How often to wash your hair, and how to do it well
Updated
Wash your hair as often as your scalp needs it: that is every day for some people and once or twice a week for others. There is no single right frequency. Washing every day does not harm a healthy scalp or cause hair loss, and washing less often does not "train" your scalp to make less oil. What counts is that your scalp feels comfortable and your lengths are not dried out more than necessary.
How often should you wash your hair?
Your scalp is the best guide: when it feels oily, itches or looks coated, it is time. Some typical situations:
| Situation | Typical frequency | What to look at |
|---|---|---|
| Oily scalp | Daily or every other day | Gentle shampoo, protect the lengths with conditioner |
| Normal scalp | Every 2 to 3 days | Adjust to activity and season |
| Dry scalp, dry hair | Once or twice a week | Mild cleansing agents, less shampoo on the lengths |
| Curly and coily hair | Once or twice a week, often with co-washes between | Gentle washing, plenty of conditioner |
| Coloured hair | As rarely as your scalp allows | Gentle shampoo, lukewarm water |
| Lots of sport, helmet or hat | After exercise, even daily | A mild shampoo is enough |
This is a starting point, not a rule. The same person may need to wash more in summer than in winter.
How often to wash oily hair
As often as you need, daily included. Frequent washing does not make your scalp produce more sebum. If the lengths get dry with daily washing, shampoo mostly the scalp and put conditioner on the lengths.
How often to wash curly hair
Curly and coily hair is usually washed less often, around once or twice a week, because natural oils travel down a curl slowly and the lengths dry out easily. Many people with curls wash gently with a mild shampoo and add conditioner-only washes between. Others, particularly with an oily scalp, wash more often. The right gap is the one where your scalp feels fine and your curls are not dry or flat. For high porosity hair, see the guide to hair porosity.
How often to wash dry, fine or long hair
Dry and high porosity hair usually does better with less frequent washing, since shampoo strips the lengths as well as the scalp. Fine hair looks limp quickly, so it is often washed more often. Long hair has the oldest, most worn ends, so it matters even more that shampoo goes mainly on the scalp and conditioner protects the ends.
What do dermatologists say?
Broadly the same: frequency depends on your scalp, not the calendar. With skin problems such as persistent dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis or strong itching, ask a dermatologist about both the type of shampoo and how often to use it, because choosing care is then part of the treatment.
Is washing your hair every day bad?
For most people, no. If your scalp needs it and is not irritated, daily washing is fine. Pick a gentle shampoo and protect the lengths with conditioner. And does it cause hair loss? Washing does not make hair fall out. The hairs you see in the shower were already in the shedding phase, and with less frequent washing more of them come out at once, which can look alarming. Dozens of hairs, up to around a hundred, are shed every day. If you notice clearly more hair falling than usual, thinning or bald patches, see a dermatologist or trichologist.
Is every other day too much, or every third day too little? Neither. The right answer is whatever keeps your scalp comfortable.
How to wash your hair step by step
- Detangle dry hair before washing, so it tangles less.
- Wet it thoroughly with lukewarm water. Very hot water strips more and can irritate the scalp.
- Lather shampoo in your hands and apply it to the scalp, not the ends.
- Massage with your fingertips for about a minute, without nails.
- Rinse well. The foam running down is enough to clean the lengths.
- Wash twice if the first lather was weak, which means there was a lot of oil or product on your scalp.
- Apply conditioner to the lengths and ends, detangle with fingers or a wide-tooth comb and rinse after the time on the pack.
- Squeeze hair dry with a towel instead of rubbing.
How to wash only the roots
Put shampoo on the scalp only, work it in and let the foam run down through the lengths as you rinse. This protects the ends if you wash often. You can also put conditioner or oil on the lengths first. See the guide to hair oiling and pre-poo.
Mild or strong shampoo?
Strength comes mainly from the type and amount of cleansing agent:
- Milder: Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate. Suit frequent washing and sensitive scalps.
- Stronger cleansing: SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate), SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate). They remove sebum, oils and silicones well.
That is a simplification, because concentration, pH and the rest of the formula matter too. How to spot these on a label is in the guide to reading INCI ingredient lists.
Clarifying shampoo and scalp cleansing
A clarifying shampoo removes built-up silicones, oils and styling products, and a chelating shampoo also removes hard water and pool deposits. Neither needs a fixed weekly or monthly schedule: use one when hair looks limp or dull or products stop working, and always follow with conditioner. The differences, ingredients and how often to use them are in a separate guide to clarifying vs chelating shampoo.
A scalp scrub can help clear residue, but not everybody needs one. Physical scrubs can irritate and acid ones must be used as directed. Do not use a scrub on red, sore or broken skin. Home remedies such as apple cider vinegar or baking soda are easy to overdo, so a ready-made product is safer.
Co-washing and conditioner-wash-conditioner
Co-washing means washing hair with conditioner only, with no shampoo. Conditioners contain mild surfactants that remove part of the dirt, and the method is popular with curly and very dry hair. For some people with a dry scalp and curls it works well as a supplement. With an oily scalp, dandruff or lots of styling products, conditioner alone usually is not enough, and if you co-wash most of the time, wash the scalp with shampoo now and then.
CWC (conditioner, wash, conditioner, also called reverse washing) protects the lengths: conditioner on the lengths first, then shampoo on the scalp, then conditioner again.
Can you wash hair with just water? It removes some dirt and sweat, but not oil, silicones or styling products. Some people manage with water between shampoos. It does not suit everybody, especially with an oily scalp.
Hair washing FAQ
Can you train your hair to be washed less often?
There is no evidence that washing less reduces sebum production. Some people stretch the gap more easily after switching to a milder shampoo or using dry shampoo, but the scalp does not "reset" to be less oily.
Warm or cold water?
Lukewarm is best. Hot water strips more oil and may irritate the scalp. A cold rinse at the end is about comfort, and there is no good evidence that it "closes the cuticle".
Is it better to wash in the morning or at night?
There is no evidence either is better for hair. Pick whichever suits your routine. If you go to bed with wet hair, it may tangle more, so detangle first.
Do you need to wash twice?
Not always. A second wash makes sense when the first barely lathered, a sign of a lot of sebum or product.
When can I wash my hair after colouring, a perm or keratin treatment?
Follow your stylist's instructions, which differ by treatment, and do not guess.
How Flomsy helps
In Flomsy you can plan washing on specific weekdays and pin the shampoo you use to it. If you alternate an everyday shampoo with a clarifying one, make them separate "Wash" steps, and the history will show how often you use each, which makes it easier to compare with how your scalp and hair respond. The ingredient scanner shows what each ingredient in your shampoo does and flags sulfates.
