Is Going A Week Between Hair Washes Too Long?

Regarding how often you should be washing your hair, most beauty enthusiasts already know that you shouldn't wash your hair daily. Too much of a good thing never ends up being great, and that includes excessively washing your hair. However, don't forget that washing your hair is still important for hair and scalp health, and going too far in the other direction isn't healthy for some hair types either.

"Washing your hair is important for hair growth," Erinn Courtney, a hairstylist with expertise in natural hair, told Good Housekeeping. "It relieves your hair of product buildup and dermatitis that can negatively affect your scalp." But is going one week between washes too long? This is true for those with straight or wavy hair, but for those with curly and natural hair, you'll actually want to go a week — if not longer — before lathering on the shampoo. Let's break it down.

Going a week between hair washes is too long for those with straight or wavy hair, so we don't recommend waiting so long to clean your tresses for those hair types. And don't assume that just because your hair looks good after a week of no washing, it's healthy — when it comes to hair health, looks can be deceiving, especially if you live in an area with high pollution. "It may look like the hair is clean but with pollution, sweat, tobacco smoke ... the hair becomes saturated," Rosi Fernandez, the hairstylist directing Ananda Ferdi, told Vogue. Fernandez recommends washing the hair twice a week, as not doing so can cause the hair follicles to clog up, causing flaking, dandruff, sensitivity, and hair loss.

If you must wait a week between washes, you should still put time into taking care of your hair. For example, hair-focused TikToker @lauraspiessmacher posted a video showing her long, wavy hair, sharing that she hadn't washed it for a week. However, the TikToker noted that she kept it fresh by using reliable dry shampoo and trustworthy hair oil and brushing her locks. We still suggest washing your hair more than once a week, but if you can't, following the TikToker's tips can still help your hair look healthy.

While people with wavy or straight hair should avoid going a week between hair washes, other hair types are better suited for waiting that long — and sometimes even longer. "Women with Afro hair type 3A to 4C should routinely shampoo their hair every two weeks." hairstylist Dionne Smith told Harper's Bazaar. "Afro hair types tend to be quite dry and even brittle at times and although our hair produces natural sebum we don't want to be stripping that out too frequently as it only makes the hair even dryer."

So, if you have those hair types, please do not feel pressured to wash your hair more than once every two weeks — in your case, waiting the extra time between washes will be healthier than washing once a week or more. Moreover, natural hair-focused TikToker @curlsxcourtney posted a video sharing that she washes her curly hair once a week, as that's what works for her. Therefore, there really is no strict number of times you should wash your hair per week, as every hair is different.