At this point in life, you probably think you’ve figured out how frequently you should wash your hair. After all, you’ve been doing it your entire life. Although it seems like a simple task, you’d be surprised at how many wash their hair incorrectly. And while it largely boils down to personal choice, there are standards that apply for men with different lifestyles and hair types.
Too Much of a Good Thing?
Although people have different hair types, washing your hair too often will generally make one’s scalp produce more sebum. This is an oil secreted by the sebaceous gland to moisturize, protect and waterproof hair.
Excessive washing causes both your scalp and hair to dry out, which in turn triggers the release of more sebum. Your hair follicles end up being blocked by this greasy substance, resulting in infection and inflammation. The latter is known to negatively affect the hair growth cycle.
As sebum continues to accumulate on your scalp and harden with time, the pores ultimately get clogged up. In the long term, your hair will start to fall out faster during the hair growth cycle. Some guys wash so frequently that their hair eventually becomes very fizzy. Surprisingly, their day-after hair actually looks nicer when oil has sufficiently accumulated to tame the wild hair strands.
How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?
Well, in most cases, washing your hair twice a week would be okay. Within a month or so, your scalp will adjust accordingly and not produce as much oil. Hair that is curlier and thicker will generally need less-frequent cleaning than finer hair.
That being said, your lifestyle also determine how frequently you should wash your hair. Washing twice a week might not be a good idea for someone who works out every day. If this is the case for you, rinsing your hair thoroughly with warm water and massaging using a light conditioner will effectively eliminate sweat and oil.
Overall, you shouldn’t think of your hair as a chalkboard that needs to be wiped clean each time you step into the shower. Instead, think of it as a plant that requires attention and nutrition. Reducing your use of shampoo will not only reduce breakage and take care of frizz, but also make your hair look healthier and more vibrant.
What if the Damage is Already Done? – How To Fix It
When you first notice issues like dandruff, frizzy hair or even a receding hair line, your fist instinct may be to wash more often in an attempt to maintain the integrity of your hair. But this is a bad idea, since it will only cause more damage and, eventually, hair loss.
Your best bet would be to look for products that can undo the damage caused by excessive hair washing, prevent further shedding and stimulate growth. Contrary to what most would assume, you don’t need a doctor’s prescription to obtain any of these products. In fact, you can find many off the counter at most pharmacies and online.
Rogaine for Men
This is not only Amazon’s best seller in hair treatments, but also the number 1 brand recommended by dentists. This user-friendly foam is an effective solution for stimulating hair growth that contains Minoxidil. The latter is an FDA-approved hair loss medication for men.
So how does it work? Basically, Rogaine prolongs the growth phase of one’s hair, in addition to revitalizing hair follicles to make them thicker and fuller. About 90% of those who participated in clinical trials noticed positive results, and the product has outstanding reviews from a large number of users. If you use it consistently and as per the manufacturer’s instructions, you should notice hair regrowth in about 2 months.
Infinite Growth
With outstanding online ratings, this is an effective hair regrowth solution that contain powerful natural ingredients. The easy-to-use serum can ease inflammation, stimulate hair regrowth and strengthen hair follicles.
According to the manufacturer, this natural and drug-free product will effectively restore damaged hair without causing any harmful side effects. Infinite Growth comes in a user-friendly spray bottle and is meant to be applied once a day, over a period of 5 weeks.
StriVectin
StriVectin is a foaming treatment that strengthens existing hair strands to minimize hair loss caused by breakage. The product utilizes patented formulations to nourish hair and scalp, thus encouraging natural anchoring of hair follicles.
The company claims that with every application, StriVectin restores the vitality of one’s hair, while strengthening and thickening hair follicles. For use, one should massage 2-3 pumps of the product onto damp or dry hair at least once a day.
Unless you work in a dusty environment or have been pushing yourself really hard at the gym, you don’t have to wash your hair every day. The general rule of thumb is at least once every 3 days or so. If you;re used to an everyday wash, this may sound strange at first. Within a few weeks, however, you’ll find yourself with healthy-looking hair, and with more free time as well.
