If you’re worried about hair loss, washing your hair can become a source of dread. You might notice a lot of hair shedding when you shower and want to avoid the activity altogether. Seeing hair come out in your hands or clogging the drain can feel alarming, and you might think you should limit how often you wash your hair to prevent further loss. Let us put your mind at ease by clearing up a few things.
The good news is that washing your hair often is actually good for your hair. However, washing your hair less frequently won’t slow or stop the hair loss process. Luckily, there are steps you can take to keep your hair healthy and help slow the rate of hair loss.
What counts as over showering?
How often you should wash your hair depends on a few factors, like your lifestyle or your hair type.
If you have an active lifestyle, maybe you have a physical job or you hit the gym a few times a week, you will probably need to wash your hair more often. If your hair looks visibly dirty or feels itchy, it’s time to wash it.
Your hair type also plays a role. If you have fine hair, you might find your hair looks greasy more quickly than your friends with thicker hair and might need to wash your hair every day to clean the build-up of oils.
If you are blessed with thick hair, you have more surface area for natural hair oils to distribute across. “Thicker” hair does not refer to the amount of hair, but the thickness of the hair shaft itself. Hair experts recommend washing 2-3 times a week for these hair types, rather than daily. Those with afro-textured hair may only need to wash their hair once a week and focus especially on using conditioning products.
There’s no one size-fits-all rule. For some, washing your hair everyday might be unnecessary and lead to dryness. For others, washing too infrequently might lead to greasy and dull hair.
How does showering too much affect hair loss?
Our medical director, Dr Knut Moe, advises there is no real evidence to suggest washing your hair everyday causes hair loss, but showering is the time you are likely to notice the most hair shedding.
There are 3 phases in the hair cycle: growing, resting, and shedding. This means it is normal to lose 80-100 hairs a day. Showering dislodges hairs which were ready to fall out anyways, so if you shower less often, you might notice more hair coming out at once. But this hair was ready to fall out anyways, and showering gives it that last nudge it needed.
A study of 1,500 men and women found that those who washed their hair more frequently reported healthier, less dry hair, with fewer flakes and less breakage. The study compared groups who washed their hair once a week to those who washed daily, and found washing more often was overall beneficial to scalp health.
Why is over showering bad for your hair (beyond hair loss)?
Shampooing is necessary to clear away dirt, sebum and pollutants that naturally build up on the scalp so the hair follicle can thrive. Letting sebum and dead skin cells build up on the scalp can clog hair follicles and potentially affect hair growth. On the other hand, over-washing may strip away the hair’s natural oils and lead to dry hair that is more prone to breakage.
Constant shampooing can have a drying effect on the scalp too and cause excessive flakiness and itchiness. If you are experiencing male pattern baldness, maintaining the overall strength and quality of your hair and scalp can contribute to slowing hair loss down and improving the appearance of your hair so it is important to find a routine that works for your hair type and lifestyle, as well as using the right products.
3 tips to look after your hair when showering
Avoid using water that is too hot or heat-styling tools
Heat breaks the protein in hair, which can make the hair more vulnerable to damage and breakage. You can use heat-protectant products to help protect the hair from damage when using hot tools, or simply turn down the temperature of the shower by a few notches.
Opt for gentle and nourishing products
These shouldn’t use harsh cleansing agents or harmful chemicals. Our Shampoo and Conditioner are formulated with hair strengthening ingredients. Both contain Saw Palmetto, which is a proven DHT blocker, so using regularly can help reduce the levels of DHT on the scalp and protect against its negative impact.
Sons Shampoo also contains caffeine, glycerin and vitamin B3, which all contribute to overall hair health and thickness. Sons Conditioner uses argan oil and biotin to moisturise and strengthen, protecting hair against breakage.
Find a routine which works for your hair type and lifestyle
Strike the right balance between washing enough to keep your scalp clean and healthy without over-drying your hair.
By Erin Flanagan Heviken - Sons aftercare team
All of our blog articles are reviewed by our Medical Director before publication.
