“How often should I wash my hair?” is a question that has been asked time and time again. So, you are well in your right to ask, too. The answer depends on several factors, from the type of hair, whether it is fine and straight or coarse and curly, to its condition.
In this article, you will learn how best you can care for your hair, taking all these factors into consideration. Let’s start!
Identify Your Hair Type
To determine how often you should wash your hair, you need to know your hair type, Here how you do that:
Check for Thickness
Examine a single strand of your hair:
– If you find it hard to feel, you have fine hair.
– If you can feel it and it feels normal, you have medium hair.
– If it feels thick, you have thick hair.
By the way, it is important to look at individual strands, instead of your hair as a whole, because it is possible for you to have a lot of hair that is thin, and not much hair that is thick.
Check for Stretchiness
Pick a strand of hair and stretch it out:
– If it breaks immediately, your hair has low elasticity and isn’t healthy
– If it stretches to about half its length, your hair is elastic and healthy
For weak hair, we recommend you purchase treatments to strengthen them. Also, try to identify the cause of the problem, whether it is frequent wetness or brushing through after washing, and make amends.
Furthermore, hair type isn’t constant. The fact that your hair is currently thick doesn’t mean it’ll be the same in five years. So, pay attention to your hair. And if something feels off, you should do the tests again.
To better identify your hair type, we recommend speaking to your stylist. While you can do it yourself, based on the tips above, nothing beats experience.
How Often Should You Wash Fine Hair?
Naturally, fine hair shows grease more than other hair types. As a result, it can benefit from more washing than other hair types. However, do not give in to the temptation to wash it every day, as this can do more harm than good by increasing the oiliness. Instead, wash it every other day. Wash with a gentle, volumizing shampoo, then spray dry shampoo on your roots and brush it through your hair.
How Often Should You Wash Medium Hair?
Medium hair doesn’t show grease as much as fine hair; however, it can get just as dirty. To determine how frequently you should wash it, look to your environment. If you frequent dusty environments and sweat a lot, you should wash your medium-type hair once every two or three days.
How Often Should You Wash Thick Hair?
Thick hair doesn’t show greasiness like other hair types. However, that is not an excuse not to wash it. For the best results, wash your thick hair once or twice a week, depending on how greasy it feels. By the way, do not forget to rinse your hair thoroughly after a wash. Many people make the mistake of rinsing sparsely. And when this happens, the shampoo particles that are left behind will give the appearance of dandruff.
Finally, we recommend you use a weekly hair mask, preferably one that has natural plant oils, to replace whatever moisture your hair loses during the wash process.
How Often Should You Wash Afro Hair?
Afro or coarse hair can go longer than any other hair type before needing a wash. In fact, if you wear a protective style, it can take as long as three months before you need to wash it. This is just as well, especially when you consider the volume of care and treatment that the ordinary afro hair requires, from conditioning sprays and oils to complete comb throughs and leave-in conditioners.
By the way, neither under washing nor over-washing your hair is good for you. If you under wash your hair, dead skin cells, oils, and dirt will accumulate. And these can result in itching, irritation, and flakes. If your hair is straight and fine, it will become limp and acquire an unhealthy greasy look. And if your hair is of the other numerous types, the bottom will be dry and tangle, while the top will be matted and greasy.
On the other hand, if you overwash your hair, you will likely stress and damage it. Also, you might end up increasing your scalp’s pH which can cause irritation, dryness, and flakiness, as well as an over secretion of oil.
Conclusion
Washing your hair is important. It makes all the difference between whether it is strong and healthy or not. With these tips, you should be able to give your hair the care it deserves and needs to thrive.