Hair Washing: How Often is Best?

Sudsing up during your morning shower sure feels good, but, depending on your hair type, it might not be doing such good things for your hair. In fact, over-washing some types of hair can cause them to become dry, brittle, and frizzy. Here, the ground rules on how often to lather up.

Wash every day: Fine, thin hair and most short styles. Fine hair tends to become flat and greasy-looking if left unwashed for too long, thanks to the natural oils from the scalp. Short hair can become greasy quickly, too. Pick a gentle shampoo and follow with a light conditioner -- sometimes called a detangler -- with every shower.

Wash two to three times a week: Long, thick and/or curly hair. These hair types tend to become dry easily, especially at the ends. That's because the scalp's natural, moisturizing oils have a long way to travel to get to the ends, and are often washed away before reaching them. By skipping a day in between shampoos, these natural oils have more opportunity to lubricate and condition the hair. On your off days, simply style hair dry, or rinse with warm water, condition, then dry and style as usual. Choose a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.

Wash one to two times a week: Very dry, kinky, African-American, and/or chemically processed hair. Hair like this is either naturally very porous, and therefore very dry; or has been severely damaged by perming solutions, straighteners, or colorings. These hair types benefit from as little washing as possible, plus heavy conditioning packs every week. Look for a shampoo formulated for chemically processed or African-American hair, which will be more moisturizing and gentler than regular shampoos. Follow with a thick conditioner. --Lisa Kovalovich