Going a long time without washing your hair can cause a buildup of a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia on your scalp. Over time, this leads to a layer of dead skin cells that shed from your head in the form of oily, yellow-ish dandruff flakes. Dandruff can also make your scalp red, scaly, and itchy.
"The average individual can typically go 2 to 3 days without shampooing their hair. However, if your hair is visibly oily, you may not want to wait that long," she says. "Usually, you can go longer without washing your hair when your hair is styled up, but no one should ever go more than 14 days."
You might think it won't hurt, but washing your hair regularly is incredibly important for the health of your hair and scalp. "Shampooing removes sebum or oil that normally coats the hair shaft," says Brendan Camp, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York.
But you should wash it at least every two to three weeks to keep your scalp and hair clean and healthy.
“It is imperative that the scalp is cleaned on a regular basis. Infrequent hair washing leads to an accumulation of dirt, bacteria and fungus on the scalp. This can cause scalp discomfort in the form of dandruff, severe itching, or a fungal/bacterial infection that could require oral medication.
The bottom line is that dirty hair does not grow faster than clean hair, so you might as well have a clean scalp and fresh hair. Your hair will look better, feel better, and be healthier as a result.
When you don't wash your hair, oils may accumulate on your scalp. This can cause odor on the scalp and hair. If you use hair care products, these can also build up on your scalp and create odors, even if the products themselves smell good.
Prolonged periods of not washing can cause cause buildup on the scalp, damaging hair and even impeding its ability to grow, Lamb said. Grime from dirt, oil and hair product can show up within four to six days for people with finer, straighter hair.
If you wash your hair every day now, try going every other day for a week. Once your hair and scalp get used to that (usually about a week process) work on extending your wash by one more day and stay there until your scalp gets used to it again. You'll be able to tell by the amount of oil your scalp produces.
How often should a person wash their hair? 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.
Going a long time without washing your hair can cause a buildup of a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia on your scalp. Over time, this leads to a layer of dead skin cells that shed from your head in the form of oily, yellow-ish dandruff flakes. Dandruff can also make your scalp red, scaly, and itchy.
Water is effective at washing away dirt, dust, and other water-soluble debris from the hair and scalp without stripping the hair of this sebum. However, Mamelak notes that if there are other oils in the hair (from a haircare or styling product, for example), a good portion of these will be left behind as well.
shampoo can strip your hair of natural oils, and using heat products on your hair over and over again causes further damage and breakage, so washing your hair only once a week actually helps keep it in great condition.
"If your skin tends not to be dry, you could extend it to every other day or so." If you take it from a certified germ expert, though, you can skip showering for as long as you wish.
Dr. Khetarpal says no. “Even with daily exercise, you don't need to wash your hair daily.” She says it's more important to consider your hair type, texture and amount of oil production you usually experience.
Narrator: After six months to a year, all that gunk can clog up your hair follicles, which can prevent new hair from growing and, over time, ultimately lead to hair thinning or even hair loss. There's also a risk of your scalp getting infected from all the bacterial buildup.
The no-poo method involves forgoing shampoo containing detergents that strip your hair of its natural oils. Your hair won't smell, because you're still cleansing it. Research the best shampoo alternatives for you: water only, conditioner only, coconut oil, ACV and baking soda, or a no-poo product.
The primary reason that second and third-day hair is better has nothing to do with styling and has everything to do with hair health. Skipping a shampoo day lets your scalp relax, and it stops working overtime to produce protective oils. Your strands also breathe a sigh of relief and soak up that valuable sebum.
You'd smell
Unsurprisingly, a person would develop quite a funk after 365 showerless days. Rokhsar said your stench likely would come as a result of the bacteria and dead skin accumulating on you. After a year, he said, you'd have a build-up of skin stratum corneum, or dead skin on top of your skin.
You can check it by running your fingers along the scalp a few times and then smell your fingertips. Typically, there should be no fragrance at all. However, if you smell something unusual, pungent, or bad on your fingertips after brushing your hair, this implies you have a smelly scalp and hair.
“Shampoo less and your hair will be more hydrated,” they said, which helps promote thickness. “Be sure to use sulfate-free products to preserve your hair's natural oils.
If you've got oily hair, that oil can seep down onto your face — and cause pimples. Make sure you wash your hair each day to keep excess oil off of your forehead, face, and back to help prevent acne.
We'll cut straight to it: On average, hair grows at a rate of about half an inch per month, or six inches per year. Each hair on your head grows from an individual follicle.