"Most people with fine hair need to shampoo fairly often as oil and debris will weigh down the hair and make it look flat and greasy," explains expert trichologist Michelle Blaisure, "so usually every other day you will need to shampoo." Despite what's trending in hair talk, thin hair needs a more frequent cleanse.
“People with fine hair should be shampooing three to four times a week, and using conditioner only one to two times a week,” he says. Oropeza also emphasizes the importance of how to condition by recommending that we always steer clear of the scalp and stick to the ends.
Fine or thin hair: "Fine hair will need to be shampooed as often as every other day to provide it with the moisture it needs to flourish and grow," Courtney says. Cleansing also helps remove buildup and oils that can weigh fine or thin hair down.
"Those who have thin or fine hair, exercise, and sweat during the day—or those who live in a very humid place—should be shampooing their hair daily," Dr. Chen says. "Those with thicker hair, and those with a dryer scalp, can go a few days without washing their hair."
Fine hair doesn't need a lot of shampoo and you'll be washing money down the drain otherwise. Literally. "Do not apply the shampoo directly onto your scalp," Fekkai cautions. Instead, first work the shampoo into a lather in your hands, and then massage into your scalp only before rinsing with a flash of cold water.
"People with naturally fine hair tend to get greasy hair faster than those with other hair textures," explains Kingsley. "This is because individuals with fine hair have more hairs per square centimetre - and each hair has a sebaceous (oil) gland attached to it. As a result, the scalp produces more oils."
How Much Should You Wash? For the average person, every other day, or every 2 to 3 days, without washing is generally fine. “There is no blanket recommendation. If hair is visibly oily, scalp is itching, or there's flaking due to dirt,” those are signs it's time to shampoo, Goh says.
Your Hair Can Look Thinner
For some folks, going a day or two without shampoo results in gloriously thicker and voluminous hair. But for others — especially those with fine hair — even just a touch of excess oil can have quite the opposite effect.
Hair Washing Frequency and Tips
“I recommend washing your hair two to three times a week,” Dr. Icecreamwala says. “If your hair is dry, you may only want to wash it twice a week. If it is on the oilier side, every other day is recommended.”
"With more natural oils lubricating the hair [from water-only washing], the hair shafts glide over each other, leading to less tangles." Skipping shampoo also allows for the hair's sebum to distribute throughout, and this may make hair appear more shiny and less frizzy.
"Density is always a differentiating factor—fine hair means the strand of hair is smaller in diameter, while thin hair means there's simply fewer strands of hair growing, no matter how thick." Simply put, fine hair comes down to the thickness (or lack thereof) of each hair strand, while thin hair is related to the ...
It's tempting to cling to long hair like a security blanket. However, the most flattering lengths for fine or thin hair are shoulder-length or shorter, no matter your age. It removes enough weight to give your mane a boost of fullness at the ends, and it makes it much easier to add volume to the roots.
Can You Shampoo Fine Hair Daily? You've likely heard it's terrible to cleanse hair daily. However, most of our experts agree that it's safe to wash hair daily with a mild shampoo (if you have dry hair, you can go as long as a week without washing). If you can wait a day between shampoos, do it.
Can thin hair become thicker again? A person cannot change the texture of their hair. However, the hair may grow back after chemotherapy or pregnancy, for example.
Amongst the many myths that persist around hair washing, the most common one is that over-shampooing leads to hair fall. In reality, it is not the practice of washing your hair, but the chemical-based shampoo you use that may make your hair dry and brittle, eventually leading to hair fall.
Why Greasy Hair Looks Thin. According to hair expert Jean Will of NiaWigs, an oily scalp makes your hair look thinner because a buildup of excess oil at the base of your hair follicles causes strands to clump together. “Greasy hair looks thin because of its oily look,” she said.
People with oily hair or who use hair care products daily should consider washing their hair once every 1–2 days. People with dry hair can wash their hair less frequently. Those with textured or coily hair should only wash it once every 1–2 weeks.
The day after washing, that natural oil (called sebum) that we washed away starts to come back adding softness to our tresses. Sebum also helps to balance the pH levels of your scalp preventing your hair from dryness and breakage.
There's no single right answer to how many days you can get by without washing your hair. This comes down to your lifestyle, hair texture, and hair type. For many, two to three days is the most. However, by day five you should definitely give your strands a good wash.
If you're planning to visit the salon to get your colour done and are wondering whether or not to wash your hair prior to your appointment, Gareth advised showing up with hair that is "not too clean, but definitely not greasy" is the sweet spot - and explained why arriving with greasy hair is a big no-no.