To Shampoo or Not Shampoo: Finding the Right Balance for Daily Shampooing

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Whether you should shampoo daily depends on a number of factors, said Dr. Murad Alam, vice chair of the department of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Among them, he said, are your hair’s texture, how oily it gets, how processed it is, your lifestyle habits and your age. Shampoo cleanses your scalp and hair by removing environmental contaminants like dirt and pollen, as well as dandruff, sweat and hair-care products.

It also dissolves sebum, an oily, waxy substance produced by the sebaceous glands near your hair follicles. Sebum keeps your scalp from becoming too dry, said Dr. Rosemarie Ingleton, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, and protects the skin from infection. But if sebum builds up, she said, it can cause problems.

When to wash daily

Using shampoo every day, Dr. Alam said, can be the right choice for people with oilier scalps where sebum can accumulate, making the hair limp, greasy and possibly smelly.

Those with fine hair, Dr. Alam said, may also find that it becomes greasy more quickly, because there is less hair to absorb the oil. For them, a daily lather may be warranted.

Daily washing may also be needed, Dr. Alam added, if you frequently use products such as gels or hair sprays, which can build up on your scalp and cause irritation — or even hinder hair growth by clogging the hair follicles. When to avoid daily shampooing

Not all hair textures can tolerate a daily wash, Dr. Ingleton said, including curly or coily hair, which may dry out, become brittle or break if washed daily or even every couple of days. If you’re Black, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends washing your hair every week or every other week.