"Hair Water" Sounds Like BS — But It's Actually Genius (2024)

FAQs

Why does my hair get so greasy if I don't shower? ›

Greasy hair is caused by an excess or build-up of sebum, the natural oils produced by our scalp to support our hair health. These natural oils help to support the outer layers of the hair and protect the delicate proteins inside.

For most people, it is not necessary to wash their hair every day. So the decision about how frequently to wash hair depends on a person's hair type, scalp texture, how oily the hair gets, and personal preference. For some people, too-frequent washing can cause damaged hair and a dry, itchy scalp.

But too much sebum gives you greasy hair. Hormones can affect how much sebum your scalp makes. Puberty, being pregnant, having your period, or even stress can make your hormones go haywire. So, during these times, you might notice that your hair gets oily faster than usual.

This becomes even more important if you have oily hair, Dr. Idriss said. You may need to wash it every day, she added, but you don't always need to use shampoo. “Alternating a shampoo wash with a water rinse every other day can help minimize stripping your scalp of oil,” Dr. Idriss said.

Going a long time without washing your hair can cause a buildup of a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia on your scalp. Over time, this leads to a layer of dead skin cells that shed from your head in the form of oily, yellow-ish dandruff flakes. Dandruff can also make your scalp red, scaly, and itchy.

If so, your hormones may be to blame. Similarly, testosterone increases oil production. People with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is characterized by elevated testosterone, may notice symptoms like oily skin. 3 This could also include the scalp, making the hair appear greasy.

There are some benefits to not washing your hair, especially if you have dry hair, damaged hair, or tightly curled hair. Depending on your ethnic background, less frequent washing can also help reduce breakage and hair loss.

Rossi generally tells his patients they should wash their hair once or twice per week. But if you've had chemical treatments that can make your hair drier — such as bleach, perms or relaxers — you might want to wash it less than once weekly to avoid breaking or brittle hair or split ends, he said.

“Regardless of how your hair feels, though, don't go longer than 14 days, ever,” Lamb says, who doesn't buy into the total 'no poo' movement. From a medical perspective, Goh says some of her patients only wash their hair once a week. She says as long as they don't have scalp problems that seems OK.

If you want to give your hair a quick dose of revival and say sayonara to oily hair in 5 minutes, try this hair hack that we swear by. Take some baby powder and massage it on your scalp with the help of your fingertips. Brush off the excess with a paddle brush and voila, greasy hair who?

Is it good to leave your hair greasy for a few days? ›

While you definitely want some natural oils to remain in your hair, not washing your hair will allow oil, dirt and grime to build up on your scalp. This can lead to a greasy appearance and unpleasant odours, as well as conditions such as dandruff and an itchy scalp.

If you wash your hair too often, you can trigger an overproduction of those natural oils, creating excess sebum production, and bang—you've got greasy hair the next day, or even just hours after rinsing.

Wash your hair a lot, or don't — it's your call. But there is zero scientific evidence to cement that washing it less makes it grow faster (sob). However, excessive shampooing (beyond what your hair type needs) can cause dehydration and lead to breakage, so overzealous shampooers should err on the side of caution.

Double shampooing has several benefits that can improve your haircare routine and overall hair health: It helps better clarify the hair and scalp, enabling any other products you use to work more effectively. It can help to distill natural hair texture, which may be impaired due to congestion.

Dr. Fusco says that this can lead to scalp inflammation, dandruff, excess shedding, and even folliculitis, which are tiny pimples on the scalp. "When we don't wash often enough, the hair follicle beneath the surface can be suffocated to a degree leading to less than optimum new hair growth," says Abney.

Your scalp and your strands need moisture to stay healthy, so try to cleanse once a week if possible. If you're working with fine or thin hair, or you have an oil-prone scalp, you may need to suds up a few times a week, every other day, or even daily (if you're, say, running a marathon in scorching heat every morning).