Each hair type, including curly, coarse, afro or oily, comes with unique characteristics that necessitate specific care regimes.
It can be a hit-and-miss journey to find the right treatment for your tresses, and many people end up washing their hair daily by default, which experts don’t always recommend.
Saul Meskin, the hair care expert from Foxy Locks, once told Express.co.uk: “Your hair is connected to your scalp by a follicle and this follicle is connected to glands that produce vitamins and moisture, which gets passed into the hair.” He warned that too much washing could remove these vital natural oils, leaving the hair devoid of moisture and life.
Hair health consultant Simone Thomas from Simone Thomas Wellness also warns against the hazards of overwashing, pointing out that a lack of oil is just “one issue”. Speaking about the adverse effects, she noted that “dandruff and a dry itchy scalp” are frequent repercussions of excessive hair washing, in addition to fragile strands that break easily, reports the Express.
So, how frequently should one actually be shampooing their locks? Esteemed celebrity hair stylist Jon Hala earnestly advises: “You should only wash your hair when it’s absolutely necessary.”
He further recommends: “The general recommendation is to wash it a maximum of one to two times a week, [but] I’d say that it should only be washed when the hair is visibly oily.”
The presence of an itchy scalp and visible dandruff are indicators that you might need to consider a cleanse.
John stressed the importance of natural oils for a healthy scalp, saying: “Remember, for a healthy scalp you need natural sebum for healthy follicles and washing your hair too regularly will reduce this.”
(Image: (Image: Getty))
Simone discussed how to reduce hair wash frequency, advising: “You can go for an all-or-nothing approach, but as with so many things in life if you can make gradual changes, you will get into a new, healthy habit that your hair will thank you for.”
She gave practical suggestions for those who wash their hair every day: “If you are washing daily, try to go for every other day, with the intention of washing your hair two to three times a week in the long run.”
For those worried about oily hair between washes, Simone mentioned there are excellent dry shampoos available that help absorb excess oil and add volume to greasy-looking hair.
To maintain cleaner hair for longer, she recommended changing products, noting it could slow the greasing process and consequently lessen the number of washes needed.
Finally, Jon advised using ‘light’ shampoos and fewer oil-based styling agents to prevent hair from getting weighed down with accumulation of oil and dirt.
Celebrity stylist Cally Borg, known for her work with Amanda Holden, has put forward a home-based fix for those struggling with oily hair: “You could look at doing an at-home remedy of an apple cider vinegar rinse, where you water down the vinegar at a 1:3 ratio and rinse your hair with it once a week. The idea is to detoxify and balance your hair and scalp.”
She further recommended EveryGreen’s ‘anti-oxidant’ products for their salon-approved effectiveness in tackling greasy hair, highlighting its ability to recalibrate the scalp’s pH and maintain cleanliness without stripping away essential oils.
