When it comes to advice on how to care for your hair, you will find no shortage of it on the internet. The internet is chock full of infinite words of wisdom regarding everything from the best techniques for shampooing your hair to how often you should dye your hair to what products you should use to nourish dry, brittle hair back to life. It makes sense, then, that the internet has a lot to say about daily shampooing and hair loss. What do the keyboard warriors have to say and, more importantly, what do the professionals have to say? Does daily shampooing cause hair loss?
Frequent Hair Washing and Hair Loss: The Myth Debunked
It’s commonly touted by individuals with thick hair and hairdressers alike that thick hair is the result of infrequent washings. You may have heard a friend or two with luscious locks pronounce, with false modesty, that they only wash their hair twice a week. You, on the other hand, need to wash at least every other day, and you wonder if that may contribute to your limp strands. Rest assured, the frequency of your hair washing has nothing to do with the thickness of your hair.
Not only does frequent hair washing not cause your strands to fall out, but it actually keeps your hair soft, subtle and hydrated. Despite popular misconceptions, it’s not the natural oils in your hair that keep your hair hydrated, but rather, the water combined with a shampoo that is designed for your hair type. For you, that shampoo may be something a little more sophisticated than your average OTC shampoo, such as Revita, an advanced hair care product that stimulates hair growth.
It’s also important to note that daily hair loss is completely normal. In fact, the average person loses 80 to 100 strands of hair per day. Shampooing doesn’t trigger hair loss. It just dislodges hairs that have already fallen out.
The Benefits of Shampooing Daily
Unless you have dry, brittle hair, the benefits of shampooing daily far outweigh the risks. In addition to getting rid of those pesky loose strands, shampooing daily primes your hair for new hair growth. Your hair follicles are in a constant cycle of growth, rest and falling out. By washing away the already dead hairs, you can ensure your scalp is easily able to move onto the next phase of the hair lifecycle: Regeneration.
Many people also find it more reassuring to wash daily rather than every other day or, in extreme cases, once or twice a week. Remember, you’re already losing 80 to 100 hairs a day. If you only wash twice a week, you will see between 300 and 400 strands coming out during your shower. This can be pretty alarming. Shampooing daily puts everything into perspective.
Finally, washing your hair daily is necessary for overall hair health. Shampoo is designed to rid your hair of dirt, oil buildup and product, all of which can dull your locks, clog your follicles and hinder the natural hair lifecycle. If you want to create a healthy environment that promotes hair growth, ignore the internet’s advice (well, most of it) and shampoo daily.
The Right Shampoo Makes a World of Difference
If you shampoo daily and your hair is dull and lifeless, it likely has less to do with the frequency of your washings and more to do with the type of shampoo you use. If you’re like many people, you shop for shampoos at the hair level, and without giving consideration to your scalp. For instance, if you have dry hair, you may look for something with less cleansers and detergents. If you have oily hair, you may look for something harsher and with more detergents. Neither is the answer.
Hair products that contain too many additives strip the scalp and strands of their natural, healthy oils, thereby creating a drying effect. Shampoos that contain too few cleansers, however, are virtually ineffective, as they do not rid the scalp of follicle-clogging dirt, oils and product. By continuing to use the wrong shampoo, you may unwittingly trigger excessive shedding, dandruff or even hair loss.
To prevent the adverse consequences of using the wrong shampoo, stop shopping for products based on hair problems you experience today. It is equally important, if not more so, to take care of your scalp as you do your hair, which means shopping for a product that will make the scalp happy in the long-term, not the strands it has already produced.
Your Scalp’s Needs May Change With the Seasons, or the Seasons of Life
You may have heard that hair grows accustomed to a certain shampoo and therefore, immune to its beneficial properties. This idea is a lot like saying your body grows used to broccoli or water and, therefore, it can no longer benefit from either — it’s absurd. If you no longer see the results you want from your shampoo, it’s likely because your scalp’s needs have changed.
Changes can occur for a number of reasons. For instance, you may have stopped dying your hair, or you may dye it more often. You may have let your hair go curly instead of straightening it every day, or you may have cut off 12 inches. Each of these changes can affect the needs of your strands and your scalp.
The seasons play a role in the needs of your scalp as well. During the summer months, when there is plenty of moisture in the air, many people find that a lightweight shampoo works best to prevent oil buildup. During the winter, however, when indoor heat is the norm and the weather is dry, the opposite proves to be true — thicker, creamier shampoos get the job done.
Finally, your age plays a role in your hair’s health. Biochemical and hormonal changes can cause the hair to turn gray, grow brittle, grow thinner or even fall out. When shopping for your new shampoo, it’s important that you take into consideration each of these factors, from your haircare habits to hair type, and from the season of the year to your season of life.
At DS Laboratories, we engineer advanced haircare products designed to obtain and maintain scalp health and vitality. Revita is just one of our most popular products. Shop for the product that is right for you today.