Does clean scalp help your hair grow better?

[Priska]

One woman told me that her hair was growing better when she washed it everyday with shampoo, and after stretching washing times and possibly also after starting to wash her hair with conditioner her hair growth got slowlier. Then I googled something about this and I found a few more experiences about how hair is healthier when it's washed frequently with shampoo. And a few days ago I also experienced something that I had previously read from here: after long time I washed my hair with shampoo (sulfate free) (and after that of course conditioned it) and after that my hair was really shiny and healthy looking! I'm almost confused because there's so much to learn about hair care 😅 But I'd like to know if some of you here have noticed that your scalp & hair & hair growth benefits from frequent shampoo washing? My hair has got better after learning much from here, but still if I can find something that boosts my hair growth and reduces shedding I'm happy. Also I found some threads here about how oils can cause shedding for some reason and some people have same problem with conditioners on scalp. That makes me think if I should go back to using (sulfate free) shampoo... (and next I'll learn that shampoo can cause shedding.. ;) )

[momof3mary]

One woman told me that her hair was growing better when she washed it everyday with shampoo, and after stretching washing times and possibly also after starting to wash her hair with conditioner her hair growth got slowlier. Then I googled something about this and I found a few more experiences about how hair is healthier when it's washed frequently with shampoo. And a few days ago I also experienced something that I had previously read from here: after long time I washed my hair with shampoo (sulfate free) (and after that of course condotioned it) and after that my hair was really shiny and healthy looking! I'm almost confused because there's so much to learn about hair care 😅 But I'd like to know if some of you here have noticed that your scalp & hair & hair growth benefits from frequent shampoo washing? My hair has got better after learning much from here, but still if I can find something that boosts my hair growth and reduces shedding I'm happy. Also I found some threads here about how oils can cause shedding for some reason and some people have same problem with conditioners on scalp. That makes me think if I should go back to using (sulfate free) shampoo... (and next I'll learn that shampoo can cause shedding.. ;) )

Mine seems to. Granted I've had short hair for many years, but when I'm not washing everyday my hair will fall out more and the growth seems way slower. I think though that it's unique to each individual. My children get by with once a week shampooing and their hair grows very fast and never looks dirty or thin. Their father was the same way when we were together.

[akurah]

A healthy scalp helps your hair grow better. That doesn't necessarily translate to washing daily. For some people it does. For others, washing daily could even be harmful. It varies from person to person. I generally wash when my hair is greasy enough to annoy me, this is anywhere from once a week to once every two weeks.

Washing hair, especially long hair, is sometimes a tricky proposition. It can be delicate and should be treated like old lace, which means daily washing isn't great for the length of it either. This is why there are techniques for scalp-only washes. So whatever you read about hair being healthier when it's washed frequently is absolute bunk, probably propagated by hair dressers and shampoo vendors. For some people, this works fine, even great, but it's not universal. And the longer your hair gets, the more problematic it can become, because if your hair is knee length for example, that hair might be 7 or 8 years old at the ends, and much more fragile than your roots.

Also, do not take what anyone says as gospel (like what that lady said). It is different for everyone, which is why it can take a long time for a person to find what works for them.

[Solovey]

I don't think it necessarily grows quicker. But if I stretch washes past every 2-3 days I shed more(lost nearly an inch in pony circ after doing it for several months) and my hair length gets drier thus breaks easier. So for me to have healthy hair I do have to wash it every other day(sometimes everyday in summer)

[BleachedBerry]

Not for me. as long as I brush and comb daily to remove shed hairs. Though it may be beneficial for some to wash daily my hair and scalp would hate me.

[lapushka]

I don't think it necessarily grows quicker. But if I stretch washes past every 2-3 days I shed more(lost nearly an inch in pony circ after doing it for several months) and my hair length gets drier thus breaks easier. So for me to have healthy hair I do have to wash it every other day(sometimes everyday in summer)

It is quite normal to shed more when wash day draws nearer. Just FYI.

[Liz_H]

A healthy scalp makes a big difference, even in thickness of hair growth. My scalp just wasn't quite right, sort of irritated and itchy with some buildup. Nothing terrible, just noticeable to me. I tried a tea tree oil shampoo and it made all the difference. It felt better, and when I rubbed my scalp with my fingertips, it felt smoother and cleaner. I don't know why the tea tree shampoo cleared up the problem and a sulfate shampoo didn't. I guess I needed the antifungal or antibacterial action even though I didn't have any dandruff.

[thatsideoflife]

This is an interesting question! I am curious what other have to say. I think I would agree with the "healthy" scalp comments. In my experience, a build up of product on my scalp does seem to clog follicles and slow hair growth. But I have gone many months without shampoo (water only method) and noticed more than satisfactory hair growth. So my experience would be foreign matter (dust, dirt, product build up, etc.) WILL slow growth, but natural hair oils from a reasonably healthy scalp can only help (i.e. stretching washes). But for me personally, slower hair growth could be from a number of things.

[Solovey]

It is quite normal to shed more when wash day draws nearer. Just FYI.

I was talking about a overall decrease in thickness over more sheds on wash day. When I started washing my hair more frequent again I had a ton of new growth and my ponytail circumference increased that I had apparently lost stretching washes. I have scalp issues that got really bad so I think that contributed to the shed from not washing.

[sipnsun]

I've had to change up my routine recently after having followed the same one for about 2 years. I was shampooing once per week (sulfate/silicone free) and had to up it to 2-3 times per week and cut way back on oiling because I started shedding terribly and hit a growth stall. I'm not sure why my schedule no longer worked for me but I think this proves at least for me personally, that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to hair care. Kat's signature says it best; if it works for you, it's right. If not, then it's wrong (or something along those lines) :-)

[lapushka]

I was talking about a overall decrease in thickness over more sheds on wash day. When I started washing my hair more frequent again I had a ton of new growth and my ponytail circumference increased that I had apparently lost stretching washes. I have scalp issues that got really bad so I think that contributed to the shed from not washing.

Oh yikes. So sorry to hear that. Stretching is not for everybody.

Myself, I stretch a day, day or two past it going a tad oily. And that is the most I can stretch. Also have SD, seborrheic dermatitis, so I would rather not mess with that too much. And I do notice hair is coming out more the last 2 days, but yeah, I'd rather keep it 7 days, because it's much more convenient for me.

If you have stubble though from this, or circumference changes...? First I have ever heard of it. Now I wonder what my hair would do if I wash every 5 days. LOL! No no, lapush, let's keep it real. :lol: ;)

[missmelaniem]

Echoing others I’d agree it really depends on the person. Some people almost never wash their hair and their scalp is perfectly healthy. I’m kinda in between. I am using little to no product in my hair and can stretch washes to once a week. Sometimes I will take baby wipes and “wash” it that way to get surface dirt out and then use a serum after. It just depends on my mood my hair and time.

[MusicalSpoons]

So whatever you read about hair being healthier when it's washed frequently is absolute bunk, probably propagated by hair dressers and shampoo vendors. For some people, this works fine, even great, but it's not universal.

The only possible element of truth I can think might be in this is if people use lots of products including on their roots, such as heat protectant, shine spray, salt spray, hairspray, daily dry shampoo, whatever else the industry makes people think they need. Then I can imagine frequent washing would be required to remove the gunk! But for people who leave their scalps mostly alone, the only factor would really be how often it needs washing due to oiliness.

Incidentally my scalp is oily, my hair looks greasy by the end of day 2, but it hated being washed that frequently! Now I don't need to look presentable very often I mostly just wash when my scalp tells me it needs it, which is working out to be around every two weeks, give or take half a week. It can tolerate the occasional scalp wash in between, but starts complaining if scalp washes (i.e. additional washes) become regular.

[Dark40]

I also think it grows better or faster with frequent washing too. I used to frequently use shampoo with sulfates in it off and on for many years, and it helped my hair to be healthier and grow healthy. I have also learned that stretching washes does cause hair fall or shedding if you wait too long to wash it. That's why I've changed my washing routine to once or twice a week for tthe winter months. Or, every 3 or 4 days. Then, for the spring and summer months I'm either washing 3 times a week or everyday.

[akurah]

The only possible element of truth I can think might be in this is if people use lots of products including on their roots, such as heat protectant, shine spray, salt spray, hairspray, daily dry shampoo, whatever else the industry makes people think they need. Then I can imagine frequent washing would be required to remove the gunk! But for people who leave their scalps mostly alone, the only factor would really be how often it needs washing due to oiliness.

Incidentally my scalp is oily, my hair looks greasy by the end of day 2, but it hated being washed that frequently! Now I don't need to look presentable very often I mostly just wash when my scalp tells me it needs it, which is working out to be around every two weeks, give or take half a week. It can tolerate the occasional scalp wash in between, but starts complaining if scalp washes (i.e. additional washes) become regular.

That is absolutely a fair point. I was trying to communicate for some people it works, but not for everyone, so as a rule it's bunk, but it sounds like I got the phrasing wrong.

[Kat]

A healthy scalp helps your hair grow better. That doesn't necessarily translate to washing daily. For some people it does. For others, washing daily could even be harmful. It varies from person to person. I generally wash when my hair is greasy enough to annoy me, this is anywhere from once a week to once every two weeks.

Washing hair, especially long hair, is sometimes a tricky proposition. It can be delicate and should be treated like old lace, which means daily washing isn't great for the length of it either. This is why there are techniques for scalp-only washes. So whatever you read about hair being healthier when it's washed frequently is absolute bunk, probably propagated by hair dressers and shampoo vendors. For some people, this works fine, even great, but it's not universal. And the longer your hair gets, the more problematic it can become, because if your hair is knee length for example, that hair might be 7 or 8 years old at the ends, and much more fragile than your roots.

Also, do not take what anyone says as gospel (like what that lady said). It is different for everyone, which is why it can take a long time for a person to find what works for them.

Pretty much all of this. I always say, beware of anyone who says that one product or method or approach is good/not good for everyone. Unfortunately, you just need to experiment. What someone else tells you to do might not work for your hair-- you should always follow what works for your hair, not what someone else says you should do. I've seen so many people here say "I was told not to use this product/I should wash this frequently, but when I use the product or when I wash with a different frequency, my hair feels so great. But I keep not using the product or washing with the frequency I was told because that's what someone said I have to do even though I hate the state of my hair when I do it."

Hair care is evidence-based, for what works for you, not someone else. If it works, it's good. If it doesn't work, it's not good. The fact that a different person may have an experience that is completely the opposite has nothing to do with what works for you.

[Priska]

Yes... shampoo washing seems to be my thing right now. Today I shampooed my hair twice and it shines like crazy. Even though little time ago I said here it doesn't help me. Well of course shampooing alone doesn't help anything but combined with good conditioning yes. But I see I'm talking about many different things here, hair growth rate, shedding levels and healthy/shiny hair. But I guess shampooing has something to do with these all right now... to me it looks that my hair gets tired with any treatment that I keep doing long time and I must change it regularly.

But maybe I finally found an answer to a mystery that has stayed in my memory... before I was going to swimming hall and I remember how I wondered how my hair shined after swimming and I wondered if it was the chlore that made my hair shine. But maybe it was just that then I washed my hair only with shampoo and didn't make any weird mixtures that I made at home and maybe that was what my hair then needed.

[MusicalSpoons]

That is absolutely a fair point. I was trying to communicate for some people it works, but not for everyone, so as a rule it's bunk, but it sounds like I got the phrasing wrong.

Oh I didn't mean to imply that, not at all; I was kind of musing on it rather than intending to contradict, my apologies for it coming across wrong. Certainly for the majority of us here, the one-size-fits-all advice from the hairdressing industry tends to be completely irrelevant!

[linnepinne]

I started washing daily during this year. Up until now, my hair was shorter and I tried to stretch washes to every other or every third day. But eventually, I just gave up. I was tired of always feeling like a greasy mess. When I started daily washing I noticed a definite growth spurt. Not sure If it was just temporary, like if my dirty scalp was holding my growth back and it had a short spurt when my scalp got healthier, or if my hair keeps growing faster still.

I won't go back to washing more seldom to try and find out though :p

[Death-Within-Me]

Aha, this is the thread for me. I can write a whole journal about my journey with the whole "stretching washes" vs "frequent washes" controversial topic. :D See signature.

But this definitely seems to be truly a case of YMMV.

For years, I was shamed by friends, media, and random people telling me that washing your hair frequently was "bad" and that it strips the natural oils off your hair - that if you "trained" your hair for a bit, you can stretch out your washes without making your head overly greasy.

So I've done it all for years. From washing every 2-3 days to trying to go for a week.

There was only one thing I learned from all that.

That I regret forcing myself to "train" at all.

It made NO healthier difference...Other than making me have to tolerate a forever oily head that did not reduce its greasiness whatsoever, more buildup and believe it or not, DRYER hair when I washed it less frequently therefore more breakage.
Oh and of course, flatter hair with no volume.

Fast forward some time later when I got smarter and frankly, stopped listening to people unless they were well informed about the science of hair (ala r/haircarescience on reddit.)
I also researched more about my own culture where EVERYDAY washing was normal and expected in East & Southeast Asia.

And those who know us know that Asian women have...Our signature, beautiful, sleek, black hair. No one was going bald or brittle from daily washing with few exceptions.

I finally went back to daily washing WITH sulfates and silicones -> 2 products that are consistently demonized and misinformed about.
And then boom. My hair grew faster, healthier, shinier and thicker. Contrary to popular belief, I did not suffer from overproducing oils from frequent washing. My hair was finally happy and in its normal state.

Of course, the head massages in and out of the shower helped with the growth a bunch too.


This was long, but long story short, yes. A clean, everyday, washed scalp works for me. Maybe it will for you too?

[linnepinne]

Aha, this is the thread for me. I can write a whole journal about my journey with the whole "stretching washes" vs "frequent washes" controversial topic. :D See signature.

But this definitely seems to be truly a case of YMMV.

For years, I was shamed by friends, media, and random people telling me that washing your hair frequently was "bad" and that it strips the natural oils off your hair - that if you "trained" your hair for a bit, you can stretch out your washes without making your head overly greasy.

So I've done it all for years. From washing every 2-3 days to trying to go for a week.

There was only one thing I learned from all that.

That I regret forcing myself to "train" at all.

It made NO healthier difference...Other than making me have to tolerate a forever oily head that did not reduce its greasiness whatsoever, more buildup and believe it or not, DRYER hair when I washed it less frequently therefore more breakage.
Oh and of course, flatter hair with no volume.

Fast forward some time later when I got smarter and frankly, stopped listening to people unless they were well informed about the science of hair (ala r/haircarescience on reddit.)
I also researched more about my own culture where EVERYDAY washing was normal and expected in East & Southeast Asia.

And those who know us know that Asian women have...Our signature, beautiful, sleek, black hair. No one was going bald or brittle from daily washing with few exceptions.

I finally went back to daily washing WITH sulfates and silicones -> 2 products that are consistently demonized and misinformed about.
And then boom. My hair grew faster, healthier, shinier and thicker. Contrary to popular belief, I did not suffer from overproducing oils from frequent washing. My hair was finally happy and in its normal state.

Of course, the head massages in and out of the shower helped with the growth a bunch too.


This was long, but long story short, yes. A clean, everyday, washed scalp works for me. Maybe it will for you too?


YES! I "trained" my hair for over a year, and the most I could go between washes was 4 days (and my hair was oily and felt horrible for 3 out of those 4 days), I learned to sort of hide the oil with updos, but mostly I just trained my tolerence for having horrible hair, haha. I feel so much better now. I LOVE having clean, shiny, bouncy, conditioned and moisturized hair! :joy:

[squirrrel]

Interesting…. For me, how often I wash comes down to how my hair looks: I tend to need some sebum or it just doesn’t stay where it’s put, the amount of damage I get from washes compared with leaving it: I am learning better but washes and brushing head upside down involve moving hair and that equals more tangles and sometimes breakage, and how lazy I’m feeling at the time. The middle reason is the only thing that has any real impact on hair health for me beyond going the other way and not making sure that my scalp can breathe by clearing off the sebum regularly by scritching enough.