Health

Why You Should Think Twice About Cutting Back on Shampooing

January 15th 2017

I have cut back on shampoo in the last few months in hopes of growing the length of my hair and decreasing my scalp's oil production.

But shampooing less doesn't mean healthier, more beautiful hair after all, contrary to popular belief, according to some experts.

The growing trend of women shampooing less frequently may not be as effective as these women hope, Manhattan stylist Michael Angelo told The New York Times.

Angelo's male clients complain about their girlfriends' stinky hair, he said.

Angelo also noted the rise of so-called dry shampoo, which makes it possible for people to go longer without shampooing their locks. But dry shampoo has issues of its own.

Using dry shampoo more than a few times a week can make your hair fall out, some experts say.

"[Dry shampoo] buys you only an extra day or two [without needing to use regular shampoo]," Angelo told the Times. "It doesn't buy you an extra five days."

Women should view their hair the same way they view their skin, hair colorist Rita Hazan told the Times. Pores on your skin can get clogged without regular cleaning, and you don't want the same for your scalp.

Hair products today are also of higher quality than in the past, so using them more frequently now shouldn't be as big a concern to women as it may be to some, Hazan added.

girl-straightening-her-hairBigstock/javitrapero - bigstockphoto.com

How often you should wash your hair really depends on your hair type and how active a lifestyle you lead, experts say.

Frequent exercisers and women with thin hair should rely heavily on dry shampoo in between washes, beauty influencer Juliette Dallas-Feeny told the Times.

People with thicker hair can usually go longer without shampoo washes than their thinner-haired counterparts.

Check out ATTN:'s video below on showering habits for more information on this topic.

Read the full New York Times story about hair washing here.

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