Dianne is the co-founder of Natural Haircare News and Coils To Locs.com. She's been blogging about natural hair ever since she made the decision to break free of the creamy crack in 2012.
Latest posts by Dianne Austin (see all)
The Myth
There is a long standing belief of some in the black community that not washing your hair will help to accelerate hair growth.
I have no idea when or how this myth originated, but it is definitely a fallacy that has been passed down from one generation to the next. The truth is, dirty hair, and more importantly, a dirty scalp can actually prevent hair growth.
Do We Need To Wash Our Hair Every Day?
Not all black women wash their hair every day, and don’t believe the hype – daily washing is not necessary for every hair type. Thinner, straighter hair in particular can be easily weighted down by oils faster than women whose hair is highly textured. Add the fact that our hair is more susceptible to dryness since the sebum – our scalp’s natural oils have difficulty traveling down to the ends of our coils and curls, and it makes sense that daily washing can be damaging to our hair.
How Often Should Highly Textured Hair Be Washed? What The Experts Say:
Although black women with coily/curly hair textures may not to need to wash their hair on a daily basis, there are other things that should be taken into consideration when determining when you should wash your hair. According to dermatologist George Costarellis, M.D., Director of the University of Pennsylvania Hair and Scalp Clinic, we need to think about the health of our scalp when determining how long we should wait to wash our hair. Infrequent washing for people with scalp problems such as dandruff for example can exacerbate the problem.
Costarellis also states that not shampooing frequently enough can actually retard hair growth:
“If you take it to the extreme and you don’t wash your hair for a week or so, the dead hairs will accumulate in the scalp.”
Removing the accumulation of dead hair can encourage the new hair to grow.
Yet daily washing can strip the hair and scalp of the essential oils needed to keep hair healthy. Women who chose to wash their hair daily, regardless of the texture should focus on rinsing the hair and then applying a conditioner as opposed to shampooing the hair in order to minimize breakage and dryness.
Keep in mind that a clean scalp is key to keeping your hair healthy and growing well. Common sense and balance need to be applied when it comes to how frequently you wash your hair. If you are washing less frequently, watch for signs of dirt, product buildup and an itchy scalp as an indication that it may be time to shampoo your hair.
Expert Source Quote(s): Huffington Post
Author: Dianne
 “Changing attitudes about natural hair” is what we do at Natural Haircare News. Through informative articles, podcasts and videos, we go beyond just sharing the latest advice and tips on kinky, curly, wavy haircare – We shake things up and focus on the realities of wearing our hair natural. |
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