Ah, yes. It’s an age-old question; one that has plagued males for (probably) decades, and to which we still don’t have a crystal-clear answer. Too much and your hair loses natural nutrients; too little and you risk looking like something out of a horror movie. So, what’s the real number? We’re here to help you figure it out – and dispel some terrible hair myths in the process!
A little background
The short of it is, all hair is different, which makes it difficult to pin down an exact number. However, there are several contributing factors that can help you determine a ballpark figure.
All hair naturally produces something called sebum, which is an oil secreted from glands in the scalp that acts as the body’s natural conditioner (our hair never ceases to amaze us!). So, you’d think that would be enough, right? Wrong! The problem with sebum is that it starts to looks pretty greasy when it builds up and two, if left to sit on the scalp for too long, soaks up outside toxins, smells, and other general unsavory aspects of your environment. So, our automatic response is to just wash it. The big question is how often.
The short answer
Generally speaking, two to three times a week is the recommended amount. If you’re washing your hair every day right now, STOP! Lessening your use of shampoo to even just every other day will take care of frizz, make it easier to use hair product, lessen breakage, and generally make your hair look healthy and vibrant. However, your hair type and your lifestyle both play big roles in determining how often to wash your hair.
Finer hair, while more delicate at the roots, is prone to looking thinner and to clump at the slightest sign of oil, so a more regular wash will keep your locks shining – four times a week, if necessary. A natural, sulfate-free conditioner (we really love Griff’s Scalp Conditioner) will restore moisture and nutrients, so if your hair isn’t super-thick, make sure it gets the goodness it needs.
Meanwhile, thicker heads of hair can afford to ease off on the shampoo, limiting washes to twice a week. For the in-betweens, just wet your hair and massage your scalp in the shower. This exfoliates any dead skin cells and excess oils without the use of sulfates – an ingredient in most shampoos that will strip hair of natural nutrients.
We’d like to think it goes without saying that if you’ve been at the gym for a couple of hours and you’re about to head out for a drink, a light shampoo is likely necessary – nobody actually wants to know you were at the gym, they just want to hear about it!
Our best advice is to just not overdo it. This can result in long-term damage and excessive dryness to your hair, and will, over time, dull color (although hey, being a silver fox ain’t so bad).
If you want an epic hair wash before your next haircut, give us a call at (858) 914-5418 make an appointment!
