Might washing hair every day be good?

[clanless]

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[vanillabones]

I think my scalp and hair would benefit from daily washing. I try to stretch every other day or if I'm lucky/lazy every 2 days. My hair is very thin and fine and gets greasy quickly and if I wait too long my scalp will break out in itchy read sores from the sebum buildup or something. The harm from washing hair more than once a day probably is more to fear with the wet hair getting damaged while being washed/styled rather than the fact you're using a gentle shampoo diluted or not.

[ravenreed]

My ends dry out if I go more than a two days without cleansing. I avoid shampoo (except when needed) because it does bad things to my scalp, but quite honestly, if my hair didn't take so darned long to dry, I would probably CO every day.

[DarkCurls]

I seem to recall something about the actual being wet (the dry - wet - dry -wet cycle, maybe?) being (a little) damaging in itself, hence stretching washes. However, since hair is still going to be washed many times even if you do stretch your washes, I don't think it matters so much. Since my hair doesn't seem to mind my stretching washes, I choose to do so. I've never washed my hair every day: too much drying time, plus my hair doesn't get dirty that fast so what's the point?

Even diluted shampoo is quite harsh on my hair, but only because it's so dry (previously damaged, maybe) and shampoo makes me able to feel that. So I wouldn't do this, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work for someone else.

[Libbylou]

I work in a dusty environment, that is why I was after every work day. On non work days I might skip a day.
Thanks for the link. I read the entire page. Now going back to see what is next.

[Tota]

My hair prefers to be left alone as much as possible. This includes washes - if I wash it too frequently it transforms into a dry tangly staticy mess. And I'm not patient enough to go through this everyday - plopping, airdrying, etc. And I believe that even a diluted shampoo can be too harsh for everyday use.

[spidermom]

It seems that anything you want to believe about hair, you can find confirmation on the internet. I don't want to wash my hair every day.

[WaitingSoLong]

Washing means detangling wet hair, which is damaging. This is the main reason I stretch washes. I feel the whole process is ultimately damaging with all the detangling. I try to manipulate my hair as little as possible. I detangle twice a day unless I wear it down, which is not often. So it is not just the chemicals/poo that is the issue.

[Sillage]

I think washing everyday is only beneficial if your scalp or hair is actually dirty. Otherwise I wouldn't bother.

[akilina]

I wash every day with very diluted SLS free shampoo...it works incredibly well and I really like this routine finally. This is actually the best method I have ever used. Im really happy to finally have a good routine for me. My hair suffers no damage at all from washing daily either. There are no splits, its not dry, and its not breaking off.
I am really over the whole "is this good or bad or 'lhc friendly' " thing. I think if someone likes it and it works for them, who is to come along and say "no that is NOT okay to do" or say it is "bad" ? Lately for me, its just like...Who cares?
If someone likes straightening their hair every day..or washing their hair every day or once a week, I don't think it matters if a website thinks its "okay" or not. I don't mean to sound rude here at all, don't get me wrong. Opinions are good, but you can only learn from personal experience when it comes down to it.

BTW: The article was sort of a fun and interesting read :) I don't think everyone needs to wash everyday, but I do. Also, I have never washed twice in a row using it diluted..I know its not necessary for me but it might be for someone else.

[Feronia]

Hello! I believe that washing your hair every day is right ... if you need it! In the case of very oily skin or if you live in very polluted is correct, otherwise wash daily life is constantly subjecting your hair to practice more stressful! Anyway, it takes the right products!

[starlamelissa]

Washing hair everyday is great for some people... My husband has dermatitis/dandruff and daily washing with full strength moisturizing dandruff poo keeps his hair and scalp in great shape. He is apl and just started using conditioner last month.

I use shampoo full strength every other day, because daily washing dries out the lengths. Any longer than every other day and I get greasy roots and haystack ends.

I tried diluting my shampoo when I first got here... It was so watery it got everywhere and stung my eyes! Fail!!!

[WaitingSoLong]

I wash every day with very diluted SLS free shampoo...it works incredibly well and I really like this routine finally. This is actually the best method I have ever used. Im really happy to finally have a good routine for me. My hair suffers no damage at all from washing daily either. There are no splits, its not dry, and its not breaking off.
I am really over the whole "is this good or bad or 'lhc friendly' " thing. I think if someone likes it and it works for them, who is to come along and say "no that is NOT okay to do" or say it is "bad" ? Lately for me, its just like...Who cares?

The thing is, people try something a few weeks or months with no visible damage. Sometimes it takes a year or more to show up. My dd flat irons and has been for months and has NO damage. But let's check again in a few months and see...A lot of damage is not visible until the hair shaft has broken down over time and finally begins to split or fray.

[ravenreed]

Several 'hair friendly' things recommended on LHC have damaged my hair. I firmly believe that hair care is YMMV. Everything from hair type, skin type, and environmental conditions play a part in how one's hair will respond to various hair care approaches. I think it also comes down to what is important to the person growing the hair. Some people want as long as possible as fast as possible, so for them avoiding damage is important. For me, I wanted to enjoy my hair at every stage, and growing was secondary. So I dyed my hair, trimmed a lot, played around, and generally had a good time with my hair. I experienced relatively little frustration on my hair journey, although it took longer than many people on LHC would have been happy with.


I wash every day with very diluted SLS free shampoo...it works incredibly well and I really like this routine finally. This is actually the best method I have ever used. Im really happy to finally have a good routine for me. My hair suffers no damage at all from washing daily either. There are no splits, its not dry, and its not breaking off.
I am really over the whole "is this good or bad or 'lhc friendly' " thing. I think if someone likes it and it works for them, who is to come along and say "no that is NOT okay to do" or say it is "bad" ? Lately for me, its just like...Who cares?
If someone likes straightening their hair every day..or washing their hair every day or once a week, I don't think it matters if a website thinks its "okay" or not. I don't mean to sound rude here at all, don't get me wrong. Opinions are good, but you can only learn from personal experience when it comes down to it.

BTW: The article was sort of a fun and interesting read :) I don't think everyone needs to wash everyday, but I do. Also, I have never washed twice in a row using it diluted..I know its not necessary for me but it might be for someone else.

[TheHowlingWolf]

Hmm I'm actually thinking about shampooing my hair every week (as opposed to every other week). I co wash about every other day, which gets rid of the "grease" on my roots, but my scalp doesn't feel as clean as when I shampoo (with giovanni 2chic ultra sleek shampoo). I'm paranoid maybe that will hurt my growth.

[spidermom]

Washing hair everyday is great for some people... My husband has dermatitis/dandruff and daily washing with full strength moisturizing dandruff poo keeps his hair and scalp in great shape. He is apl and just started using conditioner last month.

I use shampoo full strength every other day, because daily washing dries out the lengths. Any longer than every other day and I get greasy roots and haystack ends.

I tried diluting my shampoo when I first got here... It was so watery it got everywhere and stung my eyes! Fail!!!

If you ever try it again, tilt your head back while applying. I do it in stripes from forehead to nape - 5 or 6 stripes of shampoo around my entire head, then massage in the same direction to keep scalp hair from tangling. The runniness is what I like about it - easy to get good coverage without a lot of manipulation.

[spidermom]

The thing is, people try something a few weeks or months with no visible damage. Sometimes it takes a year or more to show up. My dd flat irons and has been for months and has NO damage. But let's check again in a few months and see...A lot of damage is not visible until the hair shaft has broken down over time and finally begins to split or fray.

So true! Damage adds up over time. My SIL was always really rough with her hair, ripping through tangles with comb or brush. In her 20s, it looked gorgeous. By the time she got to her 40s, it was broken off all over the place and looked terrible.

[Mayflower]

Do whatever works for you. I would never wash my hair everyday because I really dislike the whole process, especially in winter. I don't dilute my shampoo but I use a gentle sulfate-free one and cold water to not aggrevate my scalp. I also wouldn't want my hair to become greasy everyday because I go out at night a lot and I wash my hair at night, so those two don't add up.

But on the other hand, I'm not so dedicated to stretching washes as some other people on LHC. I would never walk around with greasy hair and scare away my friends and family (yes yes, I know you can make a "sleek bun" to hide the greasies but I don't think anything really works to hide greasy hair -no offence). And I'm not hair obsessed enough (yet?) to sacrifice my social life over stretching my washes for two more days. :laugh:

[dulce]

I have always washed and conditioned daily,it works best for me.

[dwell_in_safety]

I would think that washing hair every day is just too much manipulation to be healthy once a certain length is reached, not to mention the hassle of detangling hair gently enough once it reaches about waist.

I personally stretch my washes and currently do a CO wash every nine days. I used to wash every other day with S+C.

[ravenreed]

My hair is past classic. I brush my hair several times a day- basically every time I take it down or redo it. I am guessing between 5 - 7 times a day at least. As I said above, I CO every other day as well. I use a tangle teezer, make sure I detangle before showering, and as soon as possible after showering. My hair is holding up just fine and healthy as can be, and would have no trouble with every day washing...


I would think that washing hair every day is just too much manipulation to be healthy once a certain length is reached, not to mention the hassle of detangling hair gently enough once it reaches about waist.

I personally stretch my washes and currently do a CO wash every nine days. I used to wash every other day with S+C.

[spidermom]

I'm trying to get washing down to once per week because wet hair hanging all over me in the winter is not a good experience. Neither is spending an hour to blow-dry it.

[ravenreed]

I have never understood the sleek bun thing. When I bun my greasy hair, it still looks stringy and lank. On top of that, my hair looks less greasy when I wear it down for some reason I cannot quite figure out. I am more likely to wear a side braid on iffy days than a bun, and use a bit of dry shampoo on the crown and bangs/fringe.


Do whatever works for you. I would never wash my hair everyday because I really dislike the whole process, especially in winter. I don't dilute my shampoo but I use a gentle sulfate-free one and cold water to not aggrevate my scalp. I also wouldn't want my hair to become greasy everyday because I go out at night a lot and I wash my hair at night, so those two don't add up.

But on the other hand, I'm not so dedicated to stretching washes as some other people on LHC. I would never walk around with greasy hair and scare away my friends and family (yes yes, I know you can make a "sleek bun" to hide the greasies but I don't think anything really works to hide greasy hair -no offence). And I'm not hair obsessed enough (yet?) to sacrifice my social life over stretching my washes for two more days. :laugh:

[bunnylake]

When I used sulfates my scalp produced a lot more oil than it does since I went sulfate-free. Now I can stretch to every other day, but I don't really like to. I look a bit lank on the in-between day.
It does seem that daily washing can be damaging in the long run. When hair gets wet the cuticle is raised, then closes when it dries. I read somewhere that can weaken the hair shafts and eventually cause splits and breakage.
I also find it a hassle now that my hair is past waist. It takes hours and hours to dry.

[Mesmerise]

I like washing my hair, but I only do it every second day now (for years I washed daily). I don't see a problem with it if your hair doesn't mind. To me, washing isn't a very damaging thing in the whole spectrum of hair damaging habits! Honestly, if I washed my hair daily, and didn't do anything else damaging, I think it'd be fine. But still, every second day seems to work well for me right now.

[goldloli]

I was going to create a similar thread a while back. On a recent visit to Texas my hair became ultra greasy at the roots and super dry at the ends with every other day washing. This does happen to a certain extent in England climate too.

I came to the conclusion that gentle washing, perhaps using a cleansing dish on inbetween days, resulted in better hydration and less overall mechanical damage. The grease and lankness I can handle, but with my hair type I find excessive dryness and tangling by the inbetween day. Also my hair looked fantastic every day, which is important to me as I wear my hair down. I'm still on the fence about doing it while in England climate, but think i will when i move to the states. It's mostly a case of damage trade off, while frequent washing may be damaging, it's probably less than the damage induced from dryness. There's a lhc blog somewhere where the girl washes/wets her hair every day because she feels her hair dries out too much inbetween washings, I think this is the case with me. I did persevere to make it work, rinses and deep dishes for ever wash to keep lengths hydrated, even using ethnic hair products way too heavy for hair type but nothing stops that second day dryness... I tried lol!

[Intotouch]

Shampooing your hair every day is not a great idea, but conditioning your hair every day could be good for your hair. (Only in my experience of course.)

[Sunny_side_up]

I wash every other day, appears to go with my life routine as well as my hair and scalp. Depends on the person and their hair i suppose. Like another poster said there's things that are far more damaging to my hair than the washing process. I have washed everyday but only if i've ended up wih yucky things in my hair from work the next day after a wash. See alot less shed hair and its so much more bubbly quickly.
While on the winter holiday break i have left my hair for three days and couldnt wait to wash. scalp was feeling it needed it! So every other day suits me well especially in winter, as i dont want to have a wet head for long,(tho my hair drys nice and quick) i dont want to to use a hairdryer, and with regards to scalp i want my sebum to get a chance.:)

[QMacrocarpa]

Not for me, I hate to have wet hair. I've gradually stretched to 10 days (weekly began to seem annoyingly often!). I do like using diluted shampoo, I dribble it from the bottle-nozzle straight onto my head. My hair splits and breaks if I look at it funny, so I feel it may benefit from the reduced handling and wet-dry-wet-dry cycling of stretching washes, but for me it's mainly about hating to have wet hair.

[jtl45]

Been shampooing and conditioning daily for years with no ill effects!
Occasionally I will stretch a extra day in, but my hair seems to attract dirt and oil!
The joys of living and working in a large city like Chicago!
Jim

[clairenewcastle]

When I lived in a city I had to wash my hair a lot more often, even going through a phase of shampooing it daily.
My hair really suffered for doing so though, becoming much more dry.

I find the longer I can leave between shampoos, the better condition my hair is in

[Sillage]

The joys of living and working in a large city like Chicago!



LOL tell me about it! Sometimes city life seems so grimy :(

[LadyCelestina]

As somebody who pretty much followed this routine even before finding out it exist ... I have to say it's more beneficial to my hair than co-washing and definitely better than stretching washes. I always use coconut oil as a pre-wash to prevent protein loss.My scalp is happier,my hair is easier to detangle and I can go up to two-three days with decent hair ( but I usually wash every to every other day) .I couldn't do that with co-washing.

[shutterpillar]

I am really over the whole "is this good or bad or 'lhc friendly' " thing. I think if someone likes it and it works for them, who is to come along and say "no that is NOT okay to do" or say it is "bad" ? Lately for me, its just like...Who cares?
If someone likes straightening their hair every day..or washing their hair every day or once a week, I don't think it matters if a website thinks its "okay" or not. I don't mean to sound rude here at all, don't get me wrong. Opinions are good, but you can only learn from personal experience when it comes down to it.


Had to quote this from all the way back on page 1, because it was what I came here to say. ;) I also came here to say that I wash my hair daily or every other day (usually the latter because of sheer laziness alone) with diluted shampoo because I need to. I have fine hair and it gets oily quickly. If I neglect washing for longer than every other day then my scalp tends to break out in red, itchy spots and that is certainly not healthy for my hair in the long run since a healthy scalp is the foundation of healthy hair.

I say everyone should do whatever makes them (and their hair) healthy. :flower: