What You Need To Know About Shampooing
When I was younger, I had no real sense of how often I should be shampooing my hair. At the time, I didn’t have access to the internet, or things of that nature, so I was creating regimens wholly based on self-awareness. My mother always told me to clean at least once a week, but I had noticed that she was shampooing her hair more often than that. I always asked her if her hair was “dirtier” than mine because she had to shampoo it more often than me. In reality, it wasn’t dirtier, but she did state that she had more buildup than me. Since I was a child at the time, I didn’t know what buildup meant. Eventually, my curiosity fizzled out as I moved onto the next topic, but my regimen changed as I got older. It wasn’t until I turned about sixteen that I finally knew how much I should be shampooing and why. Every situation differs, which is why figuring out my regimen was so important. The health of your hair will depend on how much you're nurturing it. How often you’re shampooing will determine how
dry and brittle, or how moisturized and healthy your hair is. I’ve come up with about three different hair conditions that can affect your shampoo level. Let’s get into them!
These Three Factors Matter!
It’s essential to understand that your healthy shampooing level will depend on a variety of things. Luckily, we’ve narrowed it down to about three factors. Your hair type will be the first thing you should use as a point of reference. Do you have
curly, or kinky hair? Is your hair fine, and straight? If you’re not sure what your hair type is, you can always look it up! The next aspect you want to take note of is what the condition of your hair is in. Is your hair dry most days? Is it oily? Do you have any underlying conditions? If you’re unsure, you should visit a professional. A professional such as a dermatologist that specializes in hair, or
a hairstylist, will be able to let you know the condition of your hair. The last thing is to take note of how often you’re wearing protective styles. Protective styles tend to cause a lot of buildup. We’ll discuss that more in detail later.
Visit A Professional
Before we can give you any advice on how often you should be shampooing your hair, we always advise that you visit a professional. Doing a checkup on your hair is essential and can help you formulate a
haircare regimen that works for you. I was doing my haircare all wrong before I visited a dermatologist and a hairstylist. After my appointments, I was able to understand the underlying issue of my dryness and get to the root of my problem. I was informed that I should be washing my hair at least once a week, also, to conditioning it. Without that visit, I would’ve never guessed that because of what I thought I knew. Visiting a professional is an essential first step, and if you can, try to go as soon as possible. Don’t be afraid to ask all the necessary questions. When I finally decided to go, I had a list of items ready so that I wouldn’t miss any critical information. My dermatologist and hairstylist found it refreshing that I wanted to learn so much about how to take care of my hair. Ask away when you go!
What’s Your Hair Texture?
This part is essential. Figuring out
your hair texture will determine how much you should be shampooing your hair. I have
thick and kinky hair that can become dirty quickly if not properly taken care of. For people with thick and kinky hair, it’s suggested that hair is cleaned about once or twice every two weeks. Kinky hair can dry out quickly, so shampooing it every week isn’t necessary. Use a light cleansing conditioner for the times in between washes. If your hair is thick with loose curls, you can follow the same regimen, but once a week should give you prime results. If you have straight and thin hair, you should try cleansing about twice a week. Fine hair has the potential to become oily, and dull. A shampoo and conditioner treatment should get you back in order! If you don’t know your hair type, or texture and are unsure of where to start, you should try looking it up. There are plenty of different hair types out there, but it’s usually narrowed down to about six categories. You should able to find something that matches your type!
Any Hair Conditions?
After visiting some hair professionals, I was able to get down to the bottom of my dry scalp. Even though my hair is thick, I need to wash my hair about once a week due to having a
dry scalp issue. If you have any underlying hair or scalp conditions, your regimen will differ from normal ones. Don’t be discouraged if you do have a condition; you’ll need to care for hair differently. Different conditions such as alopecia and seborrheic dermatitis will affect your shampooing frequency. In most cases, you’ll need to use a particular kind of shampoo prescribed by a physician.
Protective Styles Much?
I usually try
to wear protective styles year round. I don’t like wearing my natural hair often because it’s such a hassle and I have zero time. Due to this protective style lifestyle, I have to take special care of my hair so that it’s not dry and dirty. If you wear protective styles often, you’ll need to be strategic with the way you wash your hair. For me, I make use of some light shampoo and allow it to sit for some time before rinsing it out. For most protective styles, you can utilize a co-washing technique that will keep your hair clean and moisturized.
Remember This
When figuring out how much shampoo you should use, you need to take everything into account. Your hair type, the condition of your hair, and how often you make use of protective styles will affect how often you need to shampoo your hair. The first thing you should do is visit a professional, and figure out the condition of your hair. A quick consultation can change your hair care regimen. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Shampooing can be fun, and efficient as long as you have the right information.
