How many times should you wash rinse repeat?

[callebest]

So here's a quick question. Say someone showers every 3 or 4 days. How many times should you really wash rinse and repeat? What will happen if you rinse and repeat too many times? Now I'm not sure if this was a coincidence or not but a while back due to some reasons I didnt shower for 5 days and I washed rinsed and repeated 4 times and after my hair dried it felt so thin and looked so bad was this a coincidence?

[AZDesertRose]

So here's a quick question. Say someone showers every 3 or 4 days. How many times should you really wash rinse and repeat? What will happen if you rinse and repeat too many times? Now I'm not sure if this was a coincidence or not but a while back due to some reasons I didnt shower for 5 days and I washed rinsed and repeated 4 times and after my hair dried it felt so thin and looked so bad was this a coincidence?

That's a YMMV question.

I usually wash my hair about twice a week, and I wash twice, once with the prescription shampoo for controlling my seborrheic dermatitis, and then again with a shampoo that's a little less harsh and that smells nicer.

That being said, there are plenty of folks who wash on approximately the same wash schedule as I do who would lather up only once, and their hair does fine with that.

I think four times was probably a bit much, even with your hair being a bit overdue for a wash, especially given that your hair doesn't seem to have "liked" that.

[lapushka]

So here's a quick question. Say someone showers every 3 or 4 days. How many times should you really wash rinse and repeat? What will happen if you rinse and repeat too many times? Now I'm not sure if this was a coincidence or not but a while back due to some reasons I didnt shower for 5 days and I washed rinsed and repeated 4 times and after my hair dried it felt so thin and looked so bad was this a coincidence?

4 times is a bit... much. I wouldn't do that again. 2 times is more than enough, even if your hair is really oily.

[Nique1202]

Yeah, you don't have to wash and rinse once for every day you skipped washing, for sure. Just wash until it feels clean, whether that's once, twice, or more for particularly stubborn sebum.

[spidermom]

Most of the time, I wash once with diluted shampoo, even if it's been a week. That usually does it.

When it's time to clarify, I have been known to wash twice with full-strength shampoo, but only if my hair has been really limp and dull from buildup.

[callebest]

Lately I've been washing 3 times and after my hair dries it feels and looks thick and dense. Is 3 times ok?

[FennFire911]

My rule of thumb on this is to pay attention to the lather. If it lathers up really well on your first wash, I don't think you need to repeat. If the shampoo was a little flat the first time and didn't get lathery and bubbly then a second wash might be warranted.
For the life of me though I don't think it should take 4 washes. If you can work up a good lather you can be sure you're about as clean as you're going to get.

[Corvana]

I sometimes wash twice. I think it rounds out to being every other (weekly) wash that I lather up twice? But my shampoo is also diluted fairly heavily, so if I were to use full strength shampoo I wouldn't need to do it twice. I could up my dilution, but I like it as it is since there are times often enough when I need to only wash the once. And of course I always condition twice after, regardless of how many times I've washed. You didn't mention conditioner, but of course that doesn't mean you don't use it.

[Andthetalltrees]

My rule of thumb on this is to pay attention to the lather. If it lathers up really well on your first wash, I don't think you need to repeat. If the shampoo was a little flat the first time and didn't get lathery and bubbly then a second wash might be warranted.
For the life of me though I don't think it should take 4 washes. If you can work up a good lather you can be sure you're about as clean as you're going to get.

This is my idea too. I don't keep track but I do wash twice when my hair feels off or it doesn't lather as much

[meteor]

I think it depends. I'd imagine if you wash your hair every 4 or 5 days, lathering up once or twice should be more than enough unless the hair was pretty dirty (e.g. working in the garden, passing my construction area, etc...).

Personally, I lather up 3 times because don't I wash my length too frequently (most of my washes are Scalp-Only washes instead) and I have a lot of thickness and length to deal with, it never gets washed with one lathering alone, it really takes a while to even get all my hair wet in the shower.
But when I do my Scalp-Only washes in between, I lather up once or twice with diluted shampoo.

[Zesty]

I would just see how your hair responds, perhaps starting with just lathering up once. Then if you step it up and get better results with twice, do that. But I'd say keep it to the minimum unless your hair likes more, because it'll use up product slower and dry out your hair less.

I wash twice with full strength shampoo to control my flaky scalp (not officially diagnosed as anything). I use Suave daily clarifying first to cut the oil and allow my second shampoo to spread more easily, then use T-Gel and let it sit for a minute or so. However, I hold my length out of the way when I rinse so that it's not getting quite so stripped. That could also be an idea. I do find that washing twice lets me wash less frequently, both because it gets alllll the oil out and because my scalp doesn't get flaky and look terrible between washes.

[Anje]

Normally, I'd say just wash once. Maybe repeat if you didn't get any lather the first time, because all the surfactants were probably being used to dissolve the oils in your hair. I do advocate washing twice when clarifying, because the whole point is to get your hair cleaned of everything. But more than that is just inviting dryness. Remember, hair likes some oil and your scalp produces it to help lubricate and protect your hair.

[Jo Ann]

I wash mine once a week, occasionally once every ten days. My hair leans toward the dry side, but even using a non-SLS shampoo, I only wash once.

[valkyrie90]

Back when I used shampoo I always had to wash twice because my hair didn't lather well if I did just once. Now I always herb wash twice because I pre-oil my hair quite heavily , without pre-oiling , once is enough, otherwise my hair feels so dry. You don't have to wash more than once if your hair feels clean enough , over-wash causes dryness .

[PixieP]

Shampooing 3 times still sounds way too much to me, especially if you use full-strength shampoo! I don't see why you would need so many times? I washed yesterday; I had gone a week and a half without washing, and I had used dry shampoo. So my scalp was REALLY greasy, and had dry shampoo residue. I needed to shampoo 3 times when, but I use heavily diluted shampoo (50/50). I wet my scalp as best as I can, and used the first round of shampoo to help water penetrate, basically. I hardly got any lather at all. I then partially rinsed that out and applied a bit more shampoo, now I started getting some lather, but I could feel parts of my hair still wasn't properly wet. So I rinsed thoroughly and then did one more round of shampoo, to make sure all dry shampoo residue was gone. It is only the combination of over a week without washing + dry shampoo that ever warrants a need for 3 shampoos for me, and like I said, mine is heavily diluted. And I only shampoo the scalp; the lengths get some shampoo running down them and that's enough (I clarify once a month or so).

[lapushka]

Lately I've been washing 3 times and after my hair dries it feels and looks thick and dense. Is 3 times ok?

Why do you feel you have to wash 3 times at all? Can I ask? When my hair is quite dirty after a weeks' wear, I only wash it once, I rinse a tiny bit of the foam off, re-lather, and rinse; and that's all it needs.

[callebest]

To be honest I wash 3 times as the first one doesn't lather at all. Second one it does but I feel as if my hair is still slippery and oily so use a pea sized amount of shampoo and go for a third time until I feel my hair squeaking.

[lapushka]

To be honest I wash 3 times as the first one doesn't lather at all. Second one it does but I feel as if my hair is still slippery and oily so use a pea sized amount of shampoo and go for a third time until I feel my hair squeaking.

Are you wetting your hair with water first (fully saturated), then using enough shampoo? I have iii hair, and I put a glob on the back, a glob on the front and a glob /2 for my 2 sides. Then I suds every part separately until it forms a uniform foam.

No pea size, that's a myth!

[callebest]

Are you wetting your hair with water first (fully saturated), then using enough shampoo? I have iii hair, and I put a glob on the back, a glob on the front and a glob /2 for my 2 sides. Then I suds every part separately until it forms a uniform foam.

No pea size, that's a myth!

Yes, I actually read somewhere wet your hair by counting up to 120 seconds. Then I apply some shampoo to the back and add some to the palm of my hand rub them together and wash my hair. I'll do what you said from now on though.

[mira-chan]

Usually wash once, sometimes as needed (if there are absolutely no suds) I repeat.

[TatsuOni]

I'd say two times at most, but once might be enough. I CO-wash my hair every other week and only wash it once.

[Jo Ann]

In the past, if I didn't get enough lather, I'd add a bit more water to where my shampoo wasn't foaming--worked most of the time.

[callebest]

So in conclusion even though my hair is oily and shower every 3 days I should was my hair 2 times? The first one doesn't lather and then the second one lathers so thats it?

[lapushka]

So in conclusion even though my hair is oily and shower every 3 days I should was my hair 2 times? The first one doesn't lather and then the second one lathers so thats it?

Even one time should be enough, but if you feel more comfortable with washing twice, then it's not going to hurt, no. And every 3 days really isn't a long time.

Have you tried diluting shampoo, or is that something you say you don't want to do at all?

[lithostoic]

Before I started sectioned washing, I shampood twice. Now I only have to shampoo once because it reaches all my hair the first time.

[callebest]

Even one time should be enough, but if you feel more comfortable with washing twice, then it's not going to hurt, no. And every 3 days really isn't a long time.

Have you tried diluting shampoo, or is that something you say you don't want to do at all?

To be honest I don't wish to dilute. But ever single time in the shower the first time doesn't lather at all but second one it does. 3 times is too much yes?

[meteor]

To be honest I don't wish to dilute. But ever single time in the shower the first time doesn't lather at all but second one it does. 3 times is too much yes?

I think there is just no definitive way of answering that, because a lot depends on how conditioning the shampoo is (some are very mild and work more like conditioners, some are clarifying and there are lots in between), how thick and long the hair is, how dirty it got between washes (environment), how much product you use, how crispy clean and fluffy or smooth and heavy you like your hair to be post-wash, if you use any heavy pre-poo oils/masks or not, etc etc...

But I would say that if it doesn't lather the first time, the second time is going to be very helpful. Plus, if you notice any buildup or anything still left from before the wash, that's a good sign that another wash can help.

But really, it depends so much on your personal aesthetics (e.g. how fluffy you like hair to be), plus how long you want your showers to be, how much build-up vs. manipulation during washes that you are willing to tolerate... Hair can thrive on many routines really...

[Suze]

I put on shampoo, massage in and then get under the shower for 2 seconds an then it lathers a bit. Rinse it out and then apply shampoo again. Maybe you could try that?

[callebest]

Thank you everyone. I will definitely try what you have all suggested.

[Joyful Mystery]

I use a low lather almost no lather shampoo and I usually shampoo twice. No more than that.

[RottenMango]

Twice for “normal” dirty hair and three times for “extremely” dirty hair is the rule I use for my own hair.