Why you should wash your hair every day

A trichologist shares his thoughts on the topic

Beauty Crew Beauty Editor / August 25 2019

There is no topic that divides a beauty audience more than the ins-and-outs of hair washing. Some people prefer a squeaky clean feeling so they wash their hair regularly (i.e. every day). As for others, they prefer to stretch out their shampoo sessions to only once or twice a week, and keep their scalps clean in-between washes with the help of dry shampoo. 

It’s a topic that we’ve explored in depth previously ( in short, we’ve been told that we shouldn't wash our hair more than a couple times a week). We thought we had put the argument to rest… until we recently spoke to Anthony Pearce, a specialist integrative medicine trichologist, who advised us that we should actually wash our hair more regularly than we think. 

“I always say to people, [like] my clients, that you really should wash your hair every day, if not every second day,” says Pearce. “Particularly if you've been to the gym, or if you have an active lifestyle, or you've been to the chlorine pool, things like that. I wouldn't suggest to your grandmother that she should wash her hair every day, but if you're going to F45 every day, or you're going for a run or something, yes, you should wash your hair every day.”

We hear you - it goes against everything you’ve ever read about hair washing. Pearce recognises this: “there is a school of thought that you probably know: that you shouldn't wash your hair too much, because you'll wash the oils out,” he explains. “The reality is, the shampoos today, except for heavy tar-based treatment shampoos, they're all made to be used every day. You wash your face every day, and your scalp is just an extension of that."

Besides working up a sweat, there are other external factors that can influence the number of times a week you should wash your hair. “Certainly in urban areas, you get a build-up of urban pollution, environmental grime, and your own oils and perspiration, and they all interact and are likely to cause an irritated scalp.” He adds that an irritated, flaky scalp is one of the top signs that a person isn't washing their hair often enough.

If you’re still not on board with washing your hair every day and prefer to lean on the powers of dry shampoo, here are eight tips to get the best results from dry shampoo.

How many times a week do you wash your hair, and why? Tell us in the comments below. 

Main image credit: Getty

Iantha is BEAUTYcrew's Beauty Editor, and has been part of the team since the site launched in 2016. Besides pinky-nude nail polish and wispy false lashes, she has a healthy obsession with face masks and skin care ingredients. Her previous work can be found in Virgin Australia Voyeur, Women's Health, and SHOP Til You Drop.