How Often Should You Shampoo Your Hair?

When recently polled we found that the average woman of color shampoos their hair about every 2-3 weeks. We even found some, depending on their style choice of braids etc. are only shampooing between their 8-12 week  restyle. Those with shorter and more manageable hair, a few times a week to weekly. 

Some exclaiming that shampoo dries their hair out. Well in actually this may be a result of two things. Either you chose the wrong shampoo or your hair is actually dry and once it's cleansed it exposes the true condition of the strands, which is a sign that some corrective conditioning is necessary.

So what is the purpose of shampooing the hair?

1. To cleanse the hair and scalp, just as you would your body.
2. To treat the scalp.
3. Maintain scalp health and pH balance.

Many that shampoo less are more concerned with preservation of the style vs the hygiene of their scalp, understandably so when dealing with lots of texture that you can't manage yourself, but not cleansing your hair regularly can lead to scalp issues and eventually hair loss.

Your scalp can become a breeding ground for bacteria which is unhealthy for the scalp/skin causing the follicles to become clogged with sebum (natural oils) and any styling products of oils and gels added to the style. Clogged follicles can lead to miniaturization of the strands due to inability of the strand to get the proper blood and oxygen flow. Meaning the strands will decrease in size and production until corrected.

I had a young client, 40ish experiencing hair thinning, I saw her once a year. In one visit she explained how much she looked forward to seeing me for her annual wash and style. My jaw dropped, I asked her what did she do in between, she said she would wear the silk press for up to three months and then get braids a few times before the next year. Stunned, it explained why she had so much thinning and her hair required multiple shampoos to cleanse and still had a film on the hair. I explained to her the importance of hair hygiene but her response is that she doesn't have time deal with her hair and washing it was a chore. It saddened me.

So what would I recommend. My professional advice would be to clean your scalp no less than once a week. If you are active twice a week or even daily to reduce sweat build up which is acidic and can dry the hair out. Condition the hair to restore balance and deep conditioning every 3-4 weeks. 

If you wear braids for long periods of time you need to find a way to gently cleanse the scalp. You can try diluting shampoo in a applicator bottle with water 1 oz. of shampoo to 6 oz. of water, mix well and apply to scalp, gently massage in, let sit a few minutes to dissolve dirt and oils and rinse thoroughly. Apply a leave in spray conditioner like Replenish. In between braid styles deep cleanse scalp and hair and deep condition.

Choosing a conditioner that meets your need is key. 

• Clarity for deep cleansing (Use once a month or weekly if your swim.)
• Balance Wash moisture cleansing (Great for weekly use)
• Soothing Wash for itchy and dry scalp (Use twice a  week to weekly to control sebum build up and oily scalp.)
• Detox deep pore cleanser (Use once a month to remove build up and sebum in the follicle, reduce odor, and exfoliate the scalp.)

Allow follow with our Balance Conditioner, Soothing Conditioner, or Repair Duo to deep condition.