The decade-long debate of how often one should really be washing their hair continues to exist even in 2021. Some of your friends may wash their hair every single day, while others do so every alternate day. But then there’s you- if you manage to wash your hair twice a week, you think you are acing life, right?
How often one should wash their hair really depends on scalp and hair health, texture, and condition of the hair.
What is Your Hair Type?
To determine whether you should be washing your hair every day or every few days, we need to determine your hair type. We have a couple of tricks lined up to understand your hair texture but don’t worry; you will not have to waste money in doing so. Once you understand your hair type and health, you can invest in the correct shampoos and tailor your wash routine accordingly.
To check hair thickness, here is what you need to do:
- Pick up a single strand of hair between your fingers.
- If you cannot really feel anything, you are dealing with fine hair.
- If you can feel the piece of hair, you are dealing with medium hair.
- If the strand feels thick and obvious between your fingers, you are dealing with thick hair.
To check how conditioned your hair is, here is what you need to do:
- Take a single strand of hair in between your fingers and try stretching it.
- If the hair ends up breaking immediately, you have hair of low elasticity, indicating weak strands.
- If the hair stretches to 50 per cent before it breaks, you have high elasticity hair, indicating healthy strands.
Fine Hair
Those who have fine, textured hair should wash their hair every single day. This is mainly because fine hair is more likely to get greasy fast due to the number of oil glands on the scalp.
A common myth is that washing hair every day will dry it out, but this is not true for fine hair. All you need to do is use gentle shampoos and conditioners, and do not use heat. Instead, air dry your hair.
Medium Hair
If you do not have super fine hair, you may believe that you can skip a day in between washes. However, this completely depends on your environment.
Just as you would not wait too many days before washing your face, you should not wait too long before washing your hair, especially if you live in a humid climate where dust storms are common. We would recommend that you wash your hair every alternate day or so.
Coarse Hair
Coarse hair is so thick that even when it gets greasy, it does not really show it. This is mainly because it does not fall flat due to the sheer weight of the hair. Moreover, if washed too often, coarse hair can become dry and frizzy.
Hence, coarse hair should be washed at least thrice a week. Do not go too long without washing your hair as your scalp is also skin, and build-up is common.
For best hair health, consult a professional and get some hair treatments each month!