair follicles, regular washing in and of itself does not stimulate or hinder growth cycles. For combination hair types with oily roots but dry ends, Jain recommends focusing hair care on the lengths to balance moisture levels without over-cleansing the scalp.
In the humid summer months, extra sweat on the scalp can be a sign for some people that they need to wash their hair more often. Whether you wash your hair too much or too little depends largely on the individual condition of your hair and scalp, which is determined by a dermatologist. The frequency of washing your hair itself has little effect on the length of your curls.
