Hair washing - How often?

[MimiKeki]

Hey guys, I haven't been around lately. I was trying to forget about my hair for a while, so it could (hopefully) grow for awhile undisturbed :p

I was just wondering, how often do you wash your hair, and do you find this aids your growth rate?
Right now I wash my hair every day, I always have.. But I can't help but to notice that one of my friends who has waist-length beautttiful hair (my inspiration) washes her hair every other day, or sometimes every 2-3 days. When her hair starts getting oily, she'll just wear it tied back in a braid, and it still looks great.

Did any of you used to be like me, washing every day, and then decide to stretch it out a bit? Did you see an improvement in growth/health..?
I'm thinking to start experimenting by cutting back on washes.

[mellie]

I wash every day, and my growth rate is very good. I have very oily hair though, so when I try stretching out my washes, I feel greasy.

[Pixna]

I don't see any reason to wash hair daily unless you sweat profusely, have very oil hair and/or scalp, or do extremely dirty work (like dig ditches). I wash my hair every 3 to 4 days. When my hair was longer, I could go an extra day, but my scalp feels best with a shorter time in between washes. There are quite a number of people here who don't use shampoo, but my hair and scalp like it. However, I prefer to use only natural products without synthetics or chemicals.

There's no right or wrong way -- it's really what you prefer. Give it a try going longer between washes and see what you think!

[Ether_Drive]

With extremely thick, frizzy, dry, african american curly hair, I tend to stick to daily COs and weekly 'poos. Usually I wash on sundays, to prepare my hair for the week.

[Gingevere]

I've been washing my hair every 2-3 days for several years now. I wouldn't say it affects my growth rate directly, but overwashing leads to dehydration. Hair that's dry and brittle is weaker and more prone to environmental damage that has to be cut off. So in a way, I get more growth by washing my hair less often.

[HairColoredHair]

I wash about every week... twice a week if necessary.

It has helped keep my hair moisturized. :)

[Honey39]

I CO-wash my hair most of the time, and lately I've been doing it every other day, and the days I don't wash it, I soak the bottom half of my hair with water (after I've put some more conditioner on it), and then scrunch in the curl with paper towels to get it drier and frizz free fast.

I can CO-wash my hair every day, but because it's winter I can't be bothered to get up in time to wash it! But my hair really loves water more than anything, so it kind of works. I don't use a blow drier on it, and I rarely shampoo it - between 2 and 8 weeks.

My hair perks up a lot when I 'wash' it - it seems to get really dried out if I don't add water to it most days. I think it's just the hair type that you have, and mine goes frizzy when dry, but with daily water, it dries into loads of ringlets. The only question is - why did it take me to 40 to discover what my hair was like?????

[OhioLisa]

Washing frequency depends on the condition of your hair and scalp, so it's really an individual thing. It really doesn't have anything to do with growth rate.

[spidermom]

Here is what has helped hair growth the most:
1) trimming off all obvious damage
2) no more trimming

I do not believe that #2 would be working if I hadn't done #1. I once got 3/4 of an inch of growth over 4 months (with bad ends). Now I average 2/3 inch per month, and I wash my hair whenever I think it needs to be washed, which averages out to about every 2 days now that I'm working out every day. I alternate CO with CWC using diluted shampoo.

[Beatnik Guy]

I wash my scalp every 3 (or sometimes 4) days; I wash my length about monthly, depending how it is -- when I wash it this weekend it'll have been 6 weeks (and it's still fairly ok). Less washing will put the length under less stress, which may mean it sticks around longer.

[JamieLeigh]

I really have noticed a change for the better since I've stopped washing everyday...and even more since I've gone CO. My hair is really fine, so having shampoo on it every day, or even every 2-3 days really made my scalp dry, and created lots of fly-aways in my updos. :( Luckily, I found this site and have had so much helpful advice. Right now, I'm happy in my routine of CO twice a week, and I'm like your friend...if it's oily and it's not time to wash, I'll just braid it, or put it in an updo. :D

[CanadianGirl]

I wash my hair every 2 or 3 days.
My hair has always grown fairly well, so im not sure if it helps or not. :)

[aprilmay]

I am lazy about washing this time of year. I wash my hair twice then condition it about once a week. I am having a little bit of dandruff as a result which kind of grosses me out.

[atlantaz3]

I wash about every 4-5 days sometimes stretching to once a week especially in the winter if I can get away with an updo and deal with itchy scalp. But I really like fresh clean hair - who here doesn't?

[LadyLongLocks]

I wash about every 4 days. I would think that daily washing would be bad and cause a lot of wear and damage. I guess it would be ok for short hair which just keep getting trimmed off anyways, but for long hair, NO.

[mellie]

Just wanted to add that although I do wash every day, I do it with soapnuts, and the method that I use doesn't call for any friction or rubbing at all, so there is a lot less damage and shedding than I would have if I washed every day with regular shampoo.

[Addy]

I use to wash every day but have since cut back to one day a week on Saturdays and CO the rest of the week. I don't find it helps my growth but it is much softer in my personal opinion. :)

[Jeep Girl]

I CWC usually twice a week - usually Mondays and Thursdays. I lose much less hair in the shower than when I shampooed every day. (before joining the LHC when I didn't know any better) My hair is in much better condition also - softer and less tangly.

[HotRag]

I wash once a week.
I have washed once every twice weeks, but my scalp did NOT like that.

So I can't know if washing more often would change growing rate.
I think you can get the best growth from healthy scalp and good enough food.

If something can get your hair to grow unnormally fast, I always wonder "to what cost?". Most such things aren't "for free" if you know what I mean.

[Copasetic]

I have curly hair which can't be washed everyday. I just wash it whenever I feel like it needs it. It is usually every 2-3 days. Stretching out my washes has definitely improved the health of my hair, but I don't think it has made it grow any faster.

[EdG]

I used to wash daily prior to joining LHC. :o

I have since slowed down. In the summer, I wash every 2-3 days. In the winter, I have gone as long as a week between washes. My hair gets very greasy after three days. :)
Ed

[going gray]

Wash once I week, my hair is dry anything else would just be too much.

[Nera]

I wash my hair once a week.
I could easily go 2 weeks without washing. My hair and scalp are very dry.
This doesn't affect hair growth in any way, but it does prevent hair from falling out, a lot!

I used to wash once every 2 days, and always had bushes of hairs in my hands when fingercombing gently in the shower. Now when I fingercomb, it just stays where it belongs(:

And washing takes very long on my type of hair... Getting the product out is a hell of a job. Even though I like washing my hair; I avoid washing it a lot for environmental reasons.

[eaglefeather71]

For me there is a fine balance between healthy hair and healthy scalp. I stretch my washings as much as possible, and also use soapnuts, but as soon as my scalp starts feeling itchy, it's time to wash. This ends up being 2-3 times a week.

[Lamb]

With curly hair, I wouldn't be able to untangle it in the morning without rinsing and conditioning, and, since my scalp needs cleansing too, I do a daily CO. I use diluted shampoo once a week.

[Kirin]

I wash my hair in some fashion daily. The method may rotate, such as shampoo, a 2in1, or CO wash, but its washed. I find in my case, my hair growth rate is much improved with more frequent washing then when I tried to stretch them out or not wash at all.

[Iylivarae]

I wash twice a week. If I wash more often, my hair starts falling out in bunches, so I prefer being greasy sometimes to being bald in a year or two.

Some years ago I had to wash every day or sometimes even multiple times a day, for my hair was soo greasy. I started to stretch out the washes, and it feels a lot better now.

[BranwenWolf]

I have to wash daily or it looks like someone dumped a pot of Crisco on the top of my head. I tried going a day between washes but I feel so gross and it gets itchy.

[Denebi]

I wash every 4 days. A year ago, it was every 2 days. I don't think that it did affect my growth rate in any way. But my hair is a bit fragile, and washing means a lot of stress, so I try to stretch the interval even more. It hopefully improves my overall hair condition. Moreover, I hope to reduce hair loss a bit.

[newport]

I wash once a week. Usually no shampoo- just rinse and use good conditioner. Sometimes in the summer I will use a special shampoo that is very gentle if it is really hot and I have sweat alot. Other than that my hair is not oily so I do not have to shampoo other than to wash out products I use.

[Bene]

i wash my hair every 3-4 days. sometimes i think i can stretch it to a 5th day although i don't do that very often.

[AJoifulNoise]

I wash my hair 5-6 days a week. Sometimes 7 days. I CO most days, but use shampoo (cv bars or herbal essences) twice a week. I am able to skip a day after shampooing. But, even then I look like an oil slick by the end of the second day. I can't stretch any farther than that because my scalp goes nuts.

[Noctifer]

I co about twice a week, thow i think my hair can go whit out washing that often, its just pure lazynees that keeps me off trying to get longer inbetween

[Gothic Lolita]

I wash my hair 5-7 times a week, mostly with diluted shampoo. Occasionally I'll do a CO wash, which I like very much, but the only conditioner I can use for this isn't a herbal one and I like my herbal ones so much I won't miss them.
I can go up to 2 days without washing, but I don't feel well with this, because I work out daily, and sweat heavily.
Also, my length needs to be conditioned and my scalp to be cleaned or it get itchy and I'll scratch myself 'til I bleed.

[AJoifulNoise]

my scalp to be cleaned or it get itchy and I'll scratch myself 'til I bleed.

You're the first person I've seen say this other than me! It's kinda comforting to know I'm not the only one.

[neon-dream]

I wash every other day, sometimes once every three days depending on how my hair feels :)

[HeavyHenry]

Ditto everyother day :P Im getting worried lots of hair experts dont wash it as much :O but then again my hair is shorter than theirs :P after three days my hair makes me grumpy because of how it feels

[HotRag]

Also, my length needs to be conditioned and my scalp to be cleaned or it get itchy and I'll scratch myself 'til I bleed.


You're the first person I've seen say this other than me! It's kinda comforting to know I'm not the only one.
I had itchy scalp (scratched 'til I bled) before.
It got a bit better when stopping SLS, but the really good things has been egg wash and herb oil.
When I used soapnut, it itched, but were no sight of bleeding or eczema.

Can it be you have some small fungal infection or similar?
What I understand, one can go on having this without other than eczema and itch.

Also daily massage on scalp (with massage brush) made my scalp feel better. It scratched without beeing to harsh.

[Gothic Lolita]

HotRag: I'm using very diluted shampoo with coco sulfates, maybe that's the culprit. It got better the last month, I believe that's because I simply didn't wash that often overthe holidays.
I don't think it's a fungal infection, I've had this checked, but you're right: A massage really helps! I just believe that I've a sensitive scalp, just like my overall skin that's starts complaining when I go out of habit.

[Alu]

I also wash mine every other day now. For years and years I used to wash it every single day. I've been trying to cut back; especially since it's winter and my poor hair is drying up. I don't know about the growth, but my hair has certainly been feeling healthier. ._.

[Amara]

I've been noticing that I shed a LOT less each wash, now that I wash only once or twice a week. That's weird... since I wash/comb my hair less often, I should be seeing all those shed hairs when I do wash and it would look like more... make sense? But it's less. I seriously lose like 10 hairs a week now. Not sure if that's just the product of washing less, or other stuff too (I only finger comb as of a few months ago, for instance)

[HappyHair87]

I have relaxed AA hair and i co wash once or twice a week (except on the weeks i relax) and then i shampoo, condition and deep condish on Saturdays.

This method has helped me reach MBL!

[nostalgic]

In general I wash 3-4 times a week. Sometimes I will only do a CO or just an ACV rinse (I went for a long period of just doing bs/acv washings and then another period where I just did CO... long story). However, while I was on vacation for two weeks in January, I would shampoo, condition, and blow dry pretty much everyday :scared:and let me tell you; it's a struggle to wait every other day now to wash because I messed up my balance so badly!
Moral of the story: try to spread out your washings to at least every other day and try to use gentle products. If, after a few weeks, you still feel gross, I'd just go back to washing every day. You have to do what feels right for your scalp and your hair, but I'd say give stretching it out a try :)

[Rain76]

I have to wash daily or it looks like someone dumped a pot of Crisco on the top of my head. I tried going a day between washes but I feel so gross and it gets itchy.


You took the words right out of my mouth! I hate having this problem.

[Lillie]

I wash almost every day because I havevery oily hair and I do a lot of sports. If I dont't wash my hair, I feel awful. And I would rather have shorter hair than feeling like that. ;) So far, my hair doesn't show any damage from the washing though.

And my hair growth is quite normal, I guess.

[Picknickerin]

I wash my hair all 5-6 days. At the 5th day I often use powder for my hairline.:)

[bttrfly857]

Currently I do CWC day 1, CO day 2, CO day 3, repeat. I'm using cone free, sulfate free, just trying to see if I can stretch it out. My hair is very fine so you can see the grease immediately so washing just about every day is necessary.

[Naava]

Since I like to shower every day, I basicly wash my hair with shampoo evey other day and do CO every other. I have been thinking about trying to use shampoo only every third day, because my hair doesn't get oily that fast...

[Auryn]

Having switched to a sulfate free shampoo recently, I find myself only needing to wash about every 2-3 days. On days that I don't wash, I use a very light conditioner on the ends to keep the tangles at a minimum.

[AJoifulNoise]

I had itchy scalp (scratched 'til I bled) before.
It got a bit better when stopping SLS, but the really good things has been egg wash and herb oil.
When I used soapnut, it itched, but were no sight of bleeding or eczema.

Can it be you have some small fungal infection or similar?
What I understand, one can go on having this without other than eczema and itch.

Also daily massage on scalp (with massage brush) made my scalp feel better. It scratched without beeing to harsh.

It's only when I try to go too many days between washing. It happened with and without SLS shampoos and my scalp is incredibly clear, I don't think there's and fungal infection. If it's a fungal infection, then it's one I have had all my life.

Massaging just seems to make my scalp oil problem worse (and I hate touching it).

Honestly, I think it's just the joy of having a dry and oily scalp. You heard me right. It produces loootsa oil, but it's still dry and flaky (though, considerably less-so since I started using conditioner.

[aprilmay]

I am beginning to get that greasy look. It has been a week since I washed my hair. I have been sick and putting off most of my responsibilities. I like the feeling of my hair when it is clean so I don't think I could every be CO. Sometimes, I do just rinse and CO, but then wash later in the week.

[ShanStee]

I wash mine every two- three days. It is less brittle and dry that way. I also do not cut it cut as often

[cobblersmaid]

Back when I joined LHC, I washed daily. Now I only wash once a week, generally. Sometimes I will do it a bit more, maybe every five days. It causes less stress on my hair, and is good for being lazy. ;)

[Su]

I wash every 3 days, sometimes 4days.
I'm very happy about this. Just a few month ago I washed daily!

[aprilmay]

My hair tend to be dry. It starts to get snarled in the ends after awhile. Probably because things get stuck in it. After a week, it definitely shows signs of needing a wash and it starts to smell. Kind of gross.

[MimiKeki]

Thanks for all the replies, guys :D
I've been washing my hair every 2-3 days lately, and I'm really pleased with the results so far. I didn't think it would work for me, but it seems to be so far. If my scalp gets super oily, I've been using a little dry shampoo on the morning of the second day. I've also started wearing my hair up more, which makes things more manageable.
After a lifetime of washing my hair daily, I'm realizing that I really don't have to!

[Johanna64]

I used to wash my hair everyday because of my dandruff.
But now I wash my hair three times a week,on monday,wednesday and friday.
And everything is oké now :)

[MadPirateBippy]

Every three days- shampoo is so harsh on your hair and I don't have the time right now to CWC.

[Magicknthenight]

You're the first person I've seen say this other than me! It's kinda comforting to know I'm not the only one.
I've scratched my scalp till its bled. I know i know..but the left side of my head is really dry and itches something fierce sometimes! Then i shower and it stings..
Yea..trying to stop doing that but i've been known to in my sleep.
As for washing my hair i do it when ever i feel like it really. I try to stretch them out but if i want to feel clean i do scalp washes. However i don't go too long doing scalp washes. I like using conditioner. If i am in a hurry i just do a scalp wash. I usually CWC (with a deep conditioner afterwords recently) mostly. I sometimes CO but not very much for some reason...I guess because the vo5 makes my hair different then the A.O. in my cwc. I don't really have any set days. I do like to wash Sunday night before monday though. I mean..its Monday i need a pick me up! My hair gets really soft a little after washing. I would want to keep it that way but my scalp gets oily. After i shower its not quite as soft for a couple hours. Natural oils i guess. But its clean. Sometimes i just wash my bangs. I'm growing them out but might still cut them. I hate that they get oily fast but i dunno if i like the look without them. Or the little parting spot -.-
Wearing it up has really helped me extend washes. Having greasy hair up instead of around me. :)

[arabidbutterfly]

I am trying to stretch washings, but have only gotten to every other day so far :rolls eyes:
This is such a process

[GreenBliss]

I wash once a week. My hair seems to like that the most right now.

[Jessaka]

I was my hair every single day, sometimes twice a day. My hair gets so oily and I feel really disgusting when my hair is oily, especially near my roots.

[pdy2kn6]

i wash mine every 4/5 days if i can stretch it that long. I used to wash it every day./other day, but as it got longer i noticed the process of drying and washing was getting longer and the hair would become getting a bit dry if i would wash my hair length every day/other day. especially when its up all the time, there really seems little need to wash any more than 2 times a week for me.