HOUSTON – Dermatologists say nothing is wrong with shampooing all hair types regularly but when your hair looks better, styles better between washes, can skipping the suds be harmful?
KPRC2 health reporter Haley Hernandez went to salon experts at Beautique in Rice Village, who said waiting days between washes helps preserve the health of your hair.
“It helps my color last longer and saves me a ton of time," Jan Hardin said. "Most clients, we encourage them to at least go every other day if at all possible.”
For African-American hair, stretching out shampoos to once every week or two weeks is okay.
The key is to make sure you are removing dead skin cells and excess oil.
“Dry shampoo helps a lot with that, going in between washes,” Hardin said.
Popular products on the market, like dry shampoo, are marketed to those who want to go longer in between shampoos. However, dermatologists warn that dry shampoo may encourage an undesired side effect of overgrowing bacteria on your scalp.
“(Dry shampoos) do absorb some of the oil, but they also sit on the scalp and allow the oil to stay there,” said Dr. Melissa Piliang, of the Cleveland Clinic.
Piliang said the overgrowth of bacteria on your head can lead to dandruff and an itchy, flaking scalp.
“The scalp has different oils than the rest of the body," Piliang said. "They tend to build up and allow for the overgrowth of bacteria and yeast.”
That’s why, she said, the dry shampoos are fine but are no substitute for the real thing.